To prevent a risk of serious injuries, it is important for parents to be aware of safety tips for baby cribs. After all, as a parent you want your baby’s sleep environment to be as safe and restful as possible.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, urges parents to pay special attention to crib safety and inspect cribs carefully before buying, especially ones with drop sides, as improper construction can create the risk of entrapment and strangulation.

Here are some safety tips from CPSC to prevent the risk of injury:

• Parents should not use any crib with missing, broken or loose parts.
• Hardware should be inspected from time to time and tightened to keep the crib sturdy.
• When using a drop side crib parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly on its track.
• Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Any disengagement can create a gap and entrap a child.
• Do not try to repair any side of the crib without manufacturer approved hardware or with tape, wire or rope.
• Putting a broken side up against the wall does not solve the problem and can often make it worse.

Parents are encouraged to report any defective products or product related injuries to CPSC at CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. You can also join [CPSC e-mail subscription list. To obtain recall and general safety information go to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.