CPSC, Ethan Allen Announce Recall of Bunk Beds

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #04546) was formally reported on April 13, 2004. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Ethan Allen, of Danbury, Conn. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 2,000 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: A metal "j" hook on the guardrails can become dislodged, allowing the guardrail to slide or move out of position. This can allow the guardrail to detach from the bunk bed or allow the occupant to roll off the top bunk. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should stop using the top bunk if a "j" hook has become dislodged. Ethan Allen is directly notifying consumers who purchased these bunk beds about the recall and is providing free repair ki… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 22 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.