[Recalls Page]

October 2002 Recalls and Product Safety News

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kohl's Department Stores Inc., of Menomonee Falls, Wis., is voluntarily recalling about 8,000 Halloween candleholders. Flames from the tea-light candle can ignite the candleholder, posing a fire hazard and risk of burn injuries to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Carlisle Co. Inc., of Carson City, Nev., is voluntarily recalling about 5,000 snake lights. The circuit board in the lamps can overheat and melt the plastic housing, posing a fire or thermal burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), API Outdoors of Tallulah, La., a division of Outland Sports Inc., of Overland Park, Kan., is voluntarily recalling about 9,000 treestands used by hunters. A cable that secures the treestand to the tree can break, posing the risk of falls and serious injuries to hunters.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Jason International Inc., of North Little Rock, Ark., is voluntarily recalling about 800 Jason AirMasseurTM and Air Whirlpool Baths. Air baths release heated bubbles into the water. A heating element on these baths can fail to shut off, posing a fire hazard.

As Halloween approaches, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is providing tips to prevent injuries to trick-or-treaters. Among the dangers are costumes that are not flame resistant and masks that obscure vision.

Suzuki Motor Corporation of Brea, CA., is voluntarily recalling approximately 300 four-wheel drive All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) for the 2003 model year. The recalled ATVs are the Suzuki "Eiger" LT- A400FK3 and the "Eiger" LT-F400FK3. They are red or green, and carry the identifications "Suzuki" and "Eiger" on both sides of the bodywork, roughly inboard of the operator's knee location. Suzuki dealers nationwide sold these ATVs from August 2002 to September 2002 for between $5100 and $5300.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Cannondale Corp., of Bethel, Conn., is voluntarily recalling about 800 Gemini bicycles with medium and large frames. The frames on some of these bicycles have been improperly manufactured, causing too much of the thickest portion of the downtube to be removed. This could cause the frame to break during use, resulting in falls and serious injury to riders.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Brother International Corp. (Brother) of Bridgewater, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 100,000 multi-function printers and laser printers. The printers can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

The American Bar Association (ABA) today honored Alan H. Schoem, Director of the Office of Compliance of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), with the Mary C. Lawton 2002 Outstanding Government Service Award.

As the weather turns colder and outdoor enthusiasts plan to go deer hunting, ice fishing, or camping, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers that there is a new generation of portable heaters with a safety device that can prevent the tragic loss of life due to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The new heaters are equipped with an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) and are safer to use when camping. If oxygen levels start to fall, this sensing technology automatically shuts down the heater before it can produce dangerous levels of CO.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), IKEA, of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., is voluntarily recalling 57,000 stuffed teddy bears. The plastic beads inside of the bears could come out of the seams, posing an aspiration hazard to young children who could inhale the small beads.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), W.C. Wood Company, of Ottawa, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 2,500 dehumidifiers. Internal wiring can abrade on metal parts, presenting a risk of electric shock to consumers if the insulation wears through.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Lida Bicycle Co. Ltd., of China, is recalling about 2,400 men's bicycles. The frames of these bicycles can break apart, causing the rider to fall and suffer injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Swingline, a division of Acco Brands Inc., of Lincolnshire, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 11,100 cordless, rechargeable staplers. If a consumer inadvertently releases the spring-loaded staple magazine while holding the stapler close to his/her face, there is a risk of injury from a fully loaded magazine striking a consumer in the face.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Fanimation Design and Manufacturing Inc., of Lebanon, Ind., is voluntarily recalling about 60,000 ceiling fans. The hanger bracket can break, which could cause the fan to fall from the ceiling and seriously injure anyone standing nearby.

Snapper, Inc., of McDonough, Ga. is voluntarily recalling about 3,000 riding lawn mowers. Snapper lawn mowers with model numbers 280922B, 281022BE, LT145H33HBV, and YZ145333BVE are part of this recall. The model number can be found on a white label attached to the top of the lawn mower. Date code 5/02 or 6/02 can be found on the discharge chute. Authorized Snapper dealers sold these mowers nationwide from May 2002 through June 2002 for between $1,099 to $2,699. These lawn mowers were made in the USA.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Pottery Barn, of San Francisco, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 11,500 Halloween tree tea-light candleholders. There have been reports that some tea-light candles burning in the candleholder could flare up, posing a fire hazard and a risk of burn injuries to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Target Corp., of Minneapolis, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 26,000 ceramic Jack-O-Lanterns. The flame of a candle placed inside the Jack-O-Lantern could ignite the straw ribbon on the outside, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

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 three lot numbers, about 1,000, of the Plan Toys pull-along caterpillars. The antenna on the pull toy can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Oriental International Trading Company, of Los Angeles, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 3,500 baby walkers. The walkers will fit through a standard doorway and are not designed to stop at the edge of a step. Babies using these walkers can be seriously injured or killed if they fall down stairs.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dollar Tree Stores Inc., of Chesapeake, Va., is voluntarily recalling about 310,000 stuffed polyester pool animals. The seams can separate exposing the polyester stuffing and foam beads. The foam beads pose a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dollar Tree Stores Inc., of Chesapeake, Va., is voluntarily recalling about 280,000 animal toy sponges. The eyes on the toys can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Bikepro, Inc. of Pico Rivera, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 50,000 baby walkers.

This is Fire Prevention Week (October 6-12), but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that about 16 million homes in the U.S. have smoke alarms that do not work. The reason? The batteries are dead or missing.

BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 330 electric cook tops. The recalled electric cook tops were sold under the "Thermador" brand name and have the model number TMH45PS and serial numbers ranging from 82030001 through 82070100. The model number and serial number can be found inside the cook top, under the hinged top. The recalled stainless steel cook tops are 45 inches wide, have four coil elements, and a griddle/grill. Appliance and specialty stores nationwide sold the cook tops from March 2002 through September 2002 for between $1,000 and $1,100.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Viking Sewing Machines Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 11,000 Viking "Designer 1" sewing machines. Solder connections in the main power supply of the sewing machines can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Value City Department Stores Inc./Schottenstein Stores, of Columbus, Ohio, is recalling about 10,800 Red Devil gas grills sold at Value City and Schottenstein stores.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Thrifty Paper Co. Inc., of Hempstead, NY, is voluntarily recalling about 26,000 electric fans. These electric fans have undersized wiring, use a power plug that is not polarized, overheat and have an improperly sized grill, all of which could cause electrocution, electric shock, fire, and finger entrapment hazards to consumers.

October is Children's Health Month and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the White House and other federal agencies are urging parents and caregivers to "Discover the Rewards" of protecting children's health.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Invensys Building Systems, of Love Park, Ill., is recalling up to 560,000 Siebe actuators for testing and replacement, if necessary, which could be found in fire and smoke dampers. Actuators hold open fire and smoke dampers in a building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A spring mechanism, integrated with the damper, is designed to close the damper during a fire to limit the spread of smoke, fire and fumes. The recalled actuators can jam, and prevent the dampers from closing. If dampers fail to close during a fire, serious injury or death can be suffered by building occupants because smoke, fire and fumes can spread through a building's ventilation system.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Invensys Building Systems, of Love Park, Ill., is recalling up to 560,000 Siebe actuators for testing and replacement, if necessary, which could be found in fire and smoke dampers. Actuators hold open fire and smoke dampers in a building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A spring mechanism, integrated with the damper, is designed to close the damper during a fire to limit the spread of smoke, fire and fumes. The recalled actuators can jam, and prevent the dampers from closing. If dampers fail to close during a fire, serious injury or death can be suffered by building occupants because smoke, fire and fumes can spread through a building's ventilation system.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Performance Inc., of Chapel Hill, N.C., is voluntarily recalling about 900 sets of bar ends, which are handlebar extensions used on mountain bikes. The bar ends can crack when tightened and come loose during use, which can cause riders to lose control of the bicycle and possibly suffer injuries.

Manco Products, Inc., of Ft. Wayne, Ind. is voluntarily recalling approximately 950 four-wheel drive All Terrain Vehicles for the 2002 model year. The recalled ATVs are the Agritrax 8260 and Talon 8260-01. The model carries the identifications "Talon" or "Agritrax" on both sides of the bodywork. True Value Hardware, Ace Hardware and some outdoor power equipment dealers sold these ATVs from March 2002 through July 2002 for between $2, 999 and $3,299. The ATVs were manufactured in China.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Pier 1 Imports, of Fort Worth, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 9,200 candleholders. The Giant Champagne Glass-Shaped Floating Candleholder is made of mouth-blown recycled glass and is intended for use with floating candles. The candleholder can unexpectedly shatter and cause cuts to consumers.