Coaster Co. of America has issued a safety recall of 22,00 bunk beds sold nationwide  from June 2000 through February 2004.

The recall involves model 2008, 2056, 2256 and 2258 bunk beds. The metal bunk beds were sold in twin/twin and twin/full sizes. A Coaster Company of America label can be found on the bed frame of the top bunk. The enamel finishes come in blue, black, red, yellow, or white. The units were manufactured in China.

A gap between the step of the built-in ladder and the top bunk allows enough room for a child's body to slip through but will not allow for a child's head to pass through. This poses a serious strangulation risk. Federal standards for bunk beds are designed to protect children against entrapment and strangulation.

Dealers should stop using the bunk beds immediately and call Coaster of America for a free repair kit. Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers should call Coaster toll-free at (800) 282-9362 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.coastercompany.com.

Coaster Co. of America issued the following statement:

Dear Retailers,

It has come to our attention that there is a possible safety issue with our bunk bed model 2008,2056, 2256 (B,K,R,W) and 2258 (B,K,R,W).

Although these beds were previously certified to meet the voluntary and federal standards, there may still be a safety issue. No one has been injured by these beds, however we do not want to take any chances and thus are cooperating with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to address this issue.

We ask for your assistance in contacting consumers who have purchased these beds through your store between June 1, 2000 and February 29. 2004. There is a toll free number set up to handle consumer calls at Coaster. That number is (800) 282-9362 . There will be operators answering calls between 8 am – 5 pm PST from Monday to Friday. A message can also be left on the voicemail during non-operator hours.

There is a retrofit kit that will be mailed directly to consumers, and to retailers. All inventories must be repaired before sale or distribution. The kit takes approximately 10 minutes to install with the tools provided. There is no fee for the kit or for shipping. The kit completely addresses the safety concern, and therefore a refund or credit is not available.

Additionally, we have enclosed an “Important Safety Recall Notice” color poster for display in your store. We urge you to display the poster in a visible area through August 31, 2004 to get the message out to the public. The U.S. Consumer Product Commission will be monitoring this corrective action.

We sincerely regret any inconveniences this may cause. We will do whatever possible to address the safety issue without adding an additional load to our valued retail network. (Click here to download poster pdf)