Consumer Products Recalls

Strangulation

Campari Butane Cigarette Lighters Warning NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 20, 1987 Release # 87-062 CPSC Warns of Potentially Hazardous Disposable Butane Cigarette Lighters WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Campari USA, Inc., New York, New York, today announced a program to alert consumers to the potential hazards of certain disposable butane cigarette lighters. The lighters in question are labeled "Campari, the smart mixable" on one side of the lighter body and on the other side will say, "Campari, Soda, the classic" or "Campari Grapefruit Juice, the exotic." These lighters were imported beginning in July of 1983 by Campari USA to be used as promotional items and were given to consumers free through liquor sales outlets. Certain of these lighters can shoot up excessively high flames or spew butane without lighting or before lighting. There have been no injuries reported involving these lighters. Since a consumer cannot readily differentiate between lighters which may exhibit the problem and those which do not, the firm is urging consumers who may still have these lighters in their possession to carefully dispose of them. In disposing of the lighters, consumers are warned to do so in such a way that children will not have access to the discarded lighters. The problem with these lighters was first brought to the Commission's attention by the Dade County Florida Fire Department when they received a box of these lighters from an anonymous source. The fire department forwarded the lighters to the Commission. No fires have been reported related to these lighters. To report unsafe consumer products or to receive safety information, call the CPSC toll-free hotline number at 800-638-CPSC. teletypewriter number for the hearing impaired is (301) 595-7054.

Fall

Portable Crib Floorboard Replacement by North States Industries NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 29, 1987 Release # 87-057 CPSC Announces Voluntary Portable Crib Floorboard Replacement WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, North States Industries, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, today announced it is voluntarily replacing the floorboard on a portable crib distributed nationwide by Sears, Roebuck and Co. The portable crib involved has an adjustable floorboard that also allows the crib to function as a changing table. Some 14,500 affected cribs have been sold. The Commission and the firm are aware of an incident involving a young infant who received a fractured skull when the floorboard of her portable crib was dislodged causing her to fall and strike her head on the floor. The floorboard was in the upper "changing table" position when the infant's grandmother attempted to lower the drop side causing the floorboard to dislodge and the infant to fall. The only other reported incident did not result in injury to the infant occupant. The affected portable cribs are Sears model numbers 29-30691 (maple stain) and 293-0692 (varnish finish) distributed between March 1, 1986 and December 14, 1986. The product retails for about $70.00. The floorboard contains only one clip attached to the underside and is marked with the word "Front" on the upper surface close to one of the sides (see drawing). Consumers should stop using the portable cribs immediately and call North States Industries collect at 612-522-6505 to receive a free replacement floorboard. To prevent the drop side from being lowered while the crib is in the "changing table" position, North States has redesigned the floorboard. The redesigned floorboard can be identified by its six metal clips on the underside and a cautionary label advising against flowering the drop side when the floorboard is in the changing table position. Only consumers owning a floorboard with one clip attached to the underside are affected by this program. Signs advising consumers of the possible hazard and the availability of the redesigned floorboard were posted in Sears stores beginning in May. To report similar incidents regarding this product or to receive safety information, consumers may call the CPSC toll-free hotline number at 800-638-CPSC. A teletypewriter number for the hearing impaired is (301) 595-7054.

Choking

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Choking

Entanglement; Strangulation

Dotline Pool Ladder Step Replacement by Mengo NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 7, 1987 Release # 87-038 POOL LADDER STEP SAFETY REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Mengo Industries, Inc., announced a voluntary replacement program for the plastic steps used on some of its swimming pool ladders sold under the DOTLINE brand between 1976 and 1982 because the steps on those ladders may break during use. These removable ladders are used for home above ground pools. Involved are about 80,000 DOTLINE models SPL-4, SBL-4, and SPL-4000. The model number may be found on the assembly instruction sheet accompanying the ladder. Beginning in 1978, the year of manufacture is designated by a series of numbers located on the bottom of each step near the l-1/2 inch hole which accommodates the ladder side rail. The last two digits indicate the year of manufacture. There have been 9 reported incidents of steps breaking during use and some consumers have claimed resulting laceration and sprain-type injuries. The steps have a useful life of about two years. After two years the steps may begin to show signs of deterioration evidenced by small hairline cracks in the plastic. Mengo will replace the steps on all affected ladder models sold between 1976 and 1982 free of charge to the consumer. Consumers are urged to examine their pool ladder steps for cracks immediately. If cracks are discovered, consumers should discontinue using the ladder immediately until the replacement steps are installed. Consumers should send their steps, along with their name and address directly to Mengo Dotline Industries, Inc., 4611 Green Bay Road, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53141, via collect United Parcel Service or Parcel Post. Persons needing further information may call Mengo Industries, Inc. Collect at 414-652-3070. Further information may also be obtained by calling the CPSC toll-free hotline number at 1l-800-638-CPSC. A teletyperwriter number for the hearing impaired is (301) 595-7054. Consumer Product SAFETY ALERT FROM THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20207 July 1987 Under laws administered by CPSC, an estimated 325 million potentially hazardous products have been called back from the marketplace and consumers since 1973 (when CPSC was created). Most of these were voluntarily recalled by manufacturers who established programs to repair or rep/ace the products, or to refund the purchase price.

Fall

Lead

Choking