Consumer Product Safety Commission

October 2001 Press Releases

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Emess Lighting Inc. and SLI Lighting Solutions Inc. are voluntarily recalling about 480,000 Twister portable lamps and will provide consumers with an in-home repair kit. The lamp's bulb can become hot, presenting a risk of burn injuries to consumers, and the risk of fire if the bulb comes in contact with combustible materials.

The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Honeywell Consumer Products Inc. (HCP), of Southborough, Mass, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $800,000. The penalty settles allegations that Duracraft Corp. failed to report to the CPSC in a timely manner incidents associated with its humidifiers, ceramic heaters, and baseboard heaters as required by the Consumer Product Safety Act. Honeywell Inc. acquired Duracraft Corp. in May 1996, which later became HCP d/b/a Duracraft Corp.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Sassy Inc., of Northbrook, Ill., is voluntarily recalling to replace about 455,000 soft rattles. The sewn-on, spherical shaped fabric eyes on the rattles can detach, posing a choking hazard to small children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today filed an administrative lawsuit against the Daisy Manufacturing Co. (Daisy), doing business as Daisy Outdoor Products, of Rogers, Ark., seeking a recall of 7.5 million Powerline Airguns. The lawsuit seeks to compel Daisy to notify consumers that the model 880 and model 856 Powerline Airguns are defective, and present a substantial risk of death or injury to anyone using the airgun. Daisy has refused to voluntarily recall these BB guns, which have been sold since September 1972 in sporting goods, department, and hardware stores, as well as on the Internet.

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.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Chairman Ann Brown has awarded the Chairman's Commendation to Gerber Products Company, an affiliate of the Novartis Group, for their long-time support of the Baby Safety Shower Program and other safety initiatives. Since the program was launched in 1995, communities around the U.S. have held "baby safety showers" and distributed more than 600,000 safety checklists and how-to kits in English and Spanish.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that a federal grand jury in Houston, Texas has indicted Chuck Bai-Fun Chen on various charges stemming from an investigation by the CPSC of Mr. Chen's Houston businesses, including Wholesale World, Inc., Texas Tech Mart, Inc., and USA Maxam, Inc.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding Cadet heater owners that they must file a claim by February 17, 2002, to participate in the recall program. CPSC and Cadet Manufacturing announced the recall of 1.9 million Cadet and Encore brand in-wall heaters in February 2000, expanding the original recall of 190,000 heaters announced in October 1997.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is alerting consumers to a tougher safety standard that should prevent children from becoming entrapped in automatic security gates. These sliding or swinging gates are typically found at the entrances of residences, apartment buildings, condominiums, parking lots and garages, and commercial establishments.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Wolf Range Co. Inc., of Compton, Calif., and Wolf Appliance Co. LLC, of Fitchburg, Wis., are recalling about 15,000 residential gas ranges for repair. Wolf Appliance Co. acquired the product line in January 2000. Delayed ignition of gas in the ovens and broilers can put consumers at risk of burn injuries and fires. The firms are aware of three incidents of delayed ignition involving these ranges, including two reports of consumers getting their eyebrows singed.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Norcold Inc., of Sidney, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling 360 free-standing, combination gas and electric refrigerators. Tubing in the cooling unit can crack and leak flammable gas, presenting a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the American Water Heater Co., of Johnson City, Tenn., is voluntarily recalling about 16,000 gas-fired water heaters to replace the gas burners. The burners could produce excess carbon monoxide (CO), posing a risk of CO poisoning to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), National Presto Industries Inc. (Presto) of Eau Claire, Wis., is voluntarily recalling to replace up to 50,000 Presto CoolDaddy electric deep fryer basket handles. The handles on the fryer baskets can come off, resulting in hot oil spattering the user and bystanders.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Whirlpool Corp., of Benton Harbor, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 1.8 million microwave-hood combinations. These units can overheat and catch fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Cisco Systems Inc., of San Jose, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 95,000 power adapters for replacement. These power adapters are used with certain Cisco Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) Routers. The adapters can overheat and melt a hole through the housing, posing a fire hazard. In addition, the exposed wires pose a shock hazard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Chairman Ann Brown has awarded the Chairman's Commendation to Williams-Sonoma Inc., of San Francisco, Calif. This award commends Williams-Sonoma for leading the way on recall effectiveness in an electronic era.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously today to require child-resistant packaging for some common household products and cosmetics containing hydrocarbons that can poison children. This safety standard will help prevent injuries and deaths to children under 5 years of age who swallow and aspirate certain oily liquids containing hydrocarbons. When these products enter the lungs, chemical pneumonia can develop and cause death.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Palliser Furniture Ltd., of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is voluntarily recalling about 4,500 toy boxes. The toy box's lid can fall suddenly, posing entrapment and strangulation hazards to young children. In addition, spaces at the end of the hinge on the lid can cause pinched, crushed and lacerated fingers.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today its staff filed an administrative Complaint against Sunbeam Corporation and its subsidiaries Chemetron Corporation and Chemetron Investments, Inc., of Boca Raton, Florida, and Grucon Corporation and its subsidiary Sprinkler Corporation of Milwaukee, Inc., of Wisconsin. The CPSC's three Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the issuance of the Complaint. The Complaint alleges that Star Sprinkler's model ME-1 fire sprinkler made from 1977 through 1995 presents a substantial product hazard. The Complaint seeks a nationwide recall of the approximately 700,000 Star ME-1's Star Sprinkler manufactured during this period.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Wysco Inc., of Baldwin Park, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 95,000 "Runt"™ brand mini-bicycles. These bicycles do not have any brakes, which are required by the CPSC standard for bicycles of this type. The CPSC standard also requires these bicycles have chain guards to prevent riders from getting fingers, toes and clothing caught in the gears.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Little Tikes Company, of Hudson, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 250,000 "2-in-1 Snug 'n Secure" swings. The buckles on the swing can break and the shoulder restraint straps can pull out of the back of the seat, causing young children to fall.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Evenflo Company Inc., of Vandalia, Ohio, is recalling about 20,500 Home Décor Swing™ wooden baby gates. The plastic mounting hardware that attaches to the wall can crack or break, allowing the wooden gate to unlatch. Children can then gain access to restricted areas, such as stairs. Also, the plastic hardware attached to the side of the gate can break, creating small parts that pose a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Safety 1st, of Canton, Mass., is voluntarily recalling about 1.5 million Fold-Up Booster Seats, intended for children who can sit unassisted through about 4 years of age. The top half of the seat inserts can separate, and a child can fall from the chair and be injured.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dorel Juvenile Group, of Columbus, Ind., is voluntarily recalling about 102,000 Cosco "Zip n Go," "Okie Dokie," and "Carters" playpens manufactured between May 1995 and December 1997. The plastic tabs on the playpen that lock the rails into the corners can break or loosen over time, allowing the rails to turn inward, collapse and entrap an infant.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Endar Corp. of Temecula, Calif., and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. of Bentonville, Ark., are voluntarily recalling 74,000 Ambria™ brand candle sets. The wax from the candles can drip and ignite the potpourri. Additionally, when the candles are in close proximity, they generate a significant amount of heat. Each of these hazards could lead to a fire, which could cause burn injuries to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Salsa Cycles, of Bloomington, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 500 disc-brake specific bicycle rims. The rims can unexpectedly fail during normal use, posing the risk of falls and serious injury to riders.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that The Customer Company and Cigarettes Cheaper, both headquartered in Benicia, Calif., have agreed to pay $225,000 to settle allegations that it knowingly violated the Consumer Product Safety Act by selling disposable cigarette lighters that failed to meet government requirements for child resistance. The fine settles a lawsuit that was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

As the weather turns colder throughout much of the country, 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, water heaters and space heaters - to detect deadly carbon monoxide (CO) leaks.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Biddeford Textile Corp., of Biddeford, Maine, is voluntarily recalling about 394,000 electric blankets. The plug that connects the detachable control switch to the blanket can become loose. The resulting poor electrical contacts can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Compaq Computer Corp., of Houston, Texas, is voluntarily recalling for replacement about 594,000 AC adapters used with certain Compaq notebook computers in the U.S. This is part of a worldwide recall of more than 1.4 million AC adapters. These AC adapters can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted (3-0) today to begin developing a safety standard to reduce the severity of mattress fires and to make mattresses less flammable. The new standard will address fires ignited by sources such as candles, matches and lighters. The goal is to minimize the deaths and injuries from fires started in bedding and mattresses by limiting the size and spread of the fire. There already is a federal standard requiring mattresses to be resistant to cigarette ignition.