November 2009 Recalls and Product Safety News

• Infant Entrapment and Suffocation Prompts Stork Craft to Recall More Than 2.1 Million Drop-Side Cribs

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia, Canada, today announced the voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including about 147,000 Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. The recall involves approximately 1,213,000 units distributed in the United States and 968,000 units distributed in Canada. The cribs’ drop-side plastic hardware can break, deform, or parts can become missing. In addition, the drop-side can be installed upside-down, which can result in broken or disengaged plastic parts. All of these problems can cause the drop-side to detach in one or more corners. When the drop-side detaches, it creates space between the drop-side and the crib mattress. The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. Complete detachment of drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib.

• Salomon USA Recalls Ski Bindings Due to Unexpected Release, Fall Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Salomon USA, of Ogden, Utah, is voluntarily recalling about 10,000 Alpine Ski Bindings. The toe component of the ski bindings could fail to fully secure the ski boot to the ski binding, causing the binding to release unexpectedly. This could cause the skier to lose control or fall and suffer injuries.

• Stainless Steel Cookware Recalled by Cost Plus World Market Due to Burn Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Cost Plus Inc., of Oakland, CA, is voluntarily recalling about 300 sets of Stainless Steel Cookware. The handles on the cookware can break, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

• Fire and Burn Hazards Prompt Recall of Gas Grills Sold at Lowe’s Stores

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC), L G Sourcing, Inc., of North Wilkesboro, N.C., is voluntarily recalling about 663,000 (in the United States) and about 1,700 (in Canada) Perfect Flame SLG Series Gas Grills. The burners can deteriorate causing irregular flames and the lids of some models can catch fire, posing fire and burn hazards to the consumer.

• Gorilla Inc. Recalls EXO-Tech Safety Harness Due to Fall Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Gorilla Inc., of Flushing, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 90 EXO-Tech Safety Harnesses. The webbing of the waist belt on the safety harness is not routed through the lineman’s loop located on the front of the harness near waist level. Since the loops are not properly anchored to the harness webbing but are attached only through stitching not intended to restrain a user during a fall, they that can pull away from the harness when force is applied, leaving the user unrestrained.

• Children’s Hooded Sweatshirts and Jackets Recalled by Century 21 Promotions, Inc. Due to Strangulation Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Century 21 Promotions, of Seattle, Wash., is voluntarily recalling about 17,000 Youth Hooded Sweatshirts and Jackets. The sweatshirts have a drawstring through the hood which can pose a strangulation hazard to children.

• Grand World Recalls “Bobby Chupete” Pacifiers Due to Choking Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Grand World Inc., of Maspeth, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 641,000 “Bobby Chupete” Pacifiers. The pacifiers fail to meet federal safety standards. The pacifier mouth guard is too small, posing a choking hazard to infants and toddlers.

• Baby Hammocks Recalled by Three Sisters Toys Due to Fall and Strangulation Hazards

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Three Sisters Toys Inc., Neptune Beach, Fla., is voluntarily recalling about 20 Yayita Baby Hammocks. The hammock can flip over, posing a serious fall hazard and strangulation hazard to infants who become entrapped in the seat’s restraint straps while upside down.

• “Town Hall on Toy Safety”: CPSC Talks to Parents About New Rules Aimed at Making Toys Safer

At a Town Hall meeting held in New York City, CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum was joined by parents and consumers to talk toy safety. The discussion centered around new federal safety rules that are in place for toys that will give American consumers greater confidence when they go shopping this holiday season. So far in calendar year 2009, CPSC has had 38 toy recalls, which is down from 162 in 2008 and 148 in 2007. For 2008, the Commission has reports of 19 toy-related deaths and about 172,700 hospital emergency room treated toy-related injuries to children under 15.

• Bicycles Recalled by Easton Sports; Stem Failure Poses Fall Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Easton Sports, of Scotts Valley, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 6,400 Bicycles with EA30 Stems. The bicycle stem can crack and cause the rider to lose control, posing a risk of serious injury if the rider falls.

• Backpack Blowers Recalled by Homelite Due to Fire Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Homelite Consumer Products Inc., of Anderson, S.C., is voluntarily recalling about 85,000 Homelite Backpack Blowers. The fuel tank can leak gasoline, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

• Treestands Recalled by Gander Mountain Company Due to Fall Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Gander Mountain Company, of St. Paul, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 13,000 Hang-On Fixed Position Treestands. The clasp may open unexpectedly if the strap is fastened incorrectly, causing the treestand and user to fall to the ground.

• Gehl Foods Recalls Nacho Cheese and Chili Sauce Dispensers Due to Fire and Burn Hazards

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Gehl Foods Inc., of Germantown, Wis., is voluntarily recalling about one 115,000 Gehl’s HOT TOP2 Nacho Cheese and Chili Sauce Dispensers. The dispenser’s fan blade can come into contact with the heater coil, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

• Power Adapters Used with IBM RDX Back Up Disk Hard Drives Recalled Due to Shock Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), about 90 Power Adapters with IBM RDX Back Up Hard Disk Drives (distributed by IBM, of Research Triangle Park, N.C. and manufactured by Hon-Kwang Electric (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., of Guang-Dong, China) are being recalled. A plastic weld on the power adapters can fail and allow two parts to separate, exposing live electrical contacts. This poses a shock hazard to consumers.

• Maclaren USA Recalls to Repair Strollers Following Fingertip Amputations

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Maclaren USA, Inc., of South Norwalk, Conn., is voluntarily recalling about one million Maclaren Strollers. The stroller’s hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller.

• Children’s Art Easels Recalled by MacPherson’s Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), MacPherson’s, of Emeryville, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 10,000 Young Artist Easels. The chalkboard surface coating contains high levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

• Samsung™ Over-the-Range Microwaves Recalled Due to Shock Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Samsung Electronics America Inc., of Ridgefield Park, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 43,000 Samsung Over-the-Range Microwave Ovens. If an installation bolt comes in contact with an electrical component inside the unit and the microwave is plugged into an ungrounded outlet, it could create a shock hazard.

• The Life is Good Company Travel Mugs Recalled Due to Burn Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Life is Good Company is voluntarily recalling about 15,000 Fall 2009 Newbury Travel Mugs. The travel mugs can become excessively hot to the touch when filled with hot liquids, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

• Adventure Playsets Recall to Repair Backyard Swing Sets Due to Fall Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Adventure Playsets, of Amarillo, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 275,000 (in the United States) and 6,800 (in Canada) Adventure Playsets Wooden Play Sets. The plastic coated lumber on the horizontal ladder (monkey bar/swing beam) can weaken over time due to rotting of the whitewood (spruce, pine and fir species), resulting in a fall hazard.