Safety

Crib safety

For your children’s safety, only use cribs that were made after September 1986.

Cribs made before that date do not meet the current safety regulations and present important risks to children.

Look for a label on the crib that shows the crib was made after September 1986. Cribs and cradles without a label or instructions may not be safe and should not be sold or purchased.

Do not use the bed if you have not found the fabrication date or if the bed was manufactured before September 1986.

A crib made before September 1986 is considered dangerous and can be harmful and even deadly to a child. Here are some causes of death associated with cribs made before September 1986:

  • Death by suffocation because the child got trapped between the mattress and the side of the bed when the box spring is displaced.
  • Death by suffocation because the child's body slipped through the crib’s bars and his head got stuck in the crib.
  • Death by strangling because piece of the baby’s clothing got stuck on the crib’s upper corner post.
  • Death by suffocation because the baby got stuck between the mattress and the bed due to a broken or missing piece.

The mattress’ support device must be snapped and locked into the bed structure so it can’t move in a normal situation. It should be impossible to adjust the device's height without tools. If your mattress’ support device does not look like the following illustration, it does not meet the security standards and therefore cannot be sold or given.

List of safety regulations for new or used cribs

Make sure the mattress is tight against all four sides of the crib. The space between the mattress and the sides of the crib should not be more than 3 cm (1 3/16 in). The mattress should not be more than 15 cm (6 in) thick.

To comply with regulations, the crib must have a label with the following information:

  1. Name and Canadian commercial address of the manufacturer or importer;
  2. Name and model number;
  3. Date of fabrication (year and month);
  4. A warning sign indicating clearly all the instructions related to the crib’s assembly, dimensions and proper use;
  5. The crib must have an assembly manual and a list of the required pieces written on it indelibly or in a pocket fixed permanently;
  6. The spacing between the bars should be no more than 6 cm

The bed must be in good condition, which means:

  • None of the pieces should be broken, missing or cracked;
  • Wood and metal parts should be free of splinters or burrs and there should be no loose nuts or bolts.
  • None of the bars should be loose or turn when being forced;
  • Do not modify a crib in any way. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for using the crib.
  • Don’t use a crib with visible signs of damage, missing parts, or missing information;
  • Replace the mattress if it is not firm or if it is worn out.
  • Cribs and cradles with decorative cut-outs, corner posts that are more than 3mm in height, or lead paint can be dangerous for your baby.

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