CPSC Announces Recall Round-up to Get Hazardous Products Out of Consumers' Homes

April 16, 1998
Release # 98-095

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For Immediate Release;
Contact: Ken Giles
(301) 504-0580 Ext. 1184

WASHINGTON, D.C. - For the second year in a row, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is conducting a recall round-up to get hazardous products out of people's homes. Despite recall notices and public warnings, CPSC has found that many products with the potential to seriously injure or kill are still being used by consumers.

CPSC has enlisted the help of state and local officials, as well as national and state health and safety organizations. Governors, state health officials, and grassroots groups will help publicize the safety campaign and distribute information on the hazardous products. In some states, recalled products will be rounded up and brought to central locations for disposal.

"People should do some spring cleaning and check their attics and other storage areas for old products that could be hazardous," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "We can get dangerous products off store shelves, but the real challenge is to get them out of families' homes."

Today, CPSC will launch the recall round-up by broadcasting a video to television stations across the country. This video will include examples of hazardous products that might be in consumers' homes, such as the following:

• Playpens that can collapse and entrap a child in the folded top rails because they have a hinge in the center of the top rails that must be turned to set up the playpen. CPSC is aware of 11 deaths to children when the top rails of playpens collapsed. A new voluntary standard requires that the top rails of these playpens automatically lock into place when the playpen is fully set up. CPSC obtained voluntary recalls of the following playpens with top rails that people had to turn into place when setting up the playpen: Evenflo "Happy Camper, Happy Cabana, and Kiddie Camper;" Century Models 10-710 and 10-810; Baby Trend "Home and Roam, Baby Express;" and Kolcraft "Playskool Travel-Lite Model." CPSC also issued a safety warning about All Our Kids Models 742 and 762 playpens imported by a firm that is out of business.

• Bunk beds that can strangle young children. Since 1990, CPSC has received reports of 54 children who died after becoming entrapped in bunk beds. Since 1994, CPSC has obtained the recall of more than half a million hazardous bunk beds. In January 1998, CPSC voted to begin the process of developing a mandatory standard to address the hazard of children's entrapment in bunk beds.

• Approximately 40 million halogen torchiere floor lamps made before February 1997 need to be repaired to help prevent fires. CPSC knows of at least 260 fires and 12 deaths involving halogen torchiere floor lamps. The industry is giving free wire guards to people to install on top of lamps at home. People also should use a halogen bulb of 300 watts or less. The free wire guard is available at most major retail stores or by calling 800-985-2220.

• Hand-held hair dryers can cause electrocution when they fall in water if they do not have a built-in shock protection device (a ground-fault-circuit-interrupter, GFCI) in the plug. Before the current voluntary standard took effect in 1991 requiring GFCIs in hair dryers, CPSC had reports of about 20 electrocution deaths each year when hair dryers fell into water. Since the standard took effect, the toll has fallen to approximately 2 deaths each year. CPSC has recalled several hand-held hair dryers because they do not have GFCIs.

• Lawn darts were banned by CPSC in 1988. These large pointed metal darts, intended for use in outdoor games, have been responsible for the deaths of three children. A recent injury occurred when a 7-year-old boy in Elkhart, Ind., suffered a brain injury after a lawn dart pierced his skull. Parents should destroy these banned lawn darts immediately.

"CPSC sometimes learns of deaths or serious injuries caused by previously recalled products. We want to prevent these needless tragedies," said Brown. "We urge people to get CPSC's list of recalls and check for old products that could be hazardous."

CPSC's toll-free telephone hotline and web site provide information about recalled products and information on what to look for when buying products. Consumers can reach the hotline at 800-638-2772 or visit the web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.

To get a list of major recalls, consumers should send a postcard to "Recall List," CPSC, Washington, D.C. 20207.

This news release is available in Spanish by calling Jesus Chairez at (214) 827-6239.

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.

97-146 (06/25/97) Portable Play Yards with rotating top rail hinges Brand: Evenflo "Happy Camper, Happy Cabana, and Kiddie Camper", Evenflo Company, Inc. Piqua, OH; If hinges are not fully rotated, product may collapse and entrap child in folded top rails. 1.2 million units; Repair - Call firm 800-447-9178

97-026 (11/21/96) Playards with rotating top rail hinges, Models 10-710 and 10-810 Century Products Co., Macedonia, OH; The playard may collapse and entrap child in folded top rails. 212,000 units; Repair - Call firm 800-541-0264

97-028( 11/21/96) Portable Crib/Playards with rotating top rail hinges; Brand: All Our Kids, Models 742 and 762, Draco Corporation, Montebello, CA The crib/playard may collapse and entrap child in folded top rails. 13,000 units; Stop use and destroy. (Firm out of business.)

95-056 (01/01/95) Portable Cribs/Playpens made before 1995; Brands: Home and Roam, Baby Express from Baby Trend, Inc., Chino, CA; Product may collapse and entrap child in folded top rails. 100,000 units; Repair - Call firm 800-328-7363

93-043 (03/10/93) Portable Cribs with rotating top rails; Brand: Kolcraft, "Playskool" Travel-Lite Models 77101 and 77103, Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc., Chicago, IL; Product may collapse and entrap child in folded top rails. 11,600 units; Refund - Call firm 800-453-7673

95-021, 95-118, 95-174, 95-175, 96-040, 97-032, 97-095, 97-193; Bunk Beds, various brands; Children may become entrapped in spaces in the top bunk. 514,000 units recalled since 1992; CPSC has received reports of 54 deaths since 1990 from entrapment in bunk beds. Call CPSC 800-638-2772 for information.

97-173 (08/21/97) Halogen Torchiere Floor Lamps, all those manufactured before 02/05/97; Fire hazard when bulb ignites flammable materials. 40 million units; 12 deaths reported In-home repair with free wire guard. Get wire guards at major retail stores or call 800-985-2220.

97-024, 97-092, 97-106, 96-014, 96-085, 96-119; Hand-held hair dryers without immersion protection devices, various brands; Dryers without an immersion protection device present a risk of electrocution if submerged in water. 68,000 units recalled since 1993; Although CPSC knows of no deaths with these specific recalled hair dryers, CPSC receives about 2 reports of deaths each year from hair dryers. Call CPSC 800-638-2772 for information.

97-122 (05/15/97); Lawn Darts, all brands; Effective December 19, 1988, CPSC banned all lawn darts because they could cause brain injury or death. Destroy all banned lawn darts immediately. CPSC knows of 3 deaths.

97-002 (10/03/96) Baby monitors made June 1986 through 1990; Model 602; date codes 8806 through 9005; Gerry Baby Products Company, Thornton, CO; Wires inside may be improperly connected resulting in overheating or possible fire. 990,000 units; 1 death allegedly involving a model 602 baby monitor. See CPSC News Release 97-002. Replacement - Call Firm 800-672-6289

97-145 (06/24/97) Cribs; C&T International; Palisades Park, NJ; Side rails separate, creating strangulation hazard. 800 units; no deaths reported; Repair - Call firm 888-470-1260

97-154 (07/09/97) Cribs; Cosco; Columbus, IN; Misassembled side rail/mattress platform create entrapment hazard. 390,000 units; 1 death reported; Repair - Call firm 800-221-6736

97-195 (09/30/97) Cribs; J. C. Penney, Plano, TX; Side rails separate, creating strangulation hazard. 6,000 units; no deaths reported; Refund/Replacement - Call firm 800-709-5777

95-076 (02/10/95) Cribs made between April 1992 and December 1993; Okla Homer Smith Furniture Manufacturing Company, Fort Smith, AR; Slats may be loose or missing, creating a risk of entrapment in the side rail of the crib. 278,000 units; 1 death reported; Replacement (rails) - Call firm 800-647-3876

96-186 (09/04/96) Cedar Chests made between 1912 and 1987; The Lane Furniture Company, Alta Vista, VA; Children may become trapped in the chests and suffocate. 12 million units; 6 deaths; Replacement (locks) - Call firm 888-856-8758

97-180 (09/02/97) Infant Swings; Lil' Napper model; Century Products Company, Macedonia, OH; If the shoulder straps loosen or are unbuckled, a child can become entangled and strangle. 125,000 units; 3 deaths reported; Repair - Call firm 800-231-1448

NOTE: Products listed above may have already been repaired or there may be similar products that do not have the identified problems. For assistance in identifying recalled products, call the manufacturer listed or the CPSC toll-free Hotline at 800-638-2772.