December 10, 1991 Release # 92-030 WASHINGTON, DC -- Yazoo Manufacturing Company, Jackson, MS, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced today that it is implementing its safety modification program for certain models of its commercial "high wheel" gasoline powered walk-behind lawn mowers purchased by consumers since June 1982, as previously announced in a September Press Release. These lawn mowers are not equipped with a blade control device that stops the blade within three seconds after release of the controls as required for consumer mowers by the CPSC Safety Standard for Walk-Behind Lawn Mowers. As a result, consumers may be injured from contact with the rotating mower blade. The lawn mowers were manufactured beginning in 1982 and involve the following push and self-propelled big wheel models: S22B, P22B, P22W, S22W, S24B, P24B, P24W, S24W, S26B and S26W. The mowers are labeled with a bright yellow decal which states: "NOTICE. THIS MOWER DOES NOT MEET CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. COMMERCIAL USE ONLY." These mowers have a suggested retail price of between $750.00 and $900.00 and were sold to retailers in southern, southeastern and northeastern United States. Although the lawn mowers were intended for sale to commercial operators, Yazoo and the CPSC are concerned that a number of mowers have been purchased by consumers. Neither CPSC nor the company is aware of any consumer injuries resulting from the lack of a blade control device on these mowers. Yazoo is no longer manufacturing any high wheel lawn mowers without a three-second blade stopping mechanism. The company will voluntarily modify those lawn mowers which were purchased by consumers since June 1982, the effective date of the lawn mower standard. This modification program covers only those lawn mowers purchased by consumers for their personal use and does not include lawn mowers purchased for industrial/commercial or professional uses. The company has developed a kit consisting of a blade brake and engine-stopping device which will be installed on the lawn mowers to make the blade stop within the required three seconds after release of the controls. Yazoo has previously informed its dealers that these mowers are only to be sold to commercial users. Yazoo also has initiated a certification program to ensure that the remaining mowers in inventory are sold only to commercial customers. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this safety modification program as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction
November 5, 1991 Release # 92-016 WASHINGTON, DC--In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), A.O. Smith Water Products Company of Irving, TX, is voluntarily recalling and replacing approximately 29,000 flue baffles installed in water heaters manufactured and distributed by its McBee, SC facility between April 16, 1991 and July 9, 1991. The affected water heaters are limited to A.O. Smith natural and liquefied petroleum gas 30 and 40 gallon heaters. Only FSG and PGX models with serial numbers beginning with MD91, ME91, MF91, or MG91 are subject to this recall. A.O. Smith electric water heaters have no flue baffle and therefore are not subject to this recall. Affected models have oversized flue baffles that may produce unacceptably high levels of carbon monoxide, high levels of heat at the bottom of the unit, and result in less efficient operation of the water heater. A.O. Smith has received no reports or claims of injury resulting from the flue baffle. CPSC was informed of this potentially unsafe flue baffle by A.O. Smith which, in the course of its random testing, discovered that high levels of carbon monoxide were being generated by units fitted with the improperly sized baffles. The company has already replaced the flue baffles in approximately 13,000 affected water heaters. The affected water heaters were distributed east of the Mississippi River by plumbing wholesalers and distributors. A.O. Smith FSG and PGX model water heaters which were purchased prior to April 1991 or after July 1991 do not contain oversized baffles and are not subject to the recall. Consumers who own one of the affected water heaters and have not already received recall information from the company should contact A.O. Smith Water Products Company toll-free at 1-800-527-1953 to arrange for the free replacement of the flue baffle. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products
OCTOBER 8, 1991 Release # 92-004 Schwinn Xr-5 Exercisers Still Need Safety Modification Washington, DC -- Together with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Schwinn Bicycle Company of Chicago, IL is urging consumers who own a Schwinn XR-5 exerciser, manufactured between 1971 and 1977, to take part in a voluntary safety program if that unit was not modified in response to a previous safety notification involving 171,000 units in 1984. The response rate to the earlier program was low; Schwinn subsequently received 10 additional reports of injury, bringing the total number injured to 30. The reports received by Schwinn indicate that unsupervised children and infants have been injured when their fingers or toes got caught in the rear sprocket-chain juncture point on the left side of the XR-5 exerciser, resulting in amputation or other personal injury. There have also been reports of injuries occurring at the front sprocket-chain juncture point on the right side of unmodified units. As the manufacturer of this product, Schwinn is concerned about any type of injury allegedly associated with its products. As a result, Schwinn Bicycle Company is again offering to install or provide, at no charge, a Chainguard Retro Fit Kit that should help prevent potential harm to unsupervised children. If you own an XR-5, make sure small children do not play on or around your XR-5 unit. As indicated in the unit's owner's manual, when the unit is not in use, tighten the tension control knob located on the control panel so the pedals cannot be turned by small children, or place the unit in a locked or secure room. If you own an XR-5 unit which has not been modified, you should immediately make arrangements with your local authorized Schwinn dealer for installation of an XR-5 Chainguard Retro Fit Kit (part #90518). Installation will be done at no charge to the consumer. If you are unable to bring in your XR-5 unit, call Schwinn's Consumer Relations Department at 1-800-633-0231, and they will send you a Chainguard Retro Fit Kit so that you can install it yourself. However, Schwinn recommends that you have your authorized Schwinn dealer make the installation. If you sold or gave away your XR-5 unit, please let the new owner know of this safety program or call 1-800-633-0231 with the name and address of the person who now owns the unit and Schwinn will contact the new owner. For further information, please contact your local authorized Schwinn dealer or call 1-800-633-0231. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this modification program as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to help reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths that are associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction