A million infant and toddler high chairs recalled

Monday, November 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Baby-equipment-maker Cosco is recalling about 1 million high chairs for infants and toddlers after receiving 57 reports of children being injured when their seats collapsed or restraints gave way.

The Columbus, Ind.-based company has received 168 reports of incidents involving the high chairs' seats or restraints, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Monday. Among those hurt were 12 children monitored for head injuries and others who suffered swollen eyes, bloody noses and lips, bumps and bruises. Two suffered slight concussions.

The recalled Options 5 High Chairs have five options for use: high chair, infant feeding, youth chair, play chair and booster seat. The chair's seat can recline for infants or adjust into seven upright positions for toddlers.

In the recline position, the seats can separate from the frame and fall. In the upright position, the seats can slip from their set height to the lowest position or fall to the ground. Additionally, some seats were sold with a metal restraint anchor that can slip through the back of the seat, allowing the child to fall.

The recalled chairs have four tray positions, a vinyl seat pad and a removable footrest. ``Cosco'' is on the chair's leg support bar, on the tray and on a sticker on the bottom of the seat. The restraint system consists of a waist/crotch belt and a plastic T-bar attached to the tray.

The recalled chairs have model number 03-286 and a four-digit manufacture date from Dec. 1, 1997, through Aug. 11, 2000. Both numbers are printed on the bottom of the seat. Mass merchandise, juvenile products and major discount department stores nationwide sold the high chairs for about $40 to $50.

The safety commission advises consumers to stop using these high chairs immediately, and order a free repair kit from Cosco by calling 1-800-221-6736 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or visiting their Web site at http://www.coscoinc.com/services/servfram.html.

There are two types of repair kits, depending on when the high chair was manufactured. When contacting Cosco, consumers should have the chair in front of them to provide the model number and manufacture date.

In February, Cosco recalled about 200,000 children's Touriva convertible car seats after federal safety experts concluded that the buckles could be difficult to unlatch in an emergency. In July 1999, the company recalled about 670,000 Arriva and Turnabout car seats because infants could fall out when the seat was used as a carrier.