Kohl’s to Pay $425,000 Penalty for Failing to Report Drawstrings in Children’s Sweatshirts

September 9, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT KOHL’S DEPARTMENT STORES INC., OF MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS. HAS AGREED TO PAY A CIVIL PENALTY OF $425,000. THE PENALTY SETTLEMENT (PDF), WHICH HAS BEEN PROVISIONALLY ACCEPTED BY THE COMMISSION, RESOLVES CPSC STAFF ALLEGATIONS THAT KOHL’S DEPARTMENT STORES KNOWINGLY FAILED TO REPORT TO CPSC IMMEDIATELY, AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW, THAT CHILDREN’S HOODED SWEATSHIRTS IT SOLD HAD DRAWSTRINGS AT THE NECK.

CHILDREN’S UPPER OUTERWEAR WITH DRAWSTRINGS, INCLUDING SWEATSHIRTS, POSES A STRANGULATION HAZARD TO CHILDREN WHICH CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. IN MARCH 2009, CPSC AND THE SWEATSHIRTS’ IMPORTER ANNOUNCED A RECALL OF THE PRODUCTS.

CPSC ISSUED DRAWSTRING GUIDELINES (PDF) IN 1996 TO HELP PREVENT CHILDREN FROM STRANGLING OR GETTING ENTANGLED ON THE NECK AND WAIST DRAWSTRI

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