Consumer Products Recalls

Choking

Choking

Suffocation

April 10, 1990Release # 90-068 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- If you own certain Hedstrom and Sears brand gym sets with "glide rides," and they haven't been retrofitted with glide guards to prevent potential finger amputations and lacerations, you should stop using and discard the product immediately. Hedstrom renewed its campaign to provide free glide guards to owners of sets sold from 1982 to July 1, 1988, because of low consumer response to its original offer and because 19 additional injuries have been reported. This announcement was made at this time to avoid additional injuries as the weather gets warmer and children are more likely to play on the unrepaired gym sets. The affected model numbers are: Hedstrom Brand numbers 4-277, 4-377, 4-677, 4-777, 4-778, 4-877; and Sears Brand numbers 72226, 72026 and 72066. The model number is on an identification label located on the top bar of the gym set. Each model has a 2-3/8 inch diameter top bar with a glide ride assembly attached with a V- bolt bracket. Approximately 370,000 of these models were sold. In November 1988 Hedstrom and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) originally announced that glide guards were available for these gym sets. At that time the firm was aware of 12 incidents where a child stood on the slide or crossbar, reached over to propel or stop the motion of the glide ride, and entrapped or pinched a finger in the bracket mechanism. The reported injuries included severed or amputated fingertips and severe lacerations. Since then 19 more serious injuries have been reported and only about 14,000 consumers have requested the free glide guards. Hedstrom and the Commission are very concerned about the continuing incidents and low response rate and are making another effort to reach owners of unrepaired models. If you have one of the models listed above, and it has not been equipped with a glide guard, please help prevent further injuries. Stop using and discard or destroy the product. The firm is out of business and the repair program is no longer available

April 4, 1990 Release # 90-067 Media Materials, Inc. Warns Consumers About Colored Beads and Laces WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Media Materials, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland is voluntarily warning consumers, day care centers, school supply houses, specialty store showrooms, museums, etc. that the beads included with their Colored Beads and Laces sets could present a fatal choking hazard to young children. The company estimates that 15,000 sets, #470, have been sold nationwide since 1984 for about $9.95 each. The Colored Beads and Laces consist of 100 multi-colored round and square wooden pieces with holes in the middle for stringing the laces. The toy came in a white box which stated in part: "MM Media Materials...COLORED BEADS and LACES...One-Half Inch Spheres Cubes and Cylinders...CAUTION: Use with care with children under 3." Future versions of this product will be labeled more explicitly warning consumers that the product is not for use by children under age three. CPSC urges parents, day care operators, and other care givers who purchased the product to take steps to ensure that children under three not be allowed to use it

Choking

Poisoning

Choking

Choking; Lead

Choking

Choking

Choking

Choking

March 15, 1990 Release # 90-050 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fisher-Price of East Aurora, N.Y., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), today announced that it is asking consumers to modify the No. 1019 Fun Bus to eliminate a possible choking hazard. The Fun Bus, introduced in 1989, is a yellow bus with various activities, including a pop-up puppy, which is activated by rotating a roller on the front of the roof. The roller is wrapped with a thin band of decorative plastic with letters and numbers printed on it. Fisher-Price has received approximately seven reports of children chewing on the toy's roller. A few children have removed the decorative plastic band from the roller and began choking on it. This could result in a life-threatening situation for a child. Consumers owning a Fun Bus should immediately remove this plastic band by tearing it with a ball-point pen and then removing it from the roller. The band should then be discarded. Consumers with questions should contact Fisher-Price at 1-800-233-4004. Fisher-Price has sold about 160,000 of the toys nationwide. The approximate retail price is $16.99. Fisher-Price's new production of the Fun Bus does not contain a plastic band on the roller

Choking

Choking

March 7, 1990 Release # 90-043 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Thermos Company, Freeport, Illinois, is voluntarily replacing a component part in some of its "Thermos" and "Structo" brand gas barbecue grills sold since April 1989. The part is a hose, valve and regulator assembly which might leak gas and possibly result in fire. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is not aware of any fires caused by defective assemblies placed in "Thermos" or "Structo" grills. Consumers who have purchased Thermos or Structo gas grills since April 1989 should inspect their grills before cooking again. Check for the name of the manufacturer of the hose, valve and regulator assembly which is stamped on the round metal regulator which connects to the liquid propane gas tank. If the name "Taiwan Pao-An Ind. Co." is not stamped on the regulator, no further action is required and the grill may be used for normal operation. If the name stamped on the regulator is "Taiwan Pao- An Ind. Co.," look for the serial number located on either end of the bottom base or inside the side panel of the grill. If the serial number is between 721791 and 886390, the hose, valve and regulator assembly may be defective and the grill should not be used until the assembly is carefully examined. If the serial number is not between these numbers, the grill may be used. Consumers with Thermos or Structo grills bearing serial numbers within the suspect range should call Char-broil, which bought the Thermos grill business, toll-free at 1-800-241-7548, to obtain instructions for determining whether the hose, valve and regulator assembly on their grill is in fact defective and, if it is, instructions on how to retrofit their grill with a new assembly from Thermos. According to Thermos, 87,606 of approximately 675,000 grills shipped since April 1989 contain a hose, valve and regulator that may be defective. Thermos statistical studies indicate that one percent of those 87,606 (877) parts are defective