CPSC field staff used a prepared checklist to observe conditions related to the eight product areas. Information from the checklists was entered into a database for further analysis. Results of Study Two-thirds of the child care settings in this study exhibited at least one of the targeted safety hazards. The overall results for each hazard are discussed below. To see how each different type of child care setting fared in this study, please refer to the associated chart .
Older cribs can present many dangers to children, including strangulation and suffocation.
Most of these are older, used cribs. Since 1990, at least nine children have died in incidents involving cribs in child care settings. Children can strangle when their bodies slip between crib slats that are too far apart and their heads catch in the slats. Children can suffocate when their faces and noses are wedged between a too-small mattress and the crib. There also can be problems when used cribs are not sturdy or have catchpoints that can entangle children's clothing.