The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently issued a recall of South Shore Furniture three-drawer dressers due to a possible tip-over hazard. The chests are potentially unstable, which could lead to tipping and entrapment.
According to a representative from South Shore Furniture, in an emailed statement, “As a member of the ASTM subcommittee on Furniture Safety, South Shore is an active participant in the industry’s ongoing effort to make furniture products safer. South Shore has been in operation and manufacturing furniture for now 78 years. We are a 3rd generation family owned business and as a family company, the well being of families – especially of babies and children – has and is always at the heart of our mission and operations.” The recall follows one injury and one fatality after the un-anchored chests of drawers tipped and fell. If you think you might have this item in your home, read on for more information.
Recalled Product Description: South Shore Libra Three-Drawer Chest
The recent recall includes South Shore Furniture’s Libra style three-drawer chests. Nearly 310,000 chests were sold in the United States and an additional 6,900 were sold in Canada. The chests were sold in nine colors and have metal handles (one on each drawer).
Each chest weighs 56 pounds. The measurements are 27½-inches high by 31¼-inches wide and 15½-inches deep. While some chests were sold individually, others came as part of a three-piece set. This set also included a bed and a nightstand. Currently, only the chest part of this set is under recall.
The dressers were sold for about $60 at Target.com, Walmart.com and Amazon as well as other online retailers from October 2009 through July 2019.
Why the Chests Were Recalled
Un-anchored furniture presents a tipping and entrapment hazard, especially for young children. The manufacturers of the chest received two reports of tip-overs, including one toddler fatality.
How to Tell if Your Chest Is Part of the Recall
Only the Libra style three-drawer chest is part of the current recall. For a full list of model number and colors, visit the CPSC’s website here.
What Parents Can Do
Stop using the chest immediately. Remove it from your home or move it somewhere your child can’t get to. A representative from South Shore Furniture said, in an emailed statement, “Our focus now is to make sure customers have the information they need to securely anchor their Libra 3-drawer chest to a wall. We are encouraging all customers who own Libra 3-drawer chests without a tip-over restraint kit to stop using the product, make sure it is in an area that children cannot access, and contact us to receive a full refund or free restraint kit by calling us at 800-290-0465 or visiting us online at www.southshorefurniture.com and clicking on “Recall Information”.” According to the CSPC’s recall, you can also contact South Shore Furniture at 855-215-4932 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday for more information. Recall remedies include a full refund with free pickup or a free tip-over anchor kit (which comes with free in-home installation). If you don’t want to wait for the free pickup, remove the drawer slides from one side and send them back to South Shore for a full refund.
—Erica Loop
Photos: Courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
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