Business & Tech

A Recap of This Week's Product Recalls

Products were recalled recently because of strangulation and fire hazards.

By Les Masterson 

The products recalled this week include flat-screen televisions, carpets and children's lamps. 

Here's information about six of the items recalled this week(information is from the US Consumer Protection Safety Commission)

32-inch Coby Flat-Screen Televisions

Hazard: An electronic component can fail, catch fire and ignite nearby items, posing fire and burn hazards.

Units: About 8,900

Description: This recall involves black Coby 32-inch flat screen televisions with model number TFTV3229 and serial numbers beginning with LG and that have M07 or M10 in the 9th, 10th and 11th position of the serial number. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label on the back of the televisions and Coby is printed on the front. Coby USA is out of business.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC has received reports of six incidents involving the televisions overheating, smoking or catching fire.  One incident involved a television catching on fire and scorching a wall. Another involved a fire that was limited to the television.  No injuries have been reported.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the recalled televisions and contact the participating retailer where their television was purchased for instructions on the remedy available from that retailer, which could be a refund, store credit, gift card or replacement TV. Because the importer/distributor Coby USA is out of business, the retailers are providing the remedy. The remedy and terms vary between the retailers.  

Sold at: ABC Warehouse, Fry’s Electronics, h.h. gregg, Nebraska Furniture Mart, P.C. Richard & Son, Sears/Kmart, Toys R Us and online at BestBuy.com, dealtree.com, techliquidators.com and bestbuy.dtdeals.com, and other stores and sites nationwide, from August 2011 through November 2013 for between $170 and $260.

Find the consumer contact information here.

Ram's Imports Girls' Pink Leotard Jackets

Hazard: The jackets have a drawstring through the hood which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines about drawstrings in children's upper outerwear. In 1997, those guidelines were incorporated into a voluntary standard. Then, in July 2011, based on the guidelines and voluntary standard, CPSC issued a federal regulation. CPSC's actions demonstrate a commitment to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on neck and waist drawstrings in upper outerwear, such as jackets and sweatshirts.

Units: About 756.

Description: This recall involves girls pink hooded jackets. The jacket is 97 % cotton 3% spandex. The jackets have pink and black leopard print drawstrings and pink and black leopard print on the sides of the jacket. "IQ girls" is printed on the sewn-in label located on the back of the neck. The model number included in the recall is 86557 and can be found printed on a sewn in label in the back of the neck. This recall involves jacket sizes girls 4 through 12.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the drawstrings from the garment to eliminate the hazard or return the garment to Ram’s Imports Inc. for a full refund.

Sold at: Burlington Coat Factory stores nationwide October 2010 through August 2013 for about $15.

Find consumer contact information here.

Shaw Industries Carpet

Hazard: The carpet fails to meet federal flammability standards, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Units: About 16,300 yards. 

Description: The recall involves Aristocrat II brand wall-to-wall carpet with style number 7L514. The carpet was sold in one color, “Pale Clay.” A date stamp on the back of the carpet reads “USA 760 MEA 52545,” the date “06-07-2013,” a time range between 00:45 and 3:00 and the words “Pile: 100% Polyester.” The stamp is repeated every six feet. 

Incidents/Injuries: None reported. 

Remedy: Consumers should immediately contact Shaw Industries to determine if their carpet is included in the recall and for instructions on returning the product for refund or replacement.

Sold at: Lowe’s stores nationwide between June 2013 and September 2013 for about $1 a square foot.

Find consumer contact information here.

IKEA Children's Wall-Mounted Lamps

Hazard: A 16-month-old child in a crib died after getting entangled in the lamp’s cord. In a separate incident, a 15-month-old child in a crib became entangled in the lamp’s cord and nearly strangled. In both incidents, which occurred in Europe, the lamp cord was pulled into the crib by the infants, creating a strangulation hazard.

Units: There were 2.9 million of the recalled lamps sold in the United States. In addition, 1.1 million were sold in Canada. There was a total of 23 million sold worldwide.

Description: The recalled IKEA children’s SMILA-series wall-mounted lamps were sold in eight designs, including a blue star, yellow moon, pink flower, white flower, red heart, green bug, blue seashell and an orange seahorse. The blue star is the STJÄRNA model with article numbers 501.944.49 or 500.108.79. The yellow moon is the MÅNE model with article numbers 701.944.48 or 700.108.40. The pink flower is the BLOMMA model with article numbers 901.944.47 or 000.979.50. The white flower is the BLOMMA model with article number 300-746-50.  The red heart is the HJÄRTA model with article numbers 202.256.59 or 801.993.13. The green bug is the BAGGE model with article numbers 101.944.46 or 700.728.71.  The blue seashell is the SNÄCKA model with article number 400-982-50. The orange seahorse is the SJÖHÄST model with article number 900-982-43.

Incidents/Injuries: A 16-month-old child in a crib died after getting entangled in the lamp’s cord. In a separate incident, a 15-month-old child in a crib became entangled in the lamp’s cord and nearly strangled. 

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lamp and contact IKEA for a free repair kit. Do not use the lamp until the repair kit is installed. The repair kit has self-adhesive fasteners for attaching the lamp’s cord to the wall as well as safety instructions. Contact IKEA toll-free at (888) 966-4532 anytime or online at www.ikea-usa.com and click on the Recall link at the top of the page for more information.  

Sold at: IKEA stores nationwide, in IKEA’s catalog and online at ikea-usa.com from July 1999 through May 2013 for between $10 and $13.

Find consumer contact information here.

Soloware Home Playground Tube Slides

Hazard: The plastic port hole-type windows in the tube slide can break, posing a laceration hazard to children.

Units: About 10,800 in the US.

Description: This recall involves Solowave Tornado brand home playground tube slides with port holes. The slides are green, six or seven feet long and have three or five port hole-style plastic windows in the sides. The slides were sold with Solowave’s Centennial, Centennial II, Lexington, Rocky Mountain Deluxe and Sheridan play systems and were also sold separately.  Solowave Design is stamped on the outside of the slides near the middle of each tube slide section.

Incidents/Injuries: Solowave has received 23 reports of minor injuries to children, including cuts and scrapes, from contact with broken port holes.

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled slide immediately and contact Solowave to receive a free repair kit for the port hole windows.

Sold at: Toys R Us and other stores nationwide, and online at toysrus.com from February 2008 through August 2013 for between $1,300 and $1,800 as part of a play system, or between $275 and $370 for the slide only.

Find consumer contact information here.

PackTite Bed Bug Heating Units

Hazard: The bed bug heaters can overheat, melt and cause a fire, posing a fire hazard.

Units: About 9,000.

Description: This recall involves PackTite bed bug heating units sold with PackTite™ original bed bug treatment systems.  Consumers place items for bed bug treatment inside PackTite’s black canvas bag and turn the heater on inside the bag. The white heaters are attached to a black wire frame that fits in the bag. PackTite™ is printed in white on the bag. The bags measure 36 inches long by 19 inches wide by 24 inches tall.  The recalled heaters do not have any visible text on the up-facing side of the heater casing, but they do have reset instructions on the underside of the heater.

Incidents/Injuries: PackTite has received three consumer complaints of heaters overheating, melting and, in one case, the items being treated were singed. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heating units and contact PackTite for a free replacement heater.

Sold at: Pest control companies and pest control product distributors nationwide, including Atlantic Pest Solutions, Bedbug Central, Bedbug Supply, Broadway Exterminating, Dana Pest Control, Do My Own Pest Control, Grainger, M&M Environmental Isotech, K-9 Sweeps, Orkin, Pestaway, Round-the-Clock Pest Control, Steritech, Stern Environmental, Tallman Scientific, Univar and US Bedbugs from October 2009 through January 2013 for between $300 and $330 for the system and $53 for the heater when sold separately.

Find consumer contact information here.

These were just six of the recalled products in the past week. See all of the recalls on the US Consumer Product Safety Commission site here.


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