[Recalls Page]

October 2000 Recalls and Product Safety News

The Sharper Image Corp., of San Francisco, Calif., is recalling about 1,000 motorized CD racks called the Sharper Image Power Tower. The CD rack is black with a round dial and stands about 3-feet high on a 14-inch base. The rack holds 100 CDs and rotates automatically, clockwise or counter-clockwise, when you turn the dial. Only units with codes REV A or REV B under the base are included in this recall. Sharper Image sold these CD racks in their stores, catalogs, and on the internet as model number SI693 during August 2000 for about $160.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Compaq Computer Corp., of Houston, Texas, is voluntarily recalling for replacement about 55,000 battery packs used with Compaq's Armada notebook computers. These battery packs can short circuit, causing them to overheat, release smoke and possibly catch fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Betesh Group, of New York, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 47,000 "John Lennon" crib mobiles. The screws that connect the mobile's arm assembly and crib clamp can become loose if overtightened. The arms can detach and fall into the crib, injuring the baby inside.

Playworld Systems, of Lewisburg, Pa., is recalling 55 public playground stainless steel slides. The slides were sold as single and double stainless steel slides measuring 36 to 72 inches high. Playworld Systems manufactured and sold the slides from January 2000 through September 2000 for between $1,500 and $4,000. Playworld Systems' plastic slides are not included in this recall alert.

Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, October 29, so most of the country will gain an hour when we turn our clocks back. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) suggests consumers spend part of this extra time testing to ensure that their smoke alarms work properly.

To help prevent injuries to children this Halloween, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is releasing safety tips. Halloween-related injuries can involve burns from flammable costumes ignited by open flames from items such as candles and jack-o'-lanterns, and abrasions from sharp objects attached to masks or costumes.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Toro Co., of Bloomington, Minn., is recalling about 23,000 Toro Key Start power mowers. The wiring on these mowers can short circuit, posing a fire hazard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Galoob® Toys, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif., agreed to pay a civil penalty of $400,000. The penalty settles allegations that Galoob violated the Consumer Product Safety Act when it failed to timely report to CPSC defects, and injuries to children and adults, associated with its Sky Dancer® dolls.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and its refrigerator/freezer manufacturing members are announcing a voluntary recall initiative to prevent suffocation deaths to children who become trapped inside non-working chest freezers in homes.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Pottery Barn Kids Inc., of San Francisco, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 200 Stinson Bunk Beds. The side rail and guardrails on these beds can break, causing the bed to collapse and allowing childen to fall out of the beds.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), three power tool manufacturers are recalling about 180,000 power tools. The switches on these power tools, which were manufactured by Eaton Corp, of Cleveland, Ohio, can stick. The tools can continue to operate after the trigger has been released, posing a risk of injury to consumers. S-B Power Tools Co., of Chicago, Ill., is recalling Bosch-brand drills; Makita U.S.A. Inc., of La Mirada, Calif., is recalling Makita-brand rotary hammers, drills and screwdrivers; and Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., of Brookfield, Wis., is recalling Milwaukee Electric Tool-brand band saws.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dell Computer Corp., of Round Rock, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 27,000 batteries used in notebook-style personal computers. These batteries can short circuit, even when the battery is not in use, causing them to become very hot, release smoke and possibly catch fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Century Products (Century) of Macedonia, Ohio, is recalling about 4 million infant car seats/carriers. When the seat is used as an infant carrier, the handle can break. An infant inside the carrier can fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries. The break can happen unexpectedly and the seat can drop to the ground. Century is providing parents with new handles for their carriers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), RockShox Inc., of Colorado Springs, Colo., is voluntarily recalling about 220,000 front suspension bicycle forks worldwide. The compression rods inside these forks can break, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall, and possibly suffer serious injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), DeWALT® Industrial Tool Co., of Baltimore, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 825,000 battery chargers (model DW9116) for repair. These chargers are for 9.6- to 18-volt batteries used with DeWALT cordless tools. Metal clips inside the chargers could come loose and stick through the chargers' vents, possibly resulting in consumers receiving an electrical shock.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that AZ3 Inc., doing business as BCBG Max Azria (BCBG), has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $75,000 to settle allegations that it violated the federal Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) and Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). BCBG, of Vernon, Calif., sold dangerously flammable women's chenille sweaters and failed to timely report to CPSC, as required by law, the sale of those sweaters.

As the home heating season approaches, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to have a professional inspection of all fuel-burning appliances -- including furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers and space heaters -- to detect deadly carbon monoxide (CO) leaks.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), I-Tech Sport Products Inc., of Montreal, Canada, is voluntarily recalling about 1,000 hockey face guards for replacement. These face guards, which attach to helmets, can become dislodged on impact causing them to fall off, leaving the user's face exposed to possible injury.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Woods Industries Inc., of Carmel, Ind., is voluntarily recalling about 500,000 outdoor extension cords and 19,000 cord reels. The extension cords and cord reels are equipped with a locking plug, which is designed to keep tools plugged in. The plastic housing of the locking plug can separate or break, exposing consumers to live wires and posing shock and electrocution hazards.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Lawn-Boy Inc., of Bloomington, Minn., is recalling about 102,000 Lawn-Boy power mowers. Due to wear caused by the mulch fan, the mowers' blades can crack and break off. Broken pieces of the blade can be propelled from underneath the mower, possibly injuring the operator or a bystander.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), KitchenAid Home Appliances, of Benton Harbor, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 220,000 food processors for repair. A cap on the blade unit can dislodge during use. When dislodged, the cap can get mixed in with food, presenting a choking hazard.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Ann Brown today unveiled a new initiative to make products safer and reduce the number of products recalled each year.

Playworld Systems, of Lewisburg, Pa., is recalling about 370 playground swing sets for repair. These swings are called the Aluminum 2-Seat Arch Swing, model 0288 and the Add-A-Bay Arch Swing, model 0375. The swing sets are made of 3-1/2 inch aluminum tubing and come in a variety of solid colors. Playworld Systems sold the swings from February 1998 through May 2000 for between $640 and $975.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced that it has found no asbestos or "transitional" fibers that may appear like asbestos in children's chalk.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Zebco, of Tulsa, Okla., a division of Brunswick Corp., is voluntarily recalling about 9,600 compact camper stoves. These camper stoves could have been shipped with butane already in the fuel compartment, posing a fire and burn hazard. Also, because of a possible problem with the fuel control mechanism, the stoves could flare up or catch fire when operated.