Consumer Product Safety Commission

September 2000 Press Releases

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Maya Group Inc., of Garden Grove, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 20,000 toy bars for repair. The toy bar attaches to car seats and strollers and has removable toys. One of the toys, a car, can break during use resulting in a small plastic part that poses a choking hazard to young children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously today to begin the development of a mandatory safety standard for portable bed rails. The Commission will publish an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to require that bed rails not present entrapment and strangulation hazards to young children. Portable bed rails are intended for use on adult beds to help prevent children from falling out of bed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) today honored Ann Brown, Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), by presenting her with its prestigious Excellence in Public Service Award for 2000.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today released a report showing that hospital emergency room-treated trampoline injuries almost tripled in the last decade - from an estimated 37,500 in 1991 to almost 100,000 in 1999. Nearly two-thirds of the victims were children 6 to 14 years of age. About 15 percent of injuries involved young children under 6 years old. Since 1990, CPSC has received reports of 11 deaths related to trampoline use.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a report today showing that U.S. hospital emergency room treated injuries from nursery products dropped almost 20 percent over the past 5 years. This is the first decrease in nursery product injuries to children under age 5 since CPSC began keeping records in 1973. The CPSC report shows that from 1995 to 1999, injuries declined by more than 15,000. The downward trend is fueled by a marked reduction in baby walker injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Vaid Enterprises, of Jersey City, N.J., is recalling about 294,000 disposable cigarette lighters. The lighters do not have child-resistant mechanisms, as required by federal law. Young children could ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Playskool, of Pawtucket, R.I., is voluntarily recalling to replace about 550,000 Klackeroo toys. The toy's brightly colored end knobs can detach and allow small, geometric-shaped pieces to come loose, posing a choking hazard to infants and young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A., of Irvine, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 47,000 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Under certain conditions, the drive belts on these ATVs can break, and pieces of the belt can lock up the transmission, including the wheels, causing the vehicle to stop suddenly. This can cause the operator to lose control of the vehicle, crash, or be ejected off the vehicle, resulting in injury or death.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), API Outdoors, a division of Outland Sports Inc., of Tallulah, La., is voluntarily recalling 54,000 treestands and treeseats used by hunters. The seat of these devices can collapse, causing the consumer to fall to the ground and suffer injury.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today reported that emergency room-treated injuries related to popular lightweight scooters have increased 700 percent since May. CPSC data show that there were more than 4,000 scooter-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms in August alone. There have been more than 9,400 emergency room-treated injuries reported for 2000 so far. Nearly 90 percent of the injuries are to children under 15 years of age.