The products set forth in the September 2009 Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC’s) recall list were quite varied. Some posed fire, choking, strangulation and laceration risks, while at least one threatened consumers with excessive lead content.

These monthly government lists help protect the public by urging consumers to avoid using or purchasing various dangerous products. Our law firm recommends that you regularly review these lists before making any purchases, especially those for children.

Part One of our review of the September 2009 recall list focuses mainly on products posing fall, laceration, choking and strangulation hazards. It also describes an item that may expose consumers to an unacceptable level of lead.

Part Two of this review looks at many other items, including those posing fire and shock risks. This second half of our review also references several companies that must pay civil penalties regarding their products and other general CPSC news.

(Readers interested in reviewing the complete September 2009 CPSC list can visit the following link: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelsep09.html )

Products Posing a Choking or Strangulation Hazard

• C & J Clark America Inc., (dba The Clarks Companies N.A. of Newton, Massachusetts) has agreed to cooperate with the Consumer Products Safety Commission and recall about 2,000 Children’s Shoes. The small rubber parts on these shoes can fall off and possibly cause young children to choke on them.
• Jolla Sport USA Inc. of Irvine, California, is voluntarily recalling about 2,300 O’Neill Children’s Hooded Fleece Sweatshirts due to their drawstrings. Back in 1996, the CPSC created guidelines to urge manufacturers to stop making clothing with these types of drawstrings. They can either cause children to get caught in the clothing or even strangle.

Products Posing a Fall Hazard

• SRAM LLC, of Chicago, Illinois, has agreed to recall close to 24,000 of its 10 Speed SRAM Bicycle Chains featuring PowerLock connector links. These links can crack and separate from the bikes, posing a fall hazard to riders.
• OfficeMax Inc., of Naperville, Illinois, is recalling close to 216,000 Office Max Task Chairs. When in use, the chair’s back and base can break, creating a fall hazard for the person sitting in the chair.

Laceration Risk Posed by Product

• Trudeau Corporation of Canada has agreed to honor the CPSC’s request to recall about 22,000 Trudeau Garlic Duo Slicers. Consumers can suffer lacerations when some of the slicers break during use.

Product Recall Due to Risk of Lead Exposure

• Team Work Trading of Los Angeles, California, has agreed to recall about 1,400 Children’s Animal Masks and Pendants. These items contain unacceptable, high levels of lead that can prove toxic if swallowed by young children.

Other potentially hazardous products posing fire and shock risks are covered in Part Two of our review of the September 2009 Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall list. This second part of this review also notes the imposition of civil penalties against several companies and other general CPSC news. (Link to Part Two here: http://www.injury-prevention-blog.com/2009/12/september-2009-product-recalls-and-related-news-part-two/)