Topix Recalls & Consumer Safety News

Recall Date: 09/08/2008

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says the 3.6 volt Masterforce Cordless Screwdriver is being recalled due to fire and burn hazards.

Recall Date: 09/08/2008

Nationwide, including North Texas, reports of glass tabletops randomly exploding have spread concern.

Recall Date: 09/08/2008

Overheating laptops? Sounds familiar, right? Sony , together with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced a voluntary recall of the Vaio VGN-TZ100 series, VGN-TZ200 series, VGN-TZ300 series and ...

Recall Date: 09/07/2008

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, announced voluntary recalls of the following consumer products.

Recall Date: 09/07/2008

Eleven more retailers have recalled Simplicity bassinets, bringing the total to 17 that have decided to recall the infant beds, which are linked to the deaths of two babies.

Recall Date: 09/06/2008

Sep 6---Another Update on Fresh Ivanhoe CHEESES---CDA. Manufacturer : See Below Product : Food Start Date : 2008-09-06 End Date : 2008-10-06 VARIOUS CHEESE PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY IVANHOE CHEESE INC.

Recall Date: 09/06/2008

Sep 6---Metro Ontario recalls Various SANDWICHES/ PARTY TRAYS---CDA. Manufacturer : See Below Product : Food Start Date : 2008-09-06 End Date : 2008-10-06 VARIOUS STORE-MADE SANDWICHES AND PARTY TRAYS INCLUDING ...

Recall Date: 09/06/2008

Sep 6---Weston Bakeries recalls BREAD Products---CDA. Manufacturer : See Below Product : Food Start Date : 2008-09-06 End Date : 2008-10-06 A Rimbey seniors lodge received a bread shipment from a Calgary bakery ...

Recall Date: 09/06/2008

Make / Models : Model/Build Years: CHEVROLET / HHR 2006-2008 Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Recall Date: 09/05/2008

Recall of Patak's Dopiaza Cooking Sauce Contact: Deborah Murdock 901.381.3203 ACH Food Companies, Inc.

Consumer Reports Consumer Safety News

Recall Date: 09/08/2008

The White House has named David Kelly to be acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, replacing Nicole Nason, who is leaving for an as yet undisclosed job in the private sector. Kelly was previously chief of staff to Nason, who leaves after serving a little more than two years as head of the government's primary auto safety agency. Before joining NHTSA, Kelly was with the National Safety Council, serving as a program manager and director of the NSC's air bag and seat belt safety campaign. Kelly will have at least two big issues to resolve as the Bush Administration winds down in the coming months. The first is a proposed 4.5 percent annual increase in fuel efficiency standards for the 2011 through 2015 model years. NHTSA issued the proposal in April. Automakers have called the proposed increases too ambitious, but many members of Congress have said they don't go far enough. NHTSA must also complete work on toughening automobile roof crush standards by October 1, a set of rules that has not been revised since 1973. Nason, who was a lobbyist for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. before joining the government, has had an uneven tenure as head of the auto safety agency. Under Nason, the agency adopted new regulations to improve child seat ratings and to require seat belts on some smaller school buses. The agency also recalled hundreds of thousands of Chinese tires over concerns the steel belts could separate and cause a crash. In addition, the agency strengthened its new car crash test standards during Nason's tenure. Before the changes most vehicles were able to achieve top ratings, which critics say rendered the test results all but useless for consumers. But Nason was also responsible for a bizarre policy that effectively forbade anyone at the agency to talk to the media on the record except herself, including the NHTSA Office of Communications. Because of that policy, many of the government's leading auto safety experts have been unable to talk directly to the media on issues within their area of expertise. David Champion, Senior Director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, says he hopes the new NHTSA director will keep "the safety of the American motorist foremost and understands vehicle dynamics." "Cars are a huge compromise," says Champion. "You change one aspect and it can reduce other factors." For example, he said, "With the push for a stronger roof crush standard, we do not want manufacturers to design bigger and wider roof pillars as this will compromise visibility, reducing safety in everyday driving. Currently there is no visibility standard." Read more about car safety on our Cars blog.

Recall Date: 09/05/2008

In June, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a health advisory that raised concern about the safety of certain artificial-turf fields. The advisory was based on a study from two New Jersey agencies. After analyzing a small sampling of fields and commercial products, the state's researchers found that older fields that are made of nylon or nylon/polyethylene blend fibers can contain levels of lead that pose a potential public health hazard. Lead chromate is found in the pigment that's used to color some turf surfaces green. Although the CDC says the immediate risk for harmful lead exposure from new fields is low, lead dust released as the artificial turf ages and weathers could then be ingested or inhaled raising the risk of harmful exposure. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently weighed in on the issue and released a controversial report that analyzed synthetic turf “grass blades” and assessed the total lead content and risk of exposure to the toxin. The title of a CPSC press release drawing attention to the report reads: “CPSC Staff Finds Synthetic Turf Fields OK to Install, OK to Play On.” But in what seems to be a contradiction, the commission also said that “although this evaluation found no harmful lead levels, CPSC staff is asking that voluntary standards be developed for synthetic turf to preclude use of lead in future products.” The agency also advised that young children should wash their hands after playing outside, especially before eating. Congress quickly challenged the report. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) sent a letter to Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord criticizing what appears to be flawed test methodology and the use of less-than-adequate rationale to conclude that children are safe from exposure to lead when playing on artificial turf fields. DeLauro took issue with the report on several points: The CPSC studied samples from only eight fields out of a total of some 3,500 synthetic fields currently in use. The sampling was too limited to give a good representation of the lead levels in synthetic fields across the nation. There are unexplained gaps and wide variability in the data provided. The study was limited to lead in synthetic "grass blades” and did not include analysis of “crumb rubber” used in the fields. There was no apparent analysis for other toxic chemicals that have been found in crumb rubber. The report failed to give adequate analysis of why the oldest field tested (installed in 1999) was associated with the highest estimated daily ingestion of lead. We share those concerns and have a few of our own: We are concerned that the study didn’t analyze enough samples from older fields. Only two samples were from fields more than five years old. The CPSC staff acknowledged in the press release on the study that some conditions such as age, weathering, exposure to sunlight, and wear and tear might change the amount of lead that could be released from the turf. And since the oldest field in their study showed the highest exposure to lead, we think they should have focused their testing on older fields before categorically giving them all a clean bill of health. The total lead content of the grass blades tested ranged from “none detected” to 9,600 parts per million (ppm). Ten of 26 samples tested far exceeded the current 600 ppm legal limit that applies to lead in paint and that limit will be significantly reduced as a result of the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Shouldn't the fields that our children play on meet the same standards? The CPSC study did not take into account exposure to lead from inhalation or direct ingestion of dust from the synthetic field. The CDC advisory pointed to this hazard. We question some of the assumptions the CPSC made about how to measure ingestion levels. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that there is no safe level of lead exposure. Yet, the CPSC’s conclusions express risk in terms of what they have established as harmful levels. We think their analysis and conclusions should be consistent with those of the medical community. They should take into account that athletic fields are not the only source of exposure to lead and that it's important to eliminate avoidable sources of exposure. And although environmental issues are not under the CPSC’s purview, we are concerned that lead dust liberated from artificial playing fields may leach into soil and enter nearby waterways. This needs to be studied by the Environmental Protection Agency. Should the CPSC classify artificial turf as a product primarily intended for children age12 and under, it would be subject to new federal legislation that would set strict limits on the amount of lead it can contain. If mandatory regulations are not imposed, voluntary standards may suffice. ASTM-International has begun work writing a new voluntary standard for specifying the maximum lead content in synthetic turf fibers. We are not advocating tearing up artificial turf fields, but we do think field managers, coaches, school officials and parents should follow the “Taking precautions” advice we gave in our June 19 blog posting. And that the CPSC, CDC, and EPA should conduct a more thorough study to adequately assess all the risks associated with artificial playing fields.

Recall Date: 09/04/2008

A high-end Wolf gas range that has been on the market for 10 years and sells for between $5,000 and $9,000 has been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission because one of its two ovens poses a burn hazard. According to the CPSC, delayed ignition of gas in the smaller, 18-inch oven can cause a flash of flames to be projected when the oven door is opened. More than 24,000 ranges were recalled after Wolf received 97 reports of units experiencing delayed ignition, including 15 that resulted in minor burns. There have been no reports of fires or property damage. The recall involves Wolf's 48-inch gas ranges with model numbers: P48, PS48 and R48. (The model and serial numbers can be found on a metal plate on the inside left wall of the range top.) The gas ranges are stainless steel with a double oven and chunky red knobs. A "Wolf" appliance logo is on the front of the larger, 30-inch, oven door. Manufactured in the U.S., the ranges were sold at home builder and appliance stores nationwide from January 1998 through June 2008. The recall does not include the DF48 ranges because the ovens in those units are electric. On its Web site, Wolf describes the problem as so: "In some 18 inch ovens, the flame will not always reach all of the burner tube ports. This allows gas to build up inside the oven until it finally ignites. If this happens and the customer opens the oven door, the gas may ignite in a flash directly in front of the customer. This does not happen every time the oven is used and does not happen with every 18 inch oven." Wolf and the CPSC are asking consumers to stop using the 18-inch oven immediately and to contact the manufacturer at (866) 643-6408 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or through the firm’s Web site at www.wolfappliance.com to schedule a free, in-home repair. Range owners can also e-mail Wolf at: range18.rework@wolfappliance.com. The larger oven and all cooktop burners are not affected and may continue to be used.

Recall Date: 09/04/2008

Sony announced today that it is recalling 73,000 of its TZ-series VAIO notebooks because the units can overheat and pose burn hazards. the company has received 15 reports of overheating, including one consumer who suffered a minor burn. According to the recall notice issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, irregularly positioned wires near the computer’s hinge and/or a dislodged screw inside the hinge can cause a short circuit and overheating. The recalled notebook computer models are the VAIO VGN-TZ100 series, VGN-TZ200 series, VGN-TZ300 series and VGN-TZ2000 series and were sold nationwide from July 2007 through August 2008 for between $1,700 and $4,000. The computers’ screen size is slightly more than 11 inches when measured diagonally. Not all units are affected. Consumers can contact Sony at 1-888-526-6219 to determine if their unit is included in the recall. Sony is also asking owners of the laptops to visit its Web site where they can input the product code and serial number found on the bottom of the notebook to be checked against a database of affected units. If a notebook is in the batch recalled, Sony says it will provide an inspection and, if necessary, on-site repair at your home or office. Alternatively, VAIO notebook owners can ship their notebooks to a SONY service center identified by the manufacturer. In the meantime, owners of the recalled notebooks should stop using them, the CPSC cautions.

Recall Date: 09/03/2008

At least 10 more retailers have agreed to stop selling Simplicity bassinets in the wake of the strangulation deaths of two infants and a call by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for parents to stop using the company’s 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible "close sleeper" models. The additional retailers who have agreed to stop selling the bassinets include AAFES, Amazon.com, Bed Bath and Beyond/ BuyBuyBaby, Burlington Coat Factory, Chelsea & Scott LTD (OneStepAhead), CSN Stores, Fingerhut Direct Marketing, Kohl’s Department Stores, ShopKo Stores Inc., and USA Baby. Those retailers join Wal-Mart, Kmart, Toys 'R' Us, Big Lots, J.C. Penney and Target which, as we reported last week, have agreed to recall the bassinets. Despite the voluntary recalls by retailers, it remains unclear who, if anyone bears legal responsibility for the manufacture and distribution of the Simplicity bassinets. Ordinarily, legal responsibility falls on the manufacturer, but in this case the maker of the bassinets is no longer in business—at least technically. That’s because a holding company called SFCA purchased all of Reading, PA-based Simplicity’s assets at public auction in April 2008, but contends it did not assume any of Simplicity’s liabilities. SFCA has thus far refused to cooperate with the government and recall the bassinets, contending it has no legal obligations because of the corporate structure. The Wall Street Journal explored the liability issue in a recent article. Recalls and legal liabilities aside, consumers need to be extra cautious when buying secondhand bassinets at garage sales, through web sites and classified ads, or even as free hand-me-downs from friends or relatives. Check the manufacturer and model number against the CPSC list. If it is on the list, let the seller or giver know that the bassinet should no longer be used. It’s also possible some of the bassinets are still being sold by retailers. The Chicago Tribune says one of its reporters was able to buy two of the bassinets at a Burlington Coat Factory store last week after the recall (but before the retailer joined the CPSC list). Further, the newspaper says one of the bassinets the newspaper purchased last Thursday carried a shipping label with the name "SFCA Inc." In a written statement issued last Thursday, SFCA said: "The safety of our customers is always SFCA’s number one concern. The CPSC product alert does not involve any product manufactured and distributed by SFCA, Inc." (Emphasis added by the company in its statement.) We did a spot check of various retailers in the Washington, D.C. and New York City areas over the weekend and did not find any of the bassinets in question still on store shelves. That's a good sign. But since 900,000 of these bassinets were reportedly on the market, we still want to help spread the word and encourage our readers to share this information with others.

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