Consumer Products Recalls

Choking

CONTACT: August 21, 1990 (301) 504-7908 Release # 90-146 Certain Virco Stack Chairs May Collapse WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Virco Mfg. Corporation of Los Angeles, CA, today voluntarily announced a recall of its 890 Series upholstered stack chairs manufactured between June 29, 1989 and May 3, 1990. These chairs are being recalled because of possible structural flaws in the frames that may cause the legs to collapse. Virco informed the CPSC that a design change in June 1989 resulted in the distribution of approximately 535,000 chairs that may bend excessively during use causing the user to fall to the floor. The firm is aware of 30 incidents of chair leg failure. At least two incidents resulted in personal injuries, one of which was a knee injury. Chairs involved in the recall have square tubular metal frames with upholstered seats and backs. They are used in homes, restaurants, business offices, churches and other institutions. Virco will replace all defective chair frames with new, redesigned frames from the factory. To determine whether a particular frame is subject to recall, consumers and institutions should contact either the company from which it was purchased, or call the Virco Mfg. Corp. at 1-800-44VIRCO. The firm will provide literature with drawings and other specific information to aid in identification

August 20, 1990 Release # 90-144 Plastic Decals On Delta Baby Walker Present A Choking Hazard WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the New York State Attorney General's Office, Delta Enterprise Corporation is asking owners of Delta Luv Pop-Corn Baby Walkers, to immediately check, pull off and discard plastic and plastic-coated labels and decals from their walkers. The walkers have been associated with five incidents of choking. All five incidents occurred when children pulled off the decals found on the plastic toy dials on the walker trays and placed them in their mouths. The six colorful round decals, which measure about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, should be immediately removed if they can be easily dislodged. Labels that are firmly affixed at present should be checked periodically and removed if they become loose. Adults should also remove the plastic coated "Delta Luv" label with surrounding stripes found on the front of the tray. No complaints have been received about these labels. Approximately 100,000 of the walkers have been sold nationwide since 1984. The paper warning label located under the tray should not be removed. Any questions regarding this notice should be addressed to Delta Enterprise Corporation, 49 Junius Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11212. The company can also be reached on 718-385-1000 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and midnight Eastern Time

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June 21, 1990 Release # 90-115 Retrofit Program Announced For Spring Exercisers WASHINGTON, D.C.--Dynamic Classics, Ltd. of New York City, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), today announced a repair program for its spring exercisers called the "Rowing Action Exerciser." Early models of the exerciser were involved in injuries resulting mainly from the spring breaking or the footbar separating during use. Some two million exercisers of the earlier model were sold nationwide from 1984 to August 1987. Approximately 60 incidents have been reported to CPSC and the firm, most of which involved a broken spring or a footbar assemble coming apart. Consumers have experienced bruises, cuts and lacerations to the face and other parts of the body when the handlebar or spring stuck the user. Incidents showed that the spring of the Rowing Action Exerciser, if extended too far to withstand the stress, could snap. Dynamic Classics is offering owners of the older models a free retrofit kit, which is designed to prevent the spring breaking and the footbar separating. The retrofit kit includes a safety cord to prevent over-stretching and over-stressing the spring, metal brackets to prevent over-stressing the spring loop, and a new extended footbar to prevent separation. Rowing Action Exercisers sold after August 1987 do not need retrofitting. They can be identified by metal brackets already attached to the top and bottom of the spring and a safety cord installed inside the spring. Earlier models had no brackets and a longer safety cord. Consumers should immediately discontinue the use of older models of the Rowing Action Exerciser, which do not have metal brackets attached to both ends of the spring. Consumers should call Dynamic Classics, Ltd. toll-free at 1-800-284-8492 to received a retrofit kit. Consumers may also write to: Dynamic Classics, Ltd., 95 Mayhill Street, Saddle Brook, NJ 07662. Consumers no longer using the older Rowing Action Exerciser or not wishing to repair the device should discard the exerciser so no one else may use it

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