ABSTRACT
Tens of thousands of beds had a simple design defect, which only became obvious when the mattress collapsed and deposited them on the floor. It is easy to imagine that one is safe in bed. But, for many people in the United States that was an illusion. Towards the end of 1993, bunk beds, which had been imported into the United States from Malaysia, Taiwan and Mexico, were causing concern as they were a potential risk to those who slept in them. By the summer of 1994, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had located at least nine companies, which had imported a total of 300 000 beds. The CPSC advised people to examine the mattress support corners for cracks and to contact their retailer. If cracks were found, the bed was not to be used. If cracks were present, the bed would be replaced. If cracks were not present, purchasers would receive a repair kit of reinforcement brackets.
