Part One of this review of the April 2010 Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) product recall list covered items posing choking and strangulation hazards, as well as products that can cause laceration or fall injuries.

Part Two of our April 2010 review looks at many other products, including those posing fire and flammability risks, as well as several that can cause lead paint poisoning, drowning or other general injuries.

As noted in the introduction to Part One, these monthly government recall lists are designed to protect the public from dangerous products.

Products Posing Fire and Flammability Hazards

• Eastwind Industries Inc., of San Leandro, California, has agreed to recall about 4,600 Kuuma IR Stow and Go Grills that have been marketed exclusively at West Marine Stores. When the propane tanks on these grills leak fuel, they create fire hazards.
• PBteen, a division of Williams-Sonoma Inc., of San Francisco, California, has agreed to recall close to 3,000 PBteen Ottoman Beds because their mattresses have failed to meet the federal government’s “open flame standards for mattresses.” This problem can create fire hazards for consumers.
• Agio International Company of Hong Kong is voluntarily recalling 5,800 Patio Glow Outdoor Gas Fire Columns since gas can escape from column connections, posing fire hazards to consumers.
• Foria International Inc., of City of Industry, California, has agreed to recall close to 800 Women’s Peacoats since they have failed to meet the federal government’s flammability standards for clothing.

Products That Can Cause Lead Paint Poisoning

• At the request of both Health Canada and the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bauer Hockey Inc., of Greenland, New Hampshire, is voluntarily recalling their Youth and Junior Hockey Sticks, Shafts and Blades. The paint and decals on these products contain excessive levels of lead. (Approximately 67,000 of these items are being recalled in the U. S. and close to 60, 000 in Canada).
• Hammary Furniture Co., of Lenoir, North Carolina, has agreed to voluntarily recall about 7,000 Decorative Wood Chests and Tables since the furniture’s surface paint contains excessive levels of lead.

Products Posing Either a Drowning or General Injury Hazard

• Tabata USA Inc. (TUSA), of Long Beach, California, has agreed to recall about 250 TUSA RS-670 Regulators since one of the chamber plugs can loosen from the scuba regulator, creating a high-pressure leak and other problems. Divers can drown as a result of these complications.
• Mares USA, of Boca Raton, Florida, has agreed to recall its Mares Nemo Air Dive Computers due to an O-ring defect (in the high pressure air connector) that can cause a loss of breathing gas, creating a drowning risk for divers. (This recall involves approximately 600 units in the United States, 140 in Canada and about 15 in Puerto Rico).
• King Long Metal Industrial Company, Ltd., of Trumball, Connecticut, has agreed to recall about 6,800 Six Tier Chrome Shelving Units. If the casters on these units break at the stem, the units can fall, creating injury hazards to consumers.

General CPSC News
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently voted 5-0 to recognize four “firewalled testing laboratories, also known as firewalled conformity assessment bodies.” Prior to this vote, the CPSC had formally recognized close to 250 third-party testing laboratories. It’s important for the CPSC to continue approving more of these facilities since the newly amended Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) requires those who make children’s products to test them at CPSC-recognized labs.

(Readers interested in reviewing the entire April 2010 CPSC product recall list can do so by visiting the following link: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelapr10.html )

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

The old saying for many is that the month of March “comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.”  For those who manufacture children’s products of almost any type, the opportunity to turn the next page on the calendar is more than welcome given that March could go down as the worst month in history when it comes to the number of product recalls involving children’s products.

Just in the past month alone, we’ve posted warnings regarding recalls that involve:

• Baby slings
• High chairs
• Fork and spoon sets
• Hooded sweatshirts
• Roman shades and Roll-up blinds
• Stairway gates

Each of these products presented immediate dangers to children who used them including suffocation, choking, strangulation and dangerous falls from the top of staircases.

There could be many reasons for this enormous number of recalls dealing with children’s products, and possibilities include tighter oversight by those charged with protecting consumers, lower quality in terms of manufacturing or simply a string of incredible coincidences that led to all of these recalls occurring in a short period of time.

Regardless of why these product recalls occurred at such a high rate during March of 2010, the bottom line remains the same – those who place defective and dangerous products into the market stream need to be held accountable for the damage they have caused.  Consumers tend to trust products that make it to the retail shelves and assume that they have been tested for safety.

If you or someone you love has been harmed by a dangerous product, contact the Sacramento defective products lawyers who have years of experience in holding corporations responsible for the harm they have caused.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Many of us have decided to save ourselves some time and purchase items from a grocery store deli that are already prepared.  Delis in supermarkets have become much more prevalent in recent years, and as a result of the increased demand from consumers there are many more choices available.  Unfortunately, one of those choices appears to be unsafe, as Safeway recalled potato salad due to concerns regarding salmonella.

According to the Associated Press:

“Safeway Inc. said Thursday it is voluntarily recalling potato salad products over concerns about possible salmonella contamination.

Safeway said the two red potato salad with dill products were sold in its deli department at Safeway, Vons, Pavilions and Carrs stores in 10 states in the West.

Customers who purchased the products are asked to discard them or return them for a refund.

Safeway said it is recalling the product after Reser’s Fine Foods, the source of the products, announced its own voluntary recall.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.”

There are innumerable different types of recalls, but food recalls are perhaps the most risky for consumers because of how quickly they tend to be eaten after purchase, particularly if those items are from the deli and ready to serve.  If you or someone you love has been harmed by defective food, you need the help of Sacramento defective products lawyers who have a long track record of holding even large corporations accountable for the harm they’ve caused.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Medications are generally highly regulated due to the obvious dangers they’d present if anything was wrong with these products.  The FDA is charged with regulating this process, and the agency slammed the makers of Tylenol and other brands recently in the wake of revelations that the manufacturer was slow to react to consumer complaints regarding a strange odor that emanated from many of their medications.

According to CNN Money:

“The maker of several over-the-counter drugs, including Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl, announced a broad-based recall of these and other drugs Friday after receiving complaints of an “unusual moldy, musty or mildew-like” odor.

The recall drew the FDA’s wrath on Johnson and Johnson for not reacting quickly to customer complaints and its failure to fix the problem. The company has struggled to resolve the issue since it was first reported in 2008.

The recalled products include junior strength Motrin, children’s Tylenol grape meltaway tablets, extra strength Tylenol, extra strength Tylenol rapid release gelcaps, extra strength Tylenol PM geltabs, Motrin caplets, extra strength Rolaids fresh mint tablets, St. Joseph Aspirin chewable orange tablets and Benedryl allergy ultratab tablets.”

While no tangible problem has been linked to the presence of this odor, the FDA made it clear that additional remedies would be applied if the manufacturer did not take action.  As a result, consumers are advised to stop using these products immediately.

If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of using a defective medication, you need to take steps to assert your legal rights.  Contact the Sacramento products liability lawyers at Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation, as the firm has years of experience in holding large corporations accountable.

While coffee has been a veritable staple for millions of people for centuries, it’s only recently that the popularity of canned or bottled ‘energy drinks’ has exploded onto the market.  These drinks are taking the consumer market by storm, and they appear to be particularly popular with young people.  While the majority of those who use them do not encounter problems, there is growing concern among health officials that over-using these drinks can not only be harmful, but dangerous.

According to a report published by WPLG in Florida:

“Convenience stores are packed with products to give consumers a quick boost of caffeine.

The stimulant comes in all forms — from drinks to pills to sprays — and is available at almost all locations.But local health officials told KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City that having too much caffeine can be so serious that it requires a call to a poison-control line or a trip to the emergency room, especially for people younger than the age of 19.

Boston pediatrician Dr. John Cohen cautions parents and teenagers to know what they are putting in their bodies, because too much caffeine, he said, could get them into serious medical trouble.

“In my opinion,” Cohen said, “All this stuff should be pulled off the market.”

As would be expected, the American Beverage Association denied the risks involved with these drinks.  However, if you have been using these products, take some time to learn more about them so that you don’t encounter these problems.  If you have been harmed by any of these products, you need the help of Sacramento defective products attorneys who have years of experience in holding large corporations accountable.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Product recalls happen with regularity and for many reasons, but some recalls are shocking merely because of the number of units involved.  This could be the reaction of many when they learn that more than 50 million units of Roman-style shades and roll-up blinds have been recalled because of serious concerns regarding the safety of toddlers who can become trapped by the strings attached to them and suffer serious injuries or even death.

According to CNN Money:

“All Roman-style shades and roll-up blinds are being recalled after reports of babies and toddlers dying from strangulation, the federal agency in charge of product safety announced Tuesday — one of the five largest recalls in the agency’s 35-year history.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall affects more than 50 million Roman shades and roll-up blinds, which have cords that can get caught around children’s necks.

CPSC said 5 children have died of strangulation and 16 others have been nearly strangled since 2006 because of the Roman shades, which pose a problem because of space between the inner cord and the shade fabric.

oll-up blinds have a large loop at the end of the cord that can strangle young children, the CPSC said, adding that 3 children have died from the roll-up blinds’ hazard since 2000.”

If you have any of these models in your home, take immediate steps to either remove them or repair them properly so they do not pose an imminent danger to any children who may come into contact with them.  If you or someone you love has been harmed by dangerously defective products, you need the help of Sacramento products liability lawyers who have years of experience in holding large corporations accountable for the harm they’ve caused.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

The September 2009 Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC’s) recall list contained a wide variety of hazardous products. It also referenced several companies that must pay civil penalties due to the way they created or marketed their products.

These monthly government lists alert the public to potentially hazardous products they may already own or plan to buy. Our law firm recommends that you regularly review these lists before ever making a major new purchase.

Part Two of our September 2009 review looks at products posing fire, burn and shock risks. This second article also notes the imposition of civil penalties against several companies and other general CPSC news.

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

(To read or review Part One, please visit: http://www.injury-prevention-blog.com/2009/12/september-2009-product-recalls-and-related-news-part-one/)

Products Posing Fire, Shock and Burn Hazards

• Northwest Manufacturing Inc., of Red Lake Falls, Minnesota has agreed to recall close to 600 WoodMaster AFS 900 Outdoor Furnaces. Since this product’s temperature gauge can malfunction, consumers may be subjected to a fire in the fuel storage hopper that may cause burn injuries.
• Grizzly Industrial of Bellingham, Washington, is voluntarily recalling close to 500 Bandsaws. A number of these saws were built without installing a grounding wire, putting consumers at risk of suffering an electric shock.
• Walmart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas, is once again recalling a specific brand of DVD players. (In the past, 1.5 million of these players were recalled.) At present, 4.2 million Durabrand DVD Players are being pulled from store shelves. If this product’s circuit board overheats, a consumer can suffer fire and burn injuries.

General CPSC News

I. Civil Penalties Imposed

a) Kohl’s Department Stores Inc., of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, has agreed to pay $425,000 in civil penalties (the CPSC has provisionally accepted this amount). This fine was imposed because Kohl’s knowingly violated a federal law by not reporting to the CPSC that it was selling children’s hooded sweatshirts with neck drawstrings.

b) Three other companies, Hill Sportswear Inc., of Paramount, California, Maran Inc., of North Bergen, N.J. and K. S. Trading Corporation of Moonachie, New Jersey have also agreed to pay civil penalties due to their knowing violation of the federal law requiring each of them to tell the CPSC if they were selling hooded sweatshirts with neck drawstrings.

(Hill has agreed to pay $100,000 in penalties and Maran Inc. and K.S. Trading Company have agreed to pay a combined penalty fee of $85,000. Both of these civil penalty amounts have been provisionally accepted by the CPSC.

II. The Consumer Product Safety Commission Joins President Obama’s Back-to-School Campaign

Inez Tenenbaum, the new chairman of the CPSC, has announced that her agency is supporting the president’s campaign that seeks to keep children enrolled in school so they can discover their potential and realize their dreams. Ms. Tenenbaum recently spoke to the students and faculty at Rosewood Elementary School in Columbia, South Carolina.

We hope the warnings in our two-part review of the September 2009 CPSC product recall list will help you avoid using or purchasing a number of potentially dangerous products. Should you or a family member ever be harmed by a product (regardless of whether it was named in one of these lists), our law firm stands ready to evaluate your claim and help you pursue every legal remedy and full compensation for your injuries.

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

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/)

The August 2009 Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC’s) recall list notes a number of products posing strangulation hazards. It also describes a number of items that can cause fires, falls and lacerations.
These monthly government lists alert the public to potentially hazardous products they may already own or plan to buy. Our law firm recommends that you regularly review these lists before ever making a major purchase or buying anything for a child.

Part One of our review of the August 2009 recall list looked mainly at products posing strangulation hazards. It also described a potentially dangerous bed for infants. (To read or review Part One, please visit: http://www.injury-prevention-blog.com/2009/12/august-2009-product-recalls-and-related-news-part-1/ )

Part Two of our August 2009 review looks at many other items, including those posing laceration, burn and fall risks. This second article also notes the imposition of civil penalties against several companies and other general CPSC news.

(Readers interested in reviewing the complete August 2009 CPSC list can visit the following link: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelaug09.html )

Products That Pose Fall Hazards

• Target of Minneapolis, Minnesota has agreed to voluntarily recall about 43,000 Circo Booster Seats. When this product’s restraint buckle suddenly comes undone, a child can fall and suffer injuries.
• Dorel Juvenile Group USA of Columbus, Indiana, has agreed to recall close to 31,500 Safety First SmartLight Stair Gates. The hinges on these gates can break, putting children at risk of falling in some situations. (Approximately 100,000 of these items were already recalled in February 2009.)
• Baby Jogger LLC, of Richmond, Virginia, is voluntarily recalling close to 41,000 Baby Jogger City Mini Strollers. When this product’s restraint buckle suddenly comes undone, some children may fall out of the strollers.
• Consumers who use Pensi Ceiling Fans marketed by The Modern Fan Co. Inc., of Ashland, Oregon, can be injured when certain fan parts malfunction. Once these parts stop working, they can cause the fans to fall from ceilings and injure consumers. About 1,300 of these fans are being voluntarily recalled.
• Two bicycle models (120 Cannibal Bicycles sold by Nirve Sports Ltd., of Huntington Beach, California and 1,500 2007/2008 Felt F1X Cyclocross Bicycles sold by Felt Bicycles of Irving, California) are being voluntarily recalled. Faulty parts on each bike pose fall hazards to riders.
• Nautilus Inc. of Vancouver, Washington, has agreed to recall about 400 Nautilus F3 Chin Dip Stationary Exercise Units. Riders are likely to fall when the footpads break on these units.

Products Posing Fire and Burn Risks to Consumers

• About 9,800 Black & Decker® Thermal Coffeemakers, marketed by Applica Consumer Products, Inc., of Miramar, Florida, are being voluntarily recalled. When these items overheat, they can burn consumers.
• Griffin International Cos., Inc., of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has agreed to recall about 220,000 lone Essentials and React Wii™ 4-Dock Battery Recharge Stations. When these battery packs overheat, consumers can face fire and burn risks.

Products That Can Cause Laceration and Puncture Wounds

• Weight Watchers International of New York, New York, is voluntarily recalling about 420,000 Hungry Figures and Hungry Magnets. Consumers have found sewing needles in these figures’ stuffing that can pose puncture wound hazards.
• Black & Decker Inc., of Towson, Maryland, has agreed to recall about 200,000 Black & Decker GH100 Grasshog XP String Trimmer/Edgers. When parts of these products become loose during usage, they can become “airborne projectiles,” putting their users and bystanders at risk of serious cuts or lacerations. If these machines overheat, they can also burn their users.

General CPSC News

I. Imposition of Penalties

Ross Stores Inc., of Pleasanton, California, has agreed to pay $500,000 in civil penalties for failing to report a hazardous feature in some of its children’s outerwear. Wagner Spray Tech and Techtronic Industries have agreed to pay $800,000 for failing to timely tell the CPSC that their cordless power drill battery chargers can overheat, causing significant property damage.

II. Enforcement of New CPSIA Requirements for Children’s Products

The Consumer Product Safety Commission began enforcing the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) requirements for children’s products on August 14, 2009. The CPSC is currently busy explaining these new requirements to all manufacturers, both domestic and overseas. Importers and distributors of children’s products are also being educated about these more stringent requirements designed to protect American children from product defects.

III. CPSC’s New “Resale Round-up” Campaign

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has now launched an aggressive campaign to prevent recalled products from being sold over the Internet or in Resale stores. Such sales violate federal law and unnecessarily threaten consumer safety.

We hope the warnings in our two-part review of the August 2009 CPSC product recall list will help you avoid using or purchasing a number of potentially dangerous products. Should you or a family member ever be harmed by a product named in one of these lists, our law firm stands ready to evaluate your claim and help you pursue every legal remedy and full compensation for your injuries.

Beef is one of the mainstays of the American diet, and the volume of beef that’s farmed, processed, shipped and sold is staggering.  Given the seemingly constant demand for this product, the potential for a disastrous level of fallout to occur when something contaminates a large amount of beef is extremely troubling.  That seems to be the latest worry with this product given the news of yesterday, when 500,000 pounds of beef were recalled due to E.coli concerns.

According to CNN:

“A voluntary recall was announced Monday for more than half a million pounds of ground beef because it may be contaminated with bacteria linked to at least two deaths, officials said.

Fairbank Farms of Ashville, New York, said the recall was issued Saturday for approximately 545,699 pounds of ground beef produced between September 14 and September 16 after the meat was “possibly linked” to E. coli O157:H7.

The recall was for distribution centers in eight states, but the company said some retailers may have sent the affected beef to other states.

The bacterium can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and kidney failure.

Retail outlets include: ACME, BJ’s, Ford Brothers, Giant Food Stores, Price Chopper, Shaw’s, and Trader Joe’s. The products affected are listed on the USDA Web site.

Other grocers may also be recalling the products, which are already at least 23 days past their expiration date, meaning they are no longer being sold as fresh.”

Consumers are urged to check their freezers for any beef they have bought recently and to avoid consuming it.  If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of ingesting contaminated beef or any other product, you need the help of product liability lawyers who understand how to hold those responsible for these injuries accountable.  Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.