Consumer Products Recalls

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Explosion/Projectiles

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Lead

May 17, 1991 Release # 91-070 WASHINGTON, DC -- The Thermos Company, of Freeport, IL, announced that, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it will voluntarily replace the regulator and hose assembly on certain Thermos brand gas barbecue grills because of a possible fire hazard. Thermos said that a small percentage of the assembly units supplied by Marshall Gas Controls, Inc., of San Marcos, TX, could leak gas and cause a fire. Thermos discovered the potential leak on the regulator and reported its discovery to the CPSC. The leaking regulators were part of a lot that may have been used to manufacture approximately 130,000 Thermos grills shipped to various locations in the United States between January 24 and March 22, 1991. There have been no reported incidents or injuries involving the regulator on these grills. Grills that may be involved in this replacement program have serial numbers ending in either A1, B1 or C1. Consumers can find the serial number by checking the base of their grill near the wheels (see drawing). Side burner grill models and grills having regulators with a red inspection mark on top of the regulator are not affected. Consumers who have purchased an affected model should contact Char-Broil, which bought the Thermos grill business, at 1-800-241-7548 and provide their name and address and the serial number of the grill. A replacement regulator and hose assembly will be shipped via overnight mail at no charge. The CPSC's mission is to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The CPSC is the Federal agency responsible for consumer product safety. Some 15,000 different kinds of consumer products fall within the Commission's jurisdiction

Amputation

April 24, 1991 Release # 91-060 Stop Using "Bark Buster" Auger Type Log Splitters Safety Commission Warns Consumers WASHINGTON, DC---Government safety experts are warning consumers to stop using "Bark Buster" brand auger-type log splitters manufactured from 1977 through 1988 because of the risk of serious injury or death due to entrapment of hands, arms and legs. These log splitters were sold nationwide for use in splitting firewood. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said there have been at least four serious injuries and one death to users of these log splitters. The injuries involved the loss of arms, legs or fingers. The CPSC originally learned of this unsafe product from a consumer complaint. These log splitters were manufactured by F. W. and Associates, Inc., Diversified Industries, Inc., Bark Buster, Inc., Isanti Engineering, Inc. and sold under the "Bark Buster" brand. They were also manufactured in gasoline engine powered, tractor engine powered and motor vehicle rear wheel powered models. The CPSC believes this serious hazard exists because these log splitters lack the following features: There is no operator accessible off/on switch. There is no "dead-man" feature provided to assure the auger stops if the operator loses control of the operations. No guard is present on the auger to prevent operator entrapment. Owners of these log splitters are urged to take measures which will make the units unuseable by unbolting, removing and discarding the auger tip assembly. These devices are no longer being made by the most recent manufacturer, Isanti Engineering, Inc., Isanti, MN. The CPSC estimates about 8,000 units were manufactured. The CPSC is issuing this warning as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The CPSC is the Federal agency responsible for product safety. Some 15,000 types of products fall within the Commission's jurisdiction and each year these products are involved in an estimated 29 million injuries and 22,000 deaths

Entrapment

April 9, 1991 Release # 91-057 Check Your Woods Wire Plug-In Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter WASHINGTON, DC - Woods Wire Products, Inc. of Carmel, IN, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is urging consumers to check their Woods Wire Model #1651, plug-in ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) before each use to assure that they are working properly. The Woods Wire GFCI model #1651 was sold nationwide. GFCIs are devices that provide a degree of protection against electric shocks. They can be permanently installed as part of an electric circuit in a house, or consumers can purchase portable GFCIs that plug into an electric socket. Although no device can provide complete protection against the hazard of electric shock, a GFCI can provide a degree of protection by shutting off the electricity in a circuit if it detects a current leakage. Both the CPSC and Woods Wire Products urge consumers to purchase and use GFCIs. Woods Wire Products is aware of two instances in which Model #1651, Plug-In Woods Wire Guardian brand GFCI, custom manufactured and labeled by Goldstar Electric Machinery Co., Ltd., failed to operate. There were no injuries. While failure to operate does not in and of itself present a hazard, the consumer does not have the electric shock protection provided by a functioning GFCI if there is a leakage of electrical current in the circuit. Consumers are urged to check their GFCI by pressing the test button before each use. If the GFCI fails to operate as intended when the test button is depressed, consumers should immediately discontinue using the GFCI and replace it. The instructions for testing the GFCI are permanently affixed on the face of the product. It is the policy of Woods Wire Products, Inc., to replace non- functioning GFCIs. For further information, consumers can contact Woods Wire Products at 1-800-447-4364 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Monday through Friday). The CPSC is issuing this warning as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The CPSC is the Federal agency responsible for product safety. Some 15,000 types of consumer products fall within the Commission's jurisdiction and each year these products are involved in an estimated 30 million injuries and 22,000 deaths

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