More Safety 1st brand child safety locks recalled: toilet and cabinet locks fail to keep kids out

Parents of small children should be aware of another Safety 1st child safety lock recall involving defective toilet and cabinet locks sold at major retailers across the country because children can disengage these locks by themselves, potentially drowning in a toilet or accessing toxic chemicals or other harmful items locked in the cabinets.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) Inc., of Columbus, OH, is recalling 183,000 Safety 1st Sure Fit Toilet Locks and 685,000 Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Locks because children can unexpectedly disengage the locks, posing a risk of injury.

Major retailers, including Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Burlington Coat Factory, Great Beginnings and Bed, Bath and Beyond sold these toilet locks from January 2005 through April 2010 for between $8 and $20 and the cabinet locks from January 2000 through March 2009 for between $2 and $11. Consumers may also have purchased these locks online at Amazon.com through April 2012.

Safety 1st Sure Fit Toilet Locks attach to the tank behind the lid to prevent small children from opening the lid and gaining access to the toilet bowl. Water in the toilet bowl is a drowning hazard for small children. Dorel Juvenile Group has received 110 reports of toilet locks that did not adequately secure the lid. In eight of the reports, children under 2 years of age were able to disengage or break the lock. Consumers can identify the recalled toilet locks by the model number 48003 or 48103 on the back of the lock.

Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Locks slide to close or extend the product’s curved hooks, allowing attachment to cabinet knobs or handles. They are intended to prevent small children from accessing the contents of the cabinet. Dorel Juvenile Group has received 278 reports of locks that did not adequately secure cabinet doors. In 71 reports, children ages eight months to five years disengaged the cabinet lock. A 13-month-old boy required hospitalization after opening the cabinet lock and swallowing small toxic beads from a craft kit stored inside the cabinet. Consumers can find the model numbers 12013 or 12014 on the backs of these recalled locks.

The CPSC urges consumers to stop using any of the recalled Safety 1st Sure Fit Toilet Locks and Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Locks, advising dangerous items be moved out of the reach of children and for parents and caregivers to prevent children’s unsupervised access to bathrooms.

Dorel Juvenile Group is offering free replacement locks. Consumers can call the manufacturer at (877) 416-8105 or by visiting the Safety 1st Sure Fit Toilet Lock recall site or Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Lock recall site.

This recall is in addition to a recall of 900,000 Safety 1st Push ‘N Snap Cabinet Locks in March 2012. Dorel Juvenile Group has received 200 reports of these locks failing, including 140 cases in which children between the ages of 9 months and 5 years were able to disengage the locks and gain access to the cabinet’s contents. Three of these cases involved children who handled or ingested dishwashing detergent, window cleaner or oven cleaner after gaining access to the inside of the cabinet. Consumers with Safety 1st Push ‘N Snap Cabinet Locks should call Dorel Juvenile Group at (866) 762-3212 or visit the Push ‘N Snap Cabinet Lock recall site for free replacement locks.