CPSC's consumer information program informs consumers about product hazards and makes recommendations on ways to reduce these hazards. CPSC's use of video news releases (VNRs) is an effective, inexpensive way of quickly reaching tens of millions of consumers with critical product safety information. Follow-up information may be provided to individual consumers or groups who call the CPSC toll-free Hotline (1-800-638-CPSC).
Recall of flammable skirts VNR reached over 100 million viewers. On Friday, August 12, 1994, CPSC announced the stop sale and recall of a popular style of rayon and rayon/cotton blend skirt, which is dangerously flammable. More than a quarter of a million skirts presented a serious risk of burn injuries. They did not meet the applicable flammability regulation under the Flammable Fabrics Act. In fact, these skirts burn faster than newspaper. The VNR generated over 22,600 calls to the CPSC Hotline.
Recall of flammable fleece VNR reached more than 44 million viewers. On February 28, 1995, CPSC announced the recall of an estimated 160,000 dangerously flammable garments made from a fleece-type fabric. Garments ranging from sweatshirts to skirts were involved in the recall. There were four reported incidents where garments made from the fabric "flashed," or surface-burned very quickly. The VNR generated nearly 15,000 calls to the CPSC Hotline.
VNR on the suffocation hazard posed by bean bag chairs reached well over 43 million viewers. On March 16, 1995, CPSC announced a major cooperative repair program for at least 10 million zippered bean bag chairs as part of its ongoing investigation of deaths and injuries associated with the product. CPSC was aware of 5 deaths and at least 12 other incidents in which children and toddlers inhaled or ingested the bean bag filling. In some cases, the children unzipped the bean bag cover, crawled inside, and suffocated from inhaling the small pellets of foam filling. In other cases, children choked while playing with escaping, adhering pellets that clogged their mouths and noses. The VNR generated over 17,500 calls to the Hotline.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the
unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's
jurisdiction.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury and for information on
CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter
at (800) 638-8270.
Consumers can also report product hazards via electronic mail by sending a message to
info@cpsc.gov.
Comments: info@cpsc.gov
Revised: May 5, 1996
URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/success/vnr.html