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Existing
Preventative Strategies
Safety Straps
(Belts)
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Strap education for
customer use is inadequate.
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Straps are not used
80% of the time.
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Straps are often
broken and/or missing.
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Straps do not
address the shopping cart’s high center of gravity.
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No studies have been
performed to indicate that safety straps are effective in
decreasing injuries.
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Smith, et al. Study
found 8 of 62 children were properly belted, but they were injured
when the shopping cart flipped over (rear tip-over).
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Straps alone,
without a redesign of the cart, will not be successful in
eliminating these injuries.
Add-on Units
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These units are
expensive.
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They render the
carts un-nestable with like carts.
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Very limited number
of these units per retail store.
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The carts with
add-on units are difficult to maneuver.
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Consume large
amounts of retail floor space.
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Not a cost effective
alternative for retailers.
ASTM International
F2372-04
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Standard Consumer
Safety Performance Specification for Shopping Carts.
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Approved and
implemented in 2004.
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Requires that a
shopping cart shall be fitted with at least four wheels, of which
at least two shall be able to swivel.
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Warning labels are
to be permanent (i.e. unable to remove without the aid of tools or
solvents.)
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Cart users are
visually reminded by way of a placard placed in all shopping carts
warning the user (via a labeling requirement) to use safety straps
and not to leave the child unattended.
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Does not mention
stability testing of the shopping cart as it relates to tip-overs.
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Does not require a
comprehensive testing procedure for entire child restraining
System (i.e. can child wiggle free from the restraint.)
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