Federal laws regulate the production of bunk beds in the U.S. to ensure these beds are safe and meet certain standards. But what makes a bunk bed safe exactly, and what do the standards for making one look like? Here is what the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has to say about bed bug safety requirements.
How Does the Law Define a Bunk Bed?
A bunk bed is considered to be any bed that’s more than thirty inches off the floor. As with any height, the height of bunk beds makes injury possible if a bunk bed isn’t produced in accordance with federal law.
Fortunately, these laws require specific measures that can effectively ensure a bunk bed is safe for use.
The Basics of Bunk Bed Safety Rules
A manufacturer must follow specific guidelines to legally sell or make bunk beds in the U.S. One of the most notable is the importance of having guard rails. The bottom bunk doesn’t require guard rails, but the top must have at least one rail on either side.
The tops of the guard rails also must be no less than five inches above the top of the mattress. The rails resting against a wall or on the opposite side of a ladder have to run continuously from one end of the bed to the other.
Guard rails must also be fastened to the bed with fasteners that need to be released before you can remove the rails. Otherwise, the fastener should move in two or more directions to safely release them.
Another key rule is that bunk beds for children cannot have edges or sharp points, though third-party testing isn’t required to double-check this. Finally, bunk bed ends have unique guidelines that must be followed, including that no opening on either end of the higher bunk above the mattress foundation can allow the wedge block to pass through freely.
This is only a small part of what the safety requirements outline. Additionally, other laws regulating products produced in the U.S. impact bunk bed safety requirements.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008
While there are specific federal laws designed to regulate bed bug production, there are also laws related to product safety in general that affect the manufacturing of bunk beds. One such law is the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
Take a closer look at some of the requirements outlined in this law that impact bunk bed safety.
Lead Content Limit
Children’s bunk beds should not contain more than 0.01% lead in any of the accessible components.
Phthalate Content Limit
Certain phthalates like dibutyl phthalate are deemed unsafe plasticized components for children, so bunk beds cannot contain more than 0.1% of these plastics.
Surface Coating Limit
While technically separate, the surface coating limit also addresses the potential for lead in the bunk bed. This speaks explicitly to paint, saying that no children’s bunk beds can be painted with paint containing more than 0.009% lead.
Testing and Certification Requirements
To ensure the safety of children’s bunk beds, any product intended for children 12 or younger needs to be tested by a third-party assessment body recognized by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that focuses on compliance with bunk bed safety laws.
Should the product pass, the manufacturer will produce a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC), proving that the product ticks all the boxes for safety requirements. Adult bunk beds have a similar certificate called the General Certificate of Conformity (GCC).
Tracking Labels
All bunk beds need a warning label and another label showing pertinent information about the importer or manufacturer, such as name, address, and model number. Children’s products should have a unique tracking label that makes them easily recognizable as children’s products.
Where You Can Learn More About Bunk Bed Safety
Many regulations in the U.S. serve to ensure bunk beds are reliably safe for use. To learn more, you can contact the Office of Compliance or consult the CPSC website for more detailed information. When you equip yourself with the knowledge of what makes a bunk bed safe, you can ensure you purchase the best one for your needs.
ESS Universal manufactures and supplies high-quality, cost-effective commercial grade beds, mattresses, and furniture to camps, hostels, shelters, dorms and more. View our entire line of furniture products including our popular waterproof foam mattress for institutional use, single metal bed frames, single over single bunk beds, single over double bunk beds, and triple bunk beds. Download our catalog for detailed information on our complete product line.
