[Recalls Page]

July 2001 Recalls and Product Safety News

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Acetrike Bicycle Co., of Taiwan, is recalling about 38,800 children's sidewalk bicycles. The frames of these bikes can break, causing the riders to fall and suffer injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Safety 1st of Canton, Mass., is voluntarily recalling about 1.7 million packages of safety latches used to prevent children from opening cabinets and drawers. If the safety latch breaks, a small spring could be released. Young children could choke on the small spring or gain access to a cabinet or drawer where dangerous items are stored.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Fisher-Price, of East Aurora, N.Y., is recalling about 569,000 portable bassinets. Children and adults can be injured when their fingers are pinched or cut between parts of the folding mechanism.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Burger King Corporation, of Miami, Fla., and Alcone Marketing Group, of Irvine, Calif., are recalling a combined total of 2.6 million "Hourglass Space Sprout" and "Look for Me Bumblebee" toddler toys. The toys can break causing small beads or balls to be released, which poses a choking or aspiration hazard to young children. The toys were distributed in Burger King® Kids Meals for children under three years old.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., of Brookfield, Wis., is voluntarily recalling about 6,000 electric wrenches. The wrenches have power cords that can release from the handle, posing an injury or electrocution hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Warn Industries Inc., of Oregon, is voluntarily recalling 50,000 winch kits, which attach to All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and are used as a vehicle recovery tool. An electrical component of the winch kit, the solenoid, poses a fire hazard when used in this application, even when the vehicle is parked and the winch is not in use. The solenoid was manufactured by White-Rodgers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Basic Comfort Inc., of Denver, Colo., is voluntarily recalling about 16,000 infant seat pads. The seat pad has two shoulder straps that create a v-shaped opening around the head and neck, presenting a strangulation hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Inca Imports, of Denver, Colo., is voluntarily recalling about 2,600 stuffed bears. The noses, bells, and eyes of the bears can detach, presenting a choking hazard to young children. The eyes also present a sharp point hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), NIKE USA Inc., of Beaverton, Ore., is voluntarily recalling about 425,000 pairs of Jordan Trunner cross-training shoes. The models being recalled are the Trunner, Trunner Mid, Trunner Bubble, and Trunner 2000. The shoes have a thin metal strip on the outside of the heel that can protrude from the shoe and form a sharp edge that can cut consumers.

The Toro Company, of Bloomington, Minn., is voluntarily recalling approximately 39,000 Toro and Exmark brand commercial duty zero turn radius riding mowers. The recall involves Toro and Exmark mowers equipped with engine sizes from 17 to 26 HP and mowing deck widths from 44 to 72 inches. Toro and Exmark commercial dealers sold these riding mowers nationwide between January 1998 through March 2001 for between $6300 to $11,200.

UnionTools, Inc., of Columbus, Ohio is voluntarily recalling about 32,000 P-Handle hand trucks. If the tires of the hand trucks are substantially over-inflated beyond the recommended maximum 30 P.S.I., the rims of the tire can separate under the intense pressure and strike the user or bystanders. SunTome Trading Corp., of Los Angeles, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 600 baby walkers. The walkers will fit through a standard doorway and are not designed to stop at the edge of a step.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and Central Sprinkler Company, an affiliate of Tyco Fire Products LP, of Lansdale, Pa., are announcing a voluntary replacement program. The company will provide free parts and labor to replace 35 million Central fire sprinklers with O-ring seals. The program also includes a limited number of O-ring models sold by Gem Sprinkler Company and Star Sprinkler, Inc. totaling about 167,000 sprinkler heads.

RANS Inc., of Hays, Kan., is recalling about 4,000 long-wheelbase recumbent bicycles. The bicycle's front fork steering tube can break, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer injuries. Specialized Bicycles, Inc., of Morgan Hill, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 3,500 Specialized-brand bicycles. The frame of the bicycle can break during use causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injuries. Cannondale Corp., of Bethel, Conn., is voluntarily recalling 367 "Carbon Lefty" suspension forks. The bicycle forks can break, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injury or death. Magura USA, of Olney, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 360 hydraulic disc brakes. The brakes could fail, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injuries. Supergo Corp., of Santa Monica, Calif., is voluntarily recalling 125 "PAZZAZ" ATB-98 carbon fiber-wrapped aluminum riser mountain bicycle handlebars and 199 pairs of "PAZZAZ" carbon fiber mountain bicycle "bar ends." The handlebars can crack and break, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kole Imports, of Carson, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 90,000 packages of contact adhesive. The adhesive contains toluene, which can present a fire and poisoning hazard to consumers. The packaging of this product does not have the required cautionary labeling, as required under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kenyon International Inc. of Clinton, Conn., is voluntarily recalling about 3,500 portable butane gas stoves. The unit's safety fuel shut-off system could fail to shut off when the fuel container is overheated. If overheated, the flame from the stove flares up, and cannot be controlled with the adjustment valve, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), JT USA Inc., of Chula Vista, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 4,000 Proteus masks used for protection during paint ball combat. The plastic facemask could crack around the ear cover when hit by a paint ball. This could allow the facemask to come off, exposing consumers to eye injuries.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a report today on deaths in playpens. Since 1988, CPSC has reports of more than 200 babies who died while in playpens. In almost 100 of these deaths, soft bedding or improper or extra mattresses were present in the playpen and the babies died of suffocation or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). More than 70 percent of these deaths were to babies less than 12 months old. Twenty-six of the playpen deaths occurred in a daycare setting.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Krups North America, of Closter, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 218,000 automatic drip coffeemakers. An electrical connection in these coffeemakers can overheat and ignite the filter basket support, presenting a risk of fire and burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Imperial Toy Corp., of Los Angeles, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 100,000 toy feeding sets. The nipple on the toy baby bottle included in these sets could come off, posing a serious choking hazard to small children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Advantage Publishers Group, of San Diego, Calif., is voluntarily recalling to replace components in about 160,000 "Let's Start™ Numbers" and "Optical Illusions Lab" educational kits. The red painted numbers on the acetate stencil sheet included in the "Let's Start™" kit contain lead; and the gold paint bearing the words "Kasy's Extrafine" on the black pen included in the "Optical Illusions" kit has lead.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Peg Perego USA Inc., of Ft. Wayne, Ind., is voluntarily recalling about 325,000 high chairs. When the seat is reclined, the high chairs have a space between the armrest and backrest in which a child's head or arm can become entrapped. This can pose a risk of suffocation or injury to the heads or arms of young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), DSI Toys, Inc., of Houston, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 238,000 stuffed toy kittens. These toys contain contaminated water that, if contacted, could cause illness to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Raymond Geddes & Co. Inc., of Baltimore, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 55,000 children's Velcro wallets. The zipper pull in the wallet contains lead, which can present a risk of lead poisoning to young children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing a recall of about 30,000 furnaces sold in California. Seven firms are offering to repair or replace certain furnaces, which were sold under their own labels, but were manufactured by Consolidated Industries Inc. The units involved are gas-fired horizontal furnaces equipped with steel "NOx" rods installed above the burners and are commonly called NOx rod furnaces. These furnaces pose a substantial risk of fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Apple, of Cupertino, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 570,000 AC adapters worldwide that were sold with prior generation PowerBook G3s. These AC adapters could overheat, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Atico International USA Inc., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is voluntarily recalling about 198,000 electric percolators. If the thermostat fails, the plastic housing of the percolator can overheat and melt while in use, posing a fire hazard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that The Lane Company Inc. ("Lane"), of Altavista, Va., has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $900,000. The penalty settles CPSC allegations that Lane failed to report in a timely manner that children could become entrapped in "Lane" and "Virginia Maid" brand cedar chests made between 1912 and 1987. The lids on these pre-1987 cedar chests automatically latch shut when closed. Prior to April 1996, Lane had received reports that five children suffocated inside these older cedar chests.

Cans Unlimited Inc. (CUI), of Greer, S.C., is voluntarily recalling 2,280 Fujika kerosene heaters/cookers. The recall involves Fujika Models KSP-229 and KSP-231 Hi-Pet Heater/Cookers. Cans Unlimited, Inc. catalog and web site sold these units nationwide between April 1999 and January 2000 for $63 to $93.

Neiman Marcus, of Chesnut Hill, Mass., is voluntarily recalling approximately 49 furniture items. The recall involves: twin plantation bed headboards, queen plantation bed headboards, plantation nightstands and antique tin mirrors. The furniture was sold through Neiman Marcus and Horchow catalogues from May 1998 through May 2001.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) helped industry develop a new safety standard to prevent over-filling of propane gas tanks. This standard will help prevent propane leaks that can cause fires and explosions.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) worked with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to develop a new safety standard that calls for "break-away" power cords for electric deep fryers. This new power cord will break away if a child pulls on it, preventing the deep fryer from tipping over and spilling scalding hot cooking oil on the child. The new requirements also apply to electric fondues and electric multi-purpose pots that use cooking oil.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Flood Co., of Hudson, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 18,000 bottles of Flood StainStrip and FloodPro Stripper/Cleaner sold in gallon bottles. Some of these bottles can leak at the cap, allowing the contents to come into contact with consumers. These strippers and cleaners can cause burns to the skin and eyes.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Chicco USA Inc., of Bound Brook, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 6,000 Build-A-Ball preschool toys. The Build-A-Ball toy consists of five multi-colored and various-sized plastic balls that can be taken apart to be stacked on top of each other or placed inside each other. Some of the larger-sized ball halves can become stuck on a young child's face, covering the nose and mouth, and causing suffocation.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Hallmark Specialty Retail Marketing Group Inc., of Kansas City, Mo., operating under the name Hallmark Creations, is voluntarily recalling about 1,300 metal and plastic tea light lamps. The plastic shade that covers the tea light candle can melt, posing a fire hazard.