How do I check a drop-side mechanism on a second-hand cot?

How should the drop-side lock engage at the top?

Which? says make sure the drop-side mechanism works smoothly and stays reliably in the up position, and that a child cannot lower it. NCT says if the cot has a drop-down side, make sure it works properly, that you are confident it is secure and will not drop accidentally. RoSPA says if there is a drop-side mechanism, check it works properly. This is an inspection of the locks you can see — not a verdict on every drop-side cot.

1. 1
   Read the instructions for that cot NCT says it is very important to read the assembly and use instructions; they are usually online if they were not passed on.
2. 2
   Raise the side and listen for the lock The side should stay up when you take your hands away (Which?: stays in the up position).
3. 3
   Try a single action, as a child might Push, kick or lift with one hand only. Which? says a child should not be able to lower it. If one nudge drops the rail, record that.
4. 4
   Try two separate actions if the manual describes them Which? notes the British and European standard was revised in 2011 and 2013. Record whether you needed two distinct actions, as the instructions show.
5. 5
   Shake the top rail NCT’s test is that it will not drop accidentally. A rail that creeps down while you shake it has not stayed up.

What should happen when the side is down?

Which? says that after those revisions, drop-sided cots in the UK require a lock on drop sides when the cot is in the lowered position. Which? also says never leave a child unattended in the cot when the drop side is down. The NHS says moving parts on a cot should work smoothly and not allow fingers or clothing to get trapped.

1. Lower the side using the method in the manual — nudge-and-lift, catches, trigger or foot pedal (Which? lists these types).
2. Check it locks in the down position so it cannot bounce up or drop further (Which?: lock when lowered).
3. Look along the track for missing plastic stops, bent rods or a gap that opens between the side and the mattress base when the side is down.
4. Raise it again. The up-lock in the previous section should still engage.

Which? states that the sale of drop-sided cots has been banned in the US since 2011, and that its furniture specialists believe that type of entrapment is not possible on a cot bed that complies with the relevant British standards. That is Which?’s comparison, not a MayTally finding about the cot in front of you.

What does NCT say if you are not sure?

NCT’s used-cot list ends the drop-side line with: if in doubt, it is safer not to use the cot. That sentence is NCT’s. MayTally does not add a house rule on top of it. If the lock does not stay up, a child can lower it, or the down position has no lock, you have not completed the checks Which?, NCT and RoSPA describe.

How is a bedside crib different from a cot drop-side?

The Lullaby Trust’s second-hand page says that since 2020, all bedside cribs should meet BS EN 1130:2019, meaning they should no longer have a side that fully drops down. That standard is for bedside cribs, not for a full-size cot built to BS EN 716. Do not use a bedside-crib label to 'pass' a cot drop-side, and do not use a cot drop-side lock to 'pass' a bedside crib.

If the item is a bedside crib, look for the BS EN 1130:2019 marking the Lullaby Trust names, and follow that product’s own instructions. This page only walks through a second-hand cot drop-side.

In shortLock up, try one action, lock down, then read NCT’s if-in-doubt line. Which? wants a stay-up lock a child cannot defeat and a lock when the side is down. The Lullaby Trust’s 2020 bedside-crib rule is a different product. Record what the mechanism did — do not turn it into a MayTally verdict.