FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Originally issued November 17, 2000, Revised July 10, 2003
Release # 01-032 |
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Kim Dulic, (301) 504-7058 |
CPSC, Three Firms Announce Recall of Bicycle Helmets
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Variflex Inc., of Moorpark, Calif.; NHS Inc., of Santa Cruz, Calif.; and First Team Sports Inc., of Anoka, Minn.; are voluntarily recalling about 243,000 bicycle helmets. These helmets fail impact testing required under CPSC's Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets, violating the Consumer Product Safety Act. Riders wearing these helmets are not adequately protected from falls, and could suffer severe head injuries or death. The recalls are the result of a CPSC investigation, test results provided by the Good Housekeeping Institute and a helmet company's report to CPSC.
CPSC and these firms are not aware of any injuries or incidents involving these helmets. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.
Variflex Inc. "X-Games Aggressive" Bicycle Helmets
Variflex Inc. is recalling about 240,000 "X-Games Aggressive" bicycle helmets, which are either black, white or chrome. They have a red "X- Games" insignia on the front and "X-Games" is written on the back. A large label inside these helmets reads "SGS CPSC CY50159." And "Variflex Inc." "Static" and "Made in Taiwan" are written on the packaging.
Sporting good and discount department stores nationwide sold these helmets from October 1999 through September 2000 for about $20. Consumers should stop using these helmets immediately, and return them to the store where purchased for a refund or replacement helmet. For more information, call Variflex at (800) 248-5327 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.
Variflex Inc. "X-Games Aggressive" Bicycle Helmet
NHS TSG Helmets
NHS Inc. is recalling about 1,100 "TSG Metallic Gold," 1,000 "TSG Gloss Black" and 500 "TSG Foundation Blue" helmets. The Metallic Gold and Gloss Black helmets have "TSG" written on the front and rear of the helmet. The Foundation Blue helmets have the word "Foundation" across the front and a star and moon on the side of the helmet. They have serial numbers beginning SN: 00170 or SN: 00171, and a date code of January, February and April 2000 written on the white label inside the helmets.
Sporting good stores nationwide sold these helmets from February 2000 through October 2000 for between $35 to $45.
Consumers should stop using these helmets immediately and return them to NHS Inc., not to the store where purchased, for a refund. For more information and instructions on how to return the helmet, call NHS at (831) 459-7800 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.
NHS TSG Helmet
First Team Sports "Guardian Junior Helmets"
First Team Sports Inc. is recalling about 1,000 "Guardian Junior Helmets." They are slate blue, and have "Guardian" written on the front and rear of the helmets. They have model numbers 007471, 007958, 009406, 009437, 009455 or 009830, and date code "2000/04" written on a label inside the helmets.
Sporting goods stores in the eastern and north eastern U.S. sold these helmets from February 2000 through October 2000 for about $25.
Consumers should stop using these helmets immediately, and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call First Team Sports at (800) 528-5872 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.
First Team Sports "Guardian Junior Helmet"
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.