Safety rules for bassinets and cradles
Ensuring the safety of products for children is incredibly important. There are regulations for almost any type of product and toy to ensure that they are suitable and safe for use. One specific category covers bassinets and cradles, which are small beds for infants that usually stand on a base of some sort. They may also come as an insert in a playpen.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has detailed specifications these products must meet to ensure they are safe to enter the market and will not cause harm to infants using them. The specifications cover everything from the design to the materials.
Construction requirements
A bassinet or cradle must pass specific tests to ensure it is lead-free and meets all the safety standards set for children’s toys in general. It cannot contain small parts that could lead to choking. If it rocks or swings, the manufacturer must make sure it never reaches an angle where the infant could shift and become trapped. Also, if it folds up, it must be secure so that when it is open, there is no risk of it accidentally folding.
The mattress must be flat and meet standards set to prevent asphyxiation. It must have sides high enough to prevent a baby from falling out but also must have some type of tip-over protection so that if another child were to look into the bassinet or cradle, it would not tip over.
Its sides cannot have openings where a baby’s head could get stuck. Finally, it needs to be capable of holding up to the intended weight.
Documentation requirements
The product must include an instruction manual that follows guidelines set under the safety standards. It also must include warning labels that specifically caution parents against fall and suffocation hazards.
These standards help to ensure that products coming onto the market will not pose an immediate risk. It enables parents to feel comfortable buying such products without fear of harm to their children.