Can anyone get to the bottom of this Maclaren buggy recall thing?

[MadameDuBain]

Have heard on the news this morning that Maclaren are recalling umbrella-fold buggies in the US because children have lost fingertips in the fold mechanisms.

Sounds daft to me - surely any folding buggy/item can trap a finger if you're not careful? Not to mention doors etc.? Is this just because of the US being so litigious or is there something actually wrong with the buggies? I love our techno XT and was keeping it for DC2.

There have been over 1 million buggies sold, and 15 reported cases of trapped fingers, 12 with the finger tip being amputated. Whether that's as a result of the actual trapping or infection afterwards is not stated.

I think it's a case of a litigous culture. And people not checking that fingers aren't near the stroller when being unfolded.

According to the BBC news website, models sold in Uk are not affected.

I heard on the radio this morning its not a recall as such, they are issuing people in the US with protective covers for the hinges. I don't see why the models in the UK would be any different to those in the US so I would think its more a factor of how litigious people are in the US.

Seems common sense to me though that you don't unfold your buggy with your child holding onto it. I love my XT too.

We got ours out last night - we couldn't find the problem but I'm not sure if ours is on the list.

I know they're not being recalled here but I think it is basically the same models - just seems bizarre. But yes obviously don't trap your DC fingers in the buggy when you fold it and - they'll stay on

I'm very worried, I am going to remove all doors in my house and car as I would hate to trap my DD's fingers. Off to lay cotton wool on the hard floors now.

My DD nearly lost a finger in our Mothercare Jive buggy - but fortunately it was just a 'crush injury'

It's sort of INEVITABLE with any folding buggy, I would imagine

Bit odd innit?

also in the US, they just send out a part that will "fix" the problem (presumably some kind of plastic cap) whereas in the UK, a recall would mean sending the buggy back for a refund.

Latest Press Assn on this is ...

BUGGY BANNED IN US TO REMAIN ON SALE IN UK
HHH US Maclaren
Topic US
Published 10 Nov 2009 - 12:42
By Ellen Branagh, Press Association
Pages: 1 2
Page 1: 12:28
A buggy that has been known to cut off children's fingertips has been banned in the US, but not in the UK, the company said today.
UK-based Maclaren today said the umbrella pushchairs were safe to use and reassured customers they are safe when opened or closed correctly.
The company's comments come after it announced yesterday that one million folding pushchairs in the United States have been recalled after reports that 12 children had their fingertips cut off when they were caught in the hinges.
All Maclaren single and double umbrella pushchairs, including the popular Volo and Techno models, were voluntarily recalled by the firm in the US, which said it is providing customers and retailers with a kit to cover the "elbow joint" on the hinge mechanism.
But today the company said the measures would not apply to the UK or the rest of Europe.
A spokesman said the products fully comply with European safety legislation and if a buggy is folded or unfolded in line with instructions, the risk of injury is "non-existent".
The company said there was a difference between the term "product recall" in the US and UK.
A spokesman for Maclaren Europe Limited said the term "recall" is used in the US for corrective action taken to modify products, as well as for times when products are returned and customers given a refund.
The spokesman said: "Our products are fully compliant with European safety legislation. Our products were assessed and found to be fully compliant and safe.
"We wish to reassure our customers that they should continue to use their existing Maclaren buggies since they are safe when opened and closed correctly.
"As further reassurance we have updated our operating instructions and placed a warning label on the buggy to ensure that customers take care and keep children away from the buggy when it is being folded or unfolded.
"Our advice is that consumers should take the same level of caution and care as when opening or closing a car door or any other moving part that can be found in many other baby and toddler products."
He said Maclaren will be updating its UK website to give consumers clear advice and operating instructions.
"We would like to make clear this is not a European wide product recall," the spokesman added.
"In the US the term product recall has an entirely different meaning. It means corrective action or the modification of products which can be carried out in the home.
"In response to accidents which occurred when buggies where not operated in line with instructions and safety guidelines our US Company decided to voluntarily supply kits to cover the elbow joint as a safety measure.
"There are a lower number of similar reported incidents amongst the considerably higher number of Maclaren buggies sold in Europe.
"If a buggy is folded or unfolded in line with our operating instructions the risk of injury is non-existent."
Yesterday the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said US customers should stop using the pushchairs immediately.
In a joint statement with Maclaren USA, the CPSC said: "The stroller's hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller."
It said the firm had received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the pushchair's hinge mechanism, "resulting in 12 reports of fingertip amputations in the United States".
The recalled models in America include the Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, Techno XLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.
mfl
Page 2: 12:42
A spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said the Government had stopped collecting figures for pushchair accidents in 2002.
But she said in that year 4,000 people had to go to Accident and Emergency departments in the UK with injuries caused in some kind of accident involving a pushchair.
She said 2,800 of those were children under the age of five. The majority were falls, either from the pushchair or involving the buggy toppling over.
The spokeswoman said around 80 of the under-fives had to go to A&E after their fingers became somehow trapped in the mechanism. Some had been playing in it, she said, and others had got caught while their parents were putting up or taking down the buggy.
The spokeswoman said: "If people are in this country and they have concerns, first of all you should check to see whether you have one of the products that it actually affects.
"This story today should remind people of the need for care in putting them up and down and encourage children not to play with pushchairs.
"If you do have any further concerns, the best advice is to contact Maclaren in this country to see what kind of advice they have available."
mfl

Hello, I found a way online of asking Maclaren to give us the same safety repair kit for the buggies over here in the UK.

Its just not good enough that its for US only - 12 children had their fingertips amputated for goodnesssake!

Link to Download Mindful Mum Email Template here - Request the free repair kit from Maclaren for your buggy.

Justine has just been on gthe itv news re this

There was something like this back in 2005 - different manufacturer but pushchair safety recall in the states, nothing here.

Seems really strange that the joint at fault is the "elbow joint" at the sides. What about all those criss-crossing metal pieces at the back?

Surely something which folds so small and is strong enough to carry a child but light enough to carry is always going to have accessible moving parts?

Forgive me but surely you just don't allow your kids to be anywhere near the pram when you open it up?

As long as it is safe when up then I'm not worried, if there's a risk to a child when the pram is up then that's a different story....

A colleague's daughter did lose a fingertip as a result of getting it caught in a buggy. And it was a Maclaren.

I wasn't there but she is a well behaved little girl and they are watchful parents - just one of those things.

I'm usually first to cry "litigious culture gone mad" but I do think that if there is a way of covering this mechanism then it makes sense to do so.

PS I have a Maclaren. Bought after this incident happened.

what are the dates of the Maclaren? I got my XT in June....

1999 to 2009 here

Thanks - it's all maclarens byy the look of it!!! To be honest as long as a child is not there with its fingers on the pram when you are unfolding it I am not worried - just need to be aware that it can happen.

Agree twolittlekings. Awareness and consequently taking that extra little bit of care to keep little fingers at bay when putting up and taking down.

Hi

I have a maclaren, its years old well from 2003, are they wanting us to take it back into mother care or what am confused, or is it just in the US.

thanks

This is why it's best not to allow your three-year-old to open his own buggy

Bloody hell MP, next you'll be saying they shouldn't be cooking their own dinners...

Too right they shouldn't cook their own dinners, selfish beasts, they should be cooking yours as well

There is no taking it back

US consumers fill in an online form and get sent the hinge covers