Despite two recalls in the US, and compensation payments made to injured children in the UK, the pushchair manufacturer won't issue a consumer warning in this country.
Children's pushchair manufacturer Maclaren has no plans to remind parents in the UK about the potential risk of injury to children caused by hinges on its older models, despite conducting a second recall of the strollers in the USA.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in the US has reannounced a recall of all single and double Maclaren strollers sold prior to November 2009, following further accidents involving the amputation and laceration of children's fingertips. The consumer body said Maclaren has received a total of 149 reported incidents in the US, including 37 injuries that occurred after the strollers were initially recalled in November 2009. These included five fingertip amputations, 16 lacerations and 16 fingertip entrapments/bruising.
But although solicitors handling claims on behalf of British children have continued to take on new cases for injuries incurred after 2009, Maclaren says there is no need to recall buggies in this country – or even warn parents that their children could be at risk if they fail to take certain precautions.
The injuries occur when children's fingers are trapped in the hinges of their folding pushchairs. Maclaren claimed that models sold in the UK were not affected by the problem, but the firm has already compensated more than 40 children in the UK, paying between £2,500 and £10,000 despite refusing to admit liability for the injuries incurred.
Richard Langton, managing partner with solicitors Russell Jones and Walker, which led the group litigation against Maclaren in the UK, says he has handled more than 80 cases and knows of about 25 being dealt with by other firms. Of these, eight involved injuries which occured last year and one this year.
Maclaren has a safety update link on the front of its UK website, warning parents to make sure their children are kept away from buggies while they are opened and closed, and is offering free hinge covers. The company has distributed 300,000 such covers in the past 18 months, mostly in the US.
On its website Maclaren says: "The cover is not required for the safe use of the buggy, but is an additional safety measure in respect of the operation of opening or closing the stroller. The patented design right to this safety enhancement was waived by Maclaren allowing other manufacturers, with similar style side hinge mechanisms, to supply the same measure to their customers. The old style side hinge design continues to be widely used by many manufacturers whose products pose an inherent risk of finger entrapment; no different to the hazards associated with any goods containing moving parts."
Maclaren strollers sold after May 2010 have a different enclosed hinge design with no entrapment points, but many second-hand buggies with the old hinge design are still sold on eBay.
Joellen Bradford, chief marketing officer for Maclaren, said a recall in the US did not have the same connotation as in the UK of having to actually return a product to the manufacturer because it is unsafe to use, and added that the company had not had to advertise in the US to inform customers about the potential problems. "We didn't publicise this. It was the CPSC announcement [that made people aware of the issue]."
She added: "We feel we are reminding [parents] through our website and Facebook page. We've tried to get the word out through social media."
Langton said: "Incredibly, the UK authorities are either unable or unwilling to act. I, and many of the families I've acted for, would like to see Trading Standards take robust action and demand a full product recall from the manufacturer and the retailers involved.
"At the end of the day, compensation cannot turn back the clock and the focus here should be firmly on child safety. Whilst the hinges have at last been made safe on new buggies being sold, there are millions of them still in use and still causing injuries."
• Hinge covers can be obtained by calling 01327 841320 or, if calling from outside the UK, 00 44 1327 841320, or alternatively can be ordered online.
source: guardian.co.uk
Amputation Claims
