IKEA today reached a tentative $50 million settlement with the parents of children who were killed by dressers tipping onto them; The parents of Ted McGee, a 22-month old from Apple Valley who was killed in February by a falling IKEA Malm dresser, are included in the settlement

After urging from Klobuchar, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and IKEA announced a recall of Malm dressers in June, stopping the sale of Malm dressers until safety improvements are made, and offering a refund for consumers who purchased Malm dressers; Klobuchar has also introduced legislation to protect children from tipping furniture


WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar issued the following statement on the IKEA dresser tip-over death settlement. IKEA today reached a tentative $50 million settlement with the parents of children who were killed by dressers tipping onto them. The parents of Ted McGee, a 22-month old from Apple Valley who was killed in February by a falling IKEA Malm dresser, are included in the settlement. After urging from Klobuchar, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and IKEA announced a recall of Malm dressers in June, stopping the sale of Malm dressers until safety improvements are, and offering a refund of consumers who purchased Malm dressers. This was the largest furniture recall in history. Klobuchar has also introduced legislation to protect children from tipping furniture.

“IKEA has taken some responsibility for these deaths both through the settlement and the biggest furniture recall in the history of America. The danger furniture tip-overs pose goes beyond IKEA’s Malm dressers. Until we have effective standards in place, kids will continue to be at risk of injuries and death,” Klobuchar said. “We need to pass my bill to prevent any further tragedies, ensure stronger standards across the board, and protect our children.”

In May, Klobuchar, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) wrote a letter to the CPSC that called for action to prevent future possible injuries and deaths by conducting a full recall of IKEA Malm dressers, stopping the sale of Malm dressers until safety improvements are made, and determining an appropriate remedy for consumers who have purchased Malm dressers that includes a full refund. Also in May, in a letter to the President of IKEA North America, Klobuchar and Schakowsky called for a full recall of Malm dressers, stopping the sale of Malm dressers until safety improvements are made, and determining an appropriate remedy for customers who have purchased Malm dressers that includes offering a full refund. Following those efforts, CPSC and IKEA announced in June that they would be heeding the lawmakers’ calls to recall the dresser, halt further sales until safety improvements are made, and offer refunds for consumers who had purchased the dresser.

Klobuchar introduced the Stop Tip-over of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act with Senators Casey and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The legislation would direct the CPSC to adopt a stronger, mandatory stability standard for storage units, including chests, bureaus, and dressers, which are a major category of furniture at risk for tipping over. The STURDY Act gives the industry standards organization ASTM 180 days from the date of enactment to publish a stronger stability standard for clothing storage units, which the CPSC can adopt as mandatory if the Commission determines that it adequately protects children from tip-over related injury or death. If ASTM does not publish an adequate voluntary standard within 180 days, the CPSC would be required to issue a final, mandatory safety standard for clothing storage units within 540 days of enactment.

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