Safety group sets kids’ drawstring safety rules

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Friday set a new federal safety rule, saying drawstrings in certain children’s clothing are now considered substantial product hazards.

The 5-0 vote finalized that jackets and coats with certain neck or hood drawstrings and those with certain waist or bottom drawstrings would be specified as substantial product hazards.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, a U.S. government independent agency, could not be reached for additional comment.

Drawstrings can become a danger for children when they are entangled with objects such as playground slides or school bus doors, leading to dragging and possible strangulation. The CPSC said it has received 26 reports of children dying as a result of such incidents.

Along with deeming which products are hazards, the CPSC has the authority to stop potentially hazardous shipments from entering the United States. The CPSC also has the power to issue product recalls.

The CPSC first introduced industry guidelines regarding drawstrings in children’s apparel in 1996. Since then, fatalities resulting from neck or hood drawstrings have decreased by 75 percent, and fatalities resulting from the waist or bottom drawstrings have decreased 100 percent.

Makers of children’s clothing including Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc, Gap Inc, Gymboree, Aeropostale Inc, and Carter’s Inc could not be reached for comment.

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(Reuters)

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