Flaw in high chairs leads to bumps, bruises and fractures

Washington: Graco Children's Products Inc., a unit of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., recalled 1.2 million high chairs because screws can loosen in the legs, causing the product to tip, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

The flaw in Harmony High Chairs can result in a child falling.

Atlanta-based Graco acted after receiving 464 reports of screws loosening or falling out, resulting in at least 24 injuries including bumps and bruises to the head and a hairline arm fracture, the commission said in a statement.

Covered

The recall covers Harmony chairs made from November 2003 through December 2009, according to the statement.

While the chairs are no longer in production, Graco said it has looked at and enhanced its internal product design review process as a result of the Harmony failures.

"We have worked closely with the CPSC to identify and provide an appropriate fix," Graco said in a statement. "We are confident that we have come up with a solution that will improve the performance of this chair."

Thursday's recall applies to chairs sold at retailers including Burlington Coat Factory, Toys "R" Us, Target and Wal-mart, according to the statement.

CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum, speaking to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association on March 8, said the Bethesda, Maryland-based agency had gained expanded powers for product safety and intends to use that authority.