IKEA HAS REFUSED to recall a brand of dressers despite a recall in the US and Canada after six children were killed when the chests of drawers tipped on top of them.
The company said yesterday that the furniture is “unstable if they are not properly anchored to the wall, posing a tip-over and entrapment hazard that can result in death or injuries to children”.
It said it was voluntarily recalling the Malm chests and dressers that do not meet performance requirements in the US.
However Ikea in Ireland has said they are not recalling any chests of drawers in the UK and Ireland.
“IKEA chests of drawers are safe when anchored to the wall per the assembly instructions, using the tip over restraint provided with the product. We have no information of any tip over incidents with a properly anchored chest of drawer,” country customer relations manager Donna Moore said.
This is why we are committed to raising awareness among consumers of the tip over risks and how to prevent them. We are convinced that we can make a difference by sharing knowledge about safety in the home through our “Secure it!” awareness campaign.
She said Ikea believes “children are the most important people in the world” and the safety of its products is the highest priority.
The local recall in North America is the outcome of a dialogue between IKEA in North America and their local consumer authorities. The recall is based on the local ASTM standard, which is a voluntary standard for the sale of chests of drawers in North America.
The company has said these chests of drawers meet all mandatory stability requirements in the EU and other parts of the world including Ireland.
All customers are being urged, however, to check these products are securely anchored to the wall. They can request a free replacement restraint kit if they haven’t already fixed their chest of drawers to the wall.
“Alternatively, should any customer be unhappy with their Ikea furniture they can return the product to their local Ikea store in line with our generous returns policy,” Moore said.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (the CCPC) said it is aware of the issue and has been in contact with IKEA Ireland since the issue arose in July 2015.
The CCPC would strongly advise consumers to always follow all safety instructions when fitting or installing furniture. Consumers can find out more about securing furniture correctly here.
It said that people can read more about the CCPC’s product safety role on ccpc.ie.
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