Home furnishings retailer Ikea has issued a recall of up to 35.6 million chests and dressers, following the deaths of six children killed in tip-over related incidents dating back to 1989. The recall involves some 8 million Malm chests and dressers, linked to the three child deaths and 21 million additional children's and adult chests and dressers in the U.S. and an additional 6.6 million sold in Canada.

The three other child deaths - one each in July 1989, March 2002 and October 2007 - were also linked to tip-overs of chests sold at Ikea, the CPSC reported. These were among the 41 incidents reported to Ikea involving chests and dressers other than those in the Malm line. These incidents involving these other chests and dressers also resulted in 19 injuries to children.  

The company has agreed to stop selling all chests and dressers sold in the U.S. and Canada that do not comply with a U.S. voluntary industry standard (ASTM F2057-14) that aims to prevent tip over incidents of chests and dressers.

Case pieces in the Malm collection itself have been a factor in tip-overs involved in the deaths of three children since February 2014. The latest of these tip-over incidents occurred this past February, involving a 22-month-old Minnesota child.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 7 million MALM chests and 20 million other IKEA chests and dressers were part of a nationwide repair program announced in July 2015. As part of this program Ikea issued free wall anchoring kits.

After the third child death earlier this year, several consumer safety groups urged a recall. Sen. Robert Casey (D-Pa.) has also introduced legislation called the STURDY Act (Stop Tip Overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth) to help determine whether a voluntary tip-over standard is effective in preventing such incidents and also whether the industry at large is complying with the standard.

Up to this point, Ikea said it has communicated to consumers the importance of anchoring case pieces to the wall. In addition to sending e-mails to millions of its customers, it has also placed ads in parent magazines and also posted notices on its web site and on Facebook and Twitter about the importance of the wall attachment.

However, up to now, there has been no formal recall of any chests or dressers in the Ikea line.

Consumers have been advised to immediately take any recalled dressers and chests that are not anchored to the wall out of rooms that are accessible to children.

(Source: Furniture Today  Author: Thomas Russell)