I recently visited the warehouse and testing facility for Delta Children’s Furniture. It was an eye opening experience as I have always been curious how children’s products are tested before they reach the hands of consumers. If we are placing our most precious cargo in furniture we are buying online or in store, how can we really know every possible measure has been taken to ensure safety standards? After my day at the Delta testing facility I feel completely confident safety is their #1 priority in making sure Delta products exceed all industry testing standards.
We started the tour with an overview of all the different products Delta has to offer. Different stations were set up and labeled accordingly to clearly state the reason for testing. I learned that Delta works in conjunction with the US government to come up with the appropriate testing procedures. Delta has 8 testing facilities internationally and invests millions of dollars a year on testing alone.
Testing is done randomly and constant. Typically one product per production line is tested. I was curious how products are tested without using real children and we were shown a baby dummy that is much more complex than it looked. The testing dummy is weighted accordingly and each one is extremly costly.
It was shocking to learn that industry standards only require companies to test products once a year. Delta tests products daily and will continue to do so for peace of mind and to guarantee their products are by far the safest on the market. Because Delta is a “family” owned and operated business it is a decision they stand behind to be safe above all else.
Testing a crib is much more complicated than one might think. This machine below shakes a crib with 72,000 cycles. If one bolt is a millimeter loose then it fails the safety test.
Delta has a quality assurance above all other companies. They are very concerned with where the wood comes from to make their cribs. Below is a photo of an 100 lb weight being used to test the slats of the crib. Once again, Delta goes the extra mile and uses more weight and more frequent testing than required by US standards.
Safety measures are taken for every aspect of the crib. Delta really cares about their consumers and wants to make sure they have exhausted all measures where children’s safety is concerned.
Lead is a major concern for safety. Delta uses a hi tech gun that measures any amount of lead or other harmful chemicals with one zap. I watched in person as an engineer tested part of a crib. Delta is so concerned about lead they even test for the ink on the owner’s manual… now that is impressive!
A $30 toy box gets the same special attention as a $1000 crib. This toy chest below is tested 7000 times to make sure the lid doesn’t fall on kids heads or fingers. There is the added comfort of a small space in case a child was playing in the toy chest and closed the lid.
Strollers are tested on sandpaper to made sure they can pass a break test. Also, once it came to the attention that a rocking motion of a bassinet could cause affixation, Delta adjusted their bassinets to glide instead of rock.
Because of their dedicated ongoing effort, Delta has created a Safe Sleep campaign to educate parents on the importance of creating safe sleeping conditions for their children. Delta is committed to donate $1,000,000 worth of safe cribs to families in need.
Please find more safety tips at www.safesleepcampaign.org
XOXO,
Suzanne