[Recalls Page]

September 2010 Recalls and Product Safety News

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 2.8 million Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Cruise Playgrounds™, Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Slide Arcades™ , Baby Gymtastics™ Play Wall, Ocean Wonders™ Kick & Crawl™ Aquarium (C3068 and H8094), 1-2-3 Tetherballs™, and Bat & Score Goals™ (in the United States and 125,000 in Canada). The valve of the inflatable ball on these toys can come off and pose a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 950,000 Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs (in the United States and 125,000 in Canada). Children can fall on or against the pegs on the rear legs of the high chair resulting in injuries or lacerations. The pegs are used for high chair tray storage.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 100,000 Fisher-Price Little People Wheelies Stand 'n Play Rampways (in the United States and 20,000 in Canada). The wheels on the purple and the green cars can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 7 Million Fisher Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles (in the United States and 150,000 in Canada). A child can strike, sit or fall on the protruding plastic ignition key resulting in serious injury, including genital bleeding.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers to stop using infant sleep positioners. Over the past 13 years, CPSC and the FDA have received 12 reports of infants between the ages of 1 month and 4 four months who died when they suffocated in sleep positioners or became trapped and suffocated between a sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Midwest-CBK, Inc., of Union City, Tenn., is voluntarily recalling about 4,450 “S T U F F” and Paw Wall Hooks. Paint on the metal hooks and on the blue paw hook contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., of Towson, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 160,000 Black & Decker and Craftsman brand cordless electric lawnmowers (these lawnmowers were previously recalled in September 2002, and that recall expanded in August 2006, for a fire hazard). The lawnmower’s motor and blade can unexpectedly turn on after the mower’s safety key is removed, posing a laceration hazard to consumers. Removing the safety key is designed to keep this from occurring.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Sunrise Medical (US) LLC, of Fresno, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 20 Quickie® Shark Bikes. The custom footrests can break, posing a risk of injury to the rider.

Nearly 400 child drownings and near-tragedies nationwide have been reported by the media since Memorial Day weekend, leading the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to bring its Pool Safely campaign to Minnesota. The campaign is teaming up with Senator Amy Klobuchar (the leading advocate in the United States Senate of a lifesaving pool and spa safety law), St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, and Campaign Safety Partners Abbey's Hope and World Waterpark Association (WWA) to commemorate Pool Safely Day and prevent child drownings and drain entrapments.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Siemens Industry Inc., of Alpharetta, Ga., is voluntarily recalling about 2.2 million Siemens and Murray Circuit Breakers, Load Centers and Meter Combos. The recalled circuit breakers have a spring clip that can break during normal use, leading to a loss of force to maintain a proper electrical connection in the panelboard. This can lead to excessive temperature, arcing or thermal damage at the connection point, and damage to the panelboard’s electrical insulation and can result in a fire, property damage, or personal injury.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Molenaar LLC of Willmar, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 315,000 Electroluminescent night lights. The night lights can become hot to the touch and melt, resulting in risk of possible shock or fire.

As another sign of the agency’s commitment to being accessible to the public, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted (4-1) to approve the creation of an Office of Education, Global Outreach, and Small Business Ombudsman.

Many parents and caregivers may not be aware that one of the top hidden hazards in the homes where young children live or visit is unsecured and unstable TVs, furniture and appliances. Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging families to take a moment to inspect and secure these items to prevent any more tragedies.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Brumlow Mills, of Calhoun, Ga., is voluntarily recalling about 1,000 Zen Large and Small Room Rugs. The large rugs fail to meet federal flammability standards and could ignite, posing the risk of fire and burn hazards to consumers. The small rugs fail to meet federal labeling requirements. Small rugs are not required to meet the federal flammability standard; however, they are required to be permanently labeled with the following statement: “FLAMMABLE (FAILS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STANDARD FF 2-70): SHOULD NOT BE USED NEAR SOURCES OF IGNITION.”

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, D&D Distributing-Wholesale Inc., of Tacoma, Wash., is voluntarily recalling about 19,000 Mood Rings and 4,000 Necklaces. The metal rings and necklaces contain high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, The Gerson Company, of Olathe, Kan., is voluntarily recalling 20" Glass Vases, about 203,000 in the U.S. and 9,000 in Canada. The glass vases can break or fracture, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, International Coffee & Tea, LLC, dba The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, of Los Angeles, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 1,600 Tea Sets. Sparking from the metallic decorations on the tea sets can result if used in a microwave oven, posing a risk of fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Burlington Coat Factory, of Burlington, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 10,000 Hooded Jackets and Sweatshirts. The hooded jackets and sweatshirts have drawstrings through the hood and/or waist which can pose a strangulation or entrapment hazard to children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines (pdf) to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Edushape Ltd., of Deer Park, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 13,500 Giant Starbuilder and Giant Stars building sets. Plastic knobs can break from the center of the star, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, CEC Entertainment, Inc., of Irving, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 1,100,000 Light-up Rings and 120,000 Star Glasses. If crushed or pulled apart, the plastic casing can break into small pieces and possibly expose the batteries, posing an ingestion hazard to children. If ingested, the batteries may be damaging to either the stomach, intestine, esophagus or nasal mucus membrane.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Albee Baby, of East Rutherford, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 130 Sorelle brand "Prescott" fixed-sided cribs. These cribs are re-labeled fixed-sided Simplicity cribs that contain tubular metal mattress-support frames recalled in April 2010. The mattress support frames can bend or detach, causing part of the mattress to drop, creating a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged, entrapped or fall out of the crib.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Sky City Holdings International LTD, China, is voluntarily recalling about 50,000 units Coleman® WaterBeam™ 4D Water-Activated Floating Spotlights. The lens assembly can come apart from the main housing of the spotlight with force and pose a risk of impact injuries to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Horizon Hobby Inc., of Champaign, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 3,500 (in the United States) and 150 (in Canada) Spektrum Receivers. The receiver can lose contact with the model airplane glider's radio control while within normal radio range limits. If this happens, the glider can fall from the sky and hit consumers, posing a risk of injury.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Fun Stuff Inc., of Newport News, Va., is voluntarily recalling about 14,400 Click Armband Bracelets, 7,900 Klick Klick Balls and 14,400 BoBo Balls. The small balls on the end of the toy's arms can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. The toys were marketed for children age 3 and over. CPSC staff has designated these toys for children between the ages of 19 to 35 months.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, of Hudson, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 1,800 Bamboo Roll-up blinds with valances. Strangulation can occur when the lifting loop slides off the side of the blind and a child’s neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop, or if a child places his/her neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., of Towson, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 192,000 Black & Decker Random Orbit Sanders. The black plastic disc (called the platen) that holds the sandpaper can fly off or break apart during use and the disc, or pieces of the disc, can hit the user or those nearby, posing a laceration hazard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Pro-Pac Distributing Corporation, of Gardena, Calif., has agreed to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $125,000. The penalty settlement, which has been provisionally accepted by the Commission, resolves CPSC staff allegations that Pro-Pac knowingly failed to report to CPSC immediately, as required by federal law, that two different children’s hooded sweatshirts it imported and distributed had drawstrings at the neck.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Innovage LLC, of Foothill Ranch, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 1.4 Million FIXIT One Million Candlepower Rechargeable Spotlights. The spotlight’s charging adapter can overcharge the battery, forcing it to rupture and leak battery acid. This poses a chemical burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Simms Fishing Products, of Bozeman, Mont., is voluntarily recalling about 3,000 Wading Staffs. The wading staff can collapse posing a fall hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, The Land of Nod, of Northbrook, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 2,100 “Play With Your Veggies” toys. The metal wire in the toy asparagus can become exposed, posing a laceration hazard to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, Step2 Company, of Streetsboro, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 56,000 in the United States (7,700 in Canada) Sand & Water Transportation Station Toys. The light blue plastic wheels on the train cars can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Paradigm Electronics, of Ontario, Canada, is voluntarily recalling about 2,200 Subwoofer Speakers. The subwoofer can overheat when the speaker system is played at high outputs for an extended period of time, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

As children across America go back-to-school, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Home Safety Council (HSC), a Pool Safely campaign partner, are releasing a snapshot on drowning incidents for the 2010 summer swimming season.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC) have reviewed consumer incident reports and other information involving Pampers Dry Max diapers. To date, the review has not identified any specific cause linking Dry Max diapers to diaper rash.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., of Irvine, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 41,000 (worldwide) Satellite T135, Satellite T135D and Satellite ProT130 Notebook Computers. The notebook computers can overheat at the notebook's plug-in to the AC adapter, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kompan Inc., of Tacoma, Wash. and BigToys Inc., of Olympia, Wash., are voluntarily recalling about 700 Swing sets. The joint connection between the horizontal top beam and the vertical end bracket and support post system can crack and break, posing a fall and impact hazard to users.