GaGaGear

Oh no!  Not MeToo!

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

I’m going to try and tread lightly here, as one of my all-time favorite gear items is called out by the CPSC for safety concerns.  We used (and still use) Phil&Ted’s iconic MeToo clip-on chair in lieu of a high chair for both our children, both of whom are on the heavy side of the scale (75% and 110% at almost every weigh-in), and believe firmly in the strength of those beefy metal clips when tightly secured to the appropriate surface.

We’ve primarily used two in tandem, attached kitty corner on our built-in kitchen island, which is a solid inch and a half of sturdy maple.  Our kids could potentially kick the center of the island while in the chairs, but honestly, that’s not how they roll.  For us, the risk (and reality) was more that they would climb out of their seats, stand on the island, and swat at the pendant lights – whee!  (The arm straps on MeToo are weak sauce and a totally tough sell on top of a bib and broccoli.)

I’m actually comforted and pleased that Phil&Ted’s isn’t responding immediately with a worldwide recall – this to me indicates they believe the issue is not one of product integrity or basic design, but perhaps more one of user error.  They are issuing rubber pads or boots to make it safer – not to fix a fundamental design flaw.  Not exactly what the CPSC ordered, but as an owner, it seems logical – the rubber pads ours came with finally came unglued after their 50th trip through the dishwasher (and clothes dryer).  It’s not unlike the recent brake fix on our Bugaboo Bee.  Or the hinge covers issued for our Maclaren Twin Techno (for your precious fingertips).

In my humble opinion, keeping things safe with MeToo is a matter of physics and attention to detail – you have to assess the weight of your child, the curvature and heft of the furniture you’re attaching the chair to (round ones are tough, yet pictured in official photo at right), and use the clamps properly, tightening until you can tighten no more, and then tightening one last time.  I shudder to think any children actually did have their fingers amputated as they hit the floor from an improper installation and extra case of the wiggles, but I suppose it must have happened?  Or perhaps we’re at a point now where we if we dream it, we really CAN do it?

Anyway.  At our house, we’re hanging out in our MeToo’s until the kids are tall enough for our rickety backless bar stools.  It really is a best-in-class solution, from the hefty clips right down to folding fully flat for travel (even won a Cribsie nod recently in the Mealtime category).  But I’ve included the entire CPSC release below, urge you to come to your own conclusions, and promise to keep you posted on any developments.

…………………… official release follows ………………………

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2011
Release #11-218

CPSC Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

CPSC Alert: Consumers Urged To Stop Using phil&teds USA Clip-on Chairs Due To Serious Dangers Posed To Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns consumers that some “metoo” clip-on table top chairs, imported by phil&teds USA Inc., of Fort Collins, Colo. put young children at risk of serious injury due to multiple safety hazards. CPSC is urging consumers to stop using some metoo clip-on chairs immediately.

The product is an infant/toddler chair with a nylon fabric seat and a metal frame that clamps onto tables using two metal vise clamps. The upper part of each clamp rests on the table top and has either a rubber clamp pad on its underside or a rubber boot covering it. The chair is sold in three fabric colors – red, black and navy.

The clip-on chairs affected by this warning do not have plastic spacers between the table clamps and the front horizontal metal bar. The clip-on chairs that have plastic spacers between the table clamps and the front horizontal metal bar are under evaluation.

The company has refused to agree to a national recall of their hazardous product that is acceptable to CPSC. The company has offered a repair kit consisting of rubber boots to place on the upper clamp grips of the chairs. Consumers should be aware that CPSC has not approved a repair kit for this product, despite the firm’s prior statement that it was conducting a recall “in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.”

CPSC is urging consumers to stop using the affected metoo chairs at this time in order to prevent the risk of injury to children.

The affected metoo chairs pose serious fall and amputation hazards to children placed in them. Children can suffer impact and head injuries when the chair detaches from the table and falls with them in it. CPSC staff is aware of numerous incidents involving the affected metoo chairs.

CPSC staff has determined that the clamps can detach from a variety of different table surfaces. Additionally, the chairs can detach when children move around or use their feet to push against other objects. Staff also determined that the lack of adequate space between the horizontal metal bar at the front of the chair and the clamps can cause children’s fingers to be severely pinched, lacerated, crushed or amputated if caught between the bar and the clamp when the chair detaches.

In addition to hazards with the affected clip-on chairs, the product packaging and instructions provide conflicting information. The product’s packaging and marketing information show the product being used in ways that may lead to the chair detaching from the table. However, the product’s instructions do not adequately warn against this type of use.

Tens of thousands of the affected metoo chairs may have been distributed since May 2006 for about $50 through philandteds.com, Amazon.com, Buy Buy Baby, Target, Toys R Us, other online retailers and a variety of independent juvenile specialty stores.

To see this safety alert on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the products involved, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11218.html