Build-A-Bear Fined $600,000 for Safety Violations

The people who make the Build-A-Bear toy bears have agreed to pay a $600,000 penalty for failing to report a safety defect that resulted in injuries to consumers.  

The firm has conducted at least three other safety-related recalls in recent years, including:

• Teddy Bear Swimwear set, recalled because the accompanying inner tube presented a strangulation hazard;
• Love Hug Peace lapel pins, recalled because they contained excessive levels of lead; and
• Founding Bear stuffed bears , recalled because the button nose could come off and pose a choking hazard to infants.

The penalty results from the company's alleged failure to immediately report involving its toy bear beach chair. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) charged that sharp edges of the chair's folding frame could pinch, lacerate and even amputate a child's fingertip.

The chairs were recalled in May 2009, the CPSC said that by then, there had been at least 10 reports of injury which the St. Louis-based  company knew about but did not report.

Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to CPSC within 24 hours after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect, which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or fails to comply with any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard or ban enforced by CPSC.

In agreeing to the settlement, Build-A-Bear denies CPSC staff allegations as to the existence of a defect or hazard or that it violated the law.