[Recalls Page]

November 2003 Recalls and Product Safety News

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American Greetings Corp., of Cleveland, Ohio is voluntarily recalling about 500 Cloth Santa decorations. The beaded nose on the cloth Santa decoration could detach, posing an aspiration hazard to young children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing safety tips for preventing fires and burns when using turkey fryers. Since 1998, CPSC has reports of 75 incidents that involved fires, flames, or burns associated with turkey fryers. Twenty-eight of these incidents were reported for the year 2002.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American Greetings Corp., of Cleveland, Ohio is voluntarily recalling about 122,700 DesignWare® Zipper Pulls. The product could separate and detach from the zipper, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American Greetings Corp., of Cleveland, Ohio is voluntarily recalling about 17,000 DesignWare® Crazy Bounce Balls. The balls could break apart, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Agglo Corporation, Hong Kong (China), and Toys "R" Us, Inc., Paramus, NJ. are voluntarily recalling about 50,000 packages of multi-colored and solid-colored sidewalk chalk. The multi-colored and solid-colored sidewalk chalk contains high levels of lead, posing a risk of poisoning to young children.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chairman Hal Stratton today warned holiday season gift buyers to be on the lookout for recently recalled toys and children's products that pose serious safety threats to youngsters. To provide consumers easier access to all recall announcements, Chairman Stratton also announced the launch of a new federal government inter-agency Web site -- www.Recalls.gov.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The May Department Stores Co., of St. Louis, Mo. is voluntarily recalling about 57,660 Girls' Hooded Fleece Jackets. The zipper pull could detach from these jackets, posing a possible choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Meijer Inc., of Grand Rapids, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 7,500 children's jackets. These jackets have hood drawstrings. Children can get entangled and strangle in the drawstrings that catch on objects, including playground equipment, fences and tree branches. CPSC knows of numerous deaths from neck/hood drawstrings.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) played a critical role in the investigation that resulted in an Illinois man being sentenced today to federal prison for selling illegal fireworks to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Merit Furniture Distributors, Inc., Brooklyn, NY is voluntarily recalling Merit Bunk Beds. The bunk beds have openings between the guardrails and in the end structures that are too large. A child's body could slide between the openings and could become trapped by the head, posing a serious strangulation hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Planet 3, of Deerfield, Ill. is voluntarily recalling Television Stands sold at Circuit City. The television stand can tip over when a television is placed on it, possibly causing injuries to nearby consumers or death to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Schylling Associates Inc., of Rowley, Mass. is voluntarily recalling 300 Bear "Jack-In-the-Box" toys. The red bead on the crank of the toy can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), SecureAlert Inc., of Salt Lake City, Utah is voluntarily recalling 1,000 GPS2000 MobilePAL+GPS Safety and Security Phones. Using the test button can result in the battery being drained without the user's knowledge. Without battery power, the phone is unable to call for assistance in an emergency.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Cub Cadet LLC (Cub Cadet), of Cleveland, Ohio is voluntarily recalling 2,000 Cub Cadet Series 7000 Compact Tractors. The tractor's high/low shift lever could pop out of gear into neutral during operation on steep slopes with attachments, such as a back-hoe or front-end loader installed. This could result in the machine "free-wheeling" until the brake is applied or the transmission is re-engaged, posing a risk of the operator losing control of the tractor.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Deere & Company, of Moline, Ill. is voluntarily recalling 4,600 Gator Utility Vehicles. Improper crimping of the brake cables could lead to reduced braking capacity, and in some cases, to failure of the foot pedal brake.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has agreed to settle an administrative proceeding against the Daisy Manufacturing Co., of Rogers, Ark., regarding the company's model 856 and 880 Powerline airguns. The settlement was approved by a vote of 2-1 today.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Polardreams International Ltd., of Fairfield, Iowa is voluntarily recalling candle gift sets . The candle gift set can exhibit a larger-than-normal flame height as the tealight candle burns to the end, posing a potential fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Agglo Corporation, Hong Kong and Target Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn. are voluntarily recalling about 26,000 packages of Multicolored Sidewalk Chalk. The multicolored sidewalk chalk contains high levels of lead, posing a risk of poisoning to young children. The Wisconsin Department of Health tested the chalk and identified the lead in the chalk.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, (CPSC), Fisher-Price, of East Aurora, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 30,000 electric scooters and about 55,000 electric mini bikes. The motor control circuits can malfunction causing the scooters and mini bikes to continue to run after the power or throttle button is released, posing a risk of injury to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Polaris Industries Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn., is voluntarily recalling Magnum, Trail Boss and ATP model all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Damage to the fuel tank grommet can cause a fuel leak, posing a serious fire hazard to consumers.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) played a critical role in the investigation that resulted in an Indiana businessman being sentenced today to 80 months in federal prison for selling professional fireworks to consumers. This sentence represents the longest prison term ever imposed against an individual investigated by the CPSC. U.S. District Court Judge William C. Lee sentenced 44-year-old Kenneth B. Shearer, of Toledo, Ohio, for his role in illegally receiving and selling in interstate commerce display fireworks, which under federal law are classified as explosives for use by professionals. Shearer, who was convicted on June 20, 2002, was also fined $10,000 and sentenced to three years of supervised release.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Advantage Publishers Group, of San Diego, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 5,300 "Amazing Baby™ Listen and Play" activity books. The hub of the pink dial embedded in the inside back cover can come off during use in some of these books, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), BRIO® Corp., of Germantown, Wis., a subsidiary of BRIO AB of Sweden., is voluntarily recalling 2,100 toy drums. The three rubber feet, which are screwed into the bottom of the drum, could be removed in some cases, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Metal Ware Corp., of Two Rivers, Wis., is voluntarily recalling 47,000 deep fryers. The mesh filter in the cover of the deep fryer can allow moisture to build in the oil reservoir, causing the oil reservoir to boil over during or shortly after use. This poses a burn hazard to consumers.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously today to deny a petition to ban the use of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) pressure-treated wood in playground equipment. CCA manufacturers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had previously agreed to phase out CCA treatment of wood for most consumer uses by the end of 2003.