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Consumer Product Safety Commission

March 2000 Press Releases

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing an initiative with two of the largest auction web sites - eBay Inc., of San Jose, Calif., and Amazon.com Auctions of Seattle, Wash. The new initiative will make it easier for consumers to protect themselves from dangerous products being sold online. eBay and Amazon.com Auctions will link to CPSC's web site and prominently post guidance for consumers to help them get information about recalled products.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Lane Co., of Altavista, Va., is calling for a renewed search for cedar chests to replace their locks. In 1996, Lane recalled 12 million chests with lids that automatically latch shut when closed, following reports of six children suffocating inside the chests. CPSC and Lane have since become aware of another suffocation death and two near fatalities to children who became entrapped in the chests when the lid closed and automatically latched shut.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Advance Thermo Control (ATC), of Hong Kong, is voluntarily recalling 152,000 baby wipe warmers distributed by Prince Lionheart Inc., of Santa Maria, Calif. A wipe warmer is an electric appliance that warms baby wipes. Cracks in the interior tub of these wipe warmers can allow water to contact the electrical components. This can result in consumers receiving an electric shock.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Russ Berrie & Co. Inc., of Oakland, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 13,400 rattles. The shape and size of the rattle's handle allow it to become lodged in the throats of babies, posing a choking hazard. The rattles violate the Federal Hazardous Substances Act for the design and construction of baby rattles.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Maxim Enterprise Inc., of Middleboro, Mass., and Zany Brainy Inc., of King of Prussia, Pa., are recalling about 4,900 wooden pull toys. The pull toy's wheels can break off and the bead can detach from the pull string, posing small parts choking hazards to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), InSTEP LLC, of Mendota Heights, Minn., is recalling about 44,000 jogging strollers. The stroller's brake can fail, causing the stroller to unexpectedly roll away resulting in injury to a child.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers that certain baby mattresses and mattress pads encourage the potentially deadly practice of placing babies to sleep on their stomachs, and claim that the products reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Despite the claims, CPSC is not aware of any evidence that proves that babies can safely be placed to sleep on their stomachs on these products, or that using the products will reduce the risk of SIDS. Parents and caregivers should never put babies to sleep on their stomachs, whether on these products or any others.

To prevent deaths from soft bedding, seven major retailers are joining the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in kicking off a safety campaign promoting safe bedding practices for babies. As many as 900 baby deaths each year attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may actually be caused by suffocation in soft bedding, such as quilts, comforters, pillows and sheepskins.

Each year, unintentional poisonings from medicines and household chemicals kill about 30 children and prompt more than 1 million calls to the nation's poison control centers. National Poison Prevention Week, which is March 19-25, aims to help prevent those childhood poisonings by reminding people to check their homes now.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Michael's Stores Inc., of Irving, Texas, is recalling about 213,000 all-purpose lighters. These lighters can leak butane when they are ignited, causing an excessive burst of flame from the tip or other areas of the lighter. This presents a risk of fire and burn injuries to consumers.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) played a critical role in the investigation that resulted in two people being sentenced on federal charges involving illegal fireworks in Wisconsin. Two others have already been sentenced.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Tim Hortons, a chain of coffeeshops operated by the TDL Group Ltd., of Ontario, Canada, is recalling about 31,000 coffeemakers sold in the U.S. and Canada. The coffeepot's handle can break, causing the pot to fall. Consumers can suffer burn injuries from hot coffee or lacerations from broken glass.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), DEWALT® Industrial Tool Co., of Baltimore, Md., is recalling for repair about 755,000 DEWALT® 18-volt battery packs (model DW9095) for use with various battery-operated tools. The battery packs' clips can come loose, causing the battery packs to fall. When working with these tools, falling battery packs weighing about 2.2 pounds can cause injury.