Recall: Baseline Design Recall of Bean Bag Chairs

May 8, 2002 Alert #02-539

CPSC, Baseline Design Announce Recall of Bean Bag Chairs

PRODUCT: Bean Bag Chairs - Baseline Design of Linwood, Pa., is voluntarily recalling about 30,000 bean bag chairs. The bean bag chairs are designed with 12-inch double zippers in various types of motifs: a smiley face, a football-shape, a baseball-shape, a basketball-shape and solid neon green, yellow, pink and blue neon colors. Walmart stores sold the bean bag chairs nationwide from September 1999 through December 1999 for about $30.

PROBLEM: The bean bags contain small polystyrene beads that present suffocation and strangulation hazards to young children who may inhale the small beads. The recalled bean bag chairs have zippers that were not properly sealed to prevent young children from opening the bean bag chairs and being exposed to the small beads.

INCIDENTS/INJURIES: Baseline Design is aware of three incidents in which the zippers opened freely. Two of the incidents involved young children who were able to open the bean bag chair zippers, and gain excess to the small polystyrene beads. One child received medical attention at a hospital after inhaling the small beads.

WHAT TO DO: Consumers should inspect their bean bag chairs. If the zippers can be opened freely, Baseline Design will provide owners with a free replacement bean bag chair with zippers that do not open. For more information and instructions consumers should call Baseline Design toll- free at (800) 497-3626, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, EST or visit the firm's website at www.foamex.com