CPSC, Hedstrom Announce Recall of Glide Rides

January 5, 1998
Release # 98-052

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For Immediate Release;
Contact: Nicolette Humphries
(301) 504-0580 Ext. 1185

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Hedstrom Corp. of Bedford, Pa., is recalling about 1.5 million Glide Rides, sold with backyard gym sets, for in-home repair. The Glide Ride's "J-bolt" assembly can break, causing children to fall or drop to the ground and be injured.

Hedstrom has received 17 reports of children falling or dropping to the ground when the "J-bolt" broke, resulting in scrapes, bumps, bruises and one reported bone fracture.

Hedstrom backyard gym sets with Glide Rides involved in this recall were manufactured from November 1992 through October 1996 and involve over 220 models. The model number and manufacture date are located on the Glide Ride's top bar. Both wooden and metal gym sets are involved. The Glide Ride is a two-person passenger ride, commonly referred to as a teeter totter. The Glide Ride measures about 38 inches from seat to seat and 56 inches from the bracket on the top bar to the foot rest.

Department, toy and discount stores nationwide, including J.C. Penney, Toys R Us, Kmart and Wal-Mart, sold Hedstrom gym sets with the Glide Ride from April 1993 through December 1997 for about $150. The Glide Ride also has been sold separately for about $45.

Consumers should contact Hedstrom to determine if their Glide Ride is involved in this recall. If so, consumers should stop using the Glide Ride immediately. Hedstrom will send consumers a free "J-bolt" assembly repair kit. Consumers can call Hedstrom Corp. at (800) 233-3271 between 8 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or write to the company at P.O. Box 432, Bedford, PA 15522.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from unreasonable risks 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. To order a press release through fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of your fax machine and enter the release number. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov or via Internet gopher services at gopher.cpsc.gov. Consumers can report product hazards to info@cpsc.gov.