Retail chain Fantastic Furniture has been forced to recall its popular Australia Worx chair after another incident where a boy lost a third of his toe.
According to the ACCC, the tapering of the inside bottom of the chair legs may lead to an entrapment or laceration hazard including the fact that toes or fingers may get caught in the bottom of the chair legs.
“The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) often receives complaints about products which fail to meet standards and questions the quality and testing of furniture products imported into Australia,” says AFA CEO, Patrizia Torelli.
“The chairs in this case are replicas, and sadly a replica is designed to create a likeness not a product manufactured under license, which can sometimes be at the expense of craftsmanship and attention to detail. More importantly these products often do not meet Australian standards placing consumers at risk. The endearing qualities that make an original design great and safe are compromised.”
Before buying any furniture the AFA urges everyone to ensure it has been tested for safety and quality and meets Australian standards. It also says that other retailers are still selling almost identical chairs, which are all reproductions of a classic 1934-designed café chair called the Xavier Pauchard Tolix, and that there could be several hundred thousand in homes and cafes throughout Australia.
By Marion Gerritsen
