Recalls this week: Baby products, brake cables
By The Associated Press (AP) — Potentially hazardous baby products that were improperly resold despite a previous recall and faulty bicycle brake cables were among the products recalled this week. Others included computers that pose a fire hazard and swing sets that might collapse.
Here's a closer look at various baby and other products recalled this week:
CHILD AND BABY PRODUCTS
DETAILS: The various products were originally sold at Meijer Inc. and were improperly resold after their recall dates by discount retailers, dollar stores, liquidation firms, flea markets, and thrift stores nationwide. Here is a rundown of products:
PRODUCT: Infantino SlingRider and Wendy Bellissimo baby slings sold in the U.S. and Canada between Jan. 2003 and March 2010 at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies "R'' Us, BJ's Wholesale, and other retailers. The products are soft fabric baby carriers with a padded shoulder strap that is worn by parents and caregivers to carry an infant weighing up to 20 lbs.
WHY: The slings pose a suffocation hazard to infants four months old or younger.
INCIDENTS: Three deaths
HOW MANY: About 1 million in the U.S. and 15,000 in Canada.
FOR MORE: Call Infantino at 866-860-1361 or visit www.infantino.com
PRODUCT: Innovage Discovery Kids Animated Marine Lamp with model number 1627121 or 1628626 and Safari Lamps with model number 1627124 or 1628626. They were imported by Innovage LLC of Foothill Ranch, Calif. The decorative lamps are silver in color and feature rotating films with marine or safari scenes. They were sold between July 2009 and January 2010.
WHY: A defect in the lamp's circuit board can cause an electrical short, posing fire and burn risks.
INCIDENTS: Nine incidents, including on smoke inhalation injury to a child.
HOW MANY: About 360,000.
FOR MORE: Call Innovage at 888-232-1535, visit the firm's website at www.lamprecall.org, or email info(at)lamprecall.org
PRODUCT: Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Bagless upright vacuum cleaners with cord rewind feature. They were sold between August 2009 and May 2010.
WHY: The power cord is not properly routed or securely seated in the cord rewind assembly allowing the power cord to be pulled loose, posing a risk for fire and shock.
INCIDENTS: Three reports of minor burns to carpeting and furniture and one report of a minor hand burn.
HOW MANY: About 108,000
FOR MORE: Call Hoover at 888-891-2054 or visit www.hoover.com/tseriesrewindrecall
PRODUCT: Various Fisher-Price Baby Playzone, Ocean Wonders, and Baby Gymnastics items.
WHY: The valve of the inflatable ball can come off and pose a choking hazard to young children.
INCIDENTS: 46 reports of incidents where the valve came off in the US and eight reports in Canada. These include 14 reports of the valve found in a child's mouth and three reports of a child beginning to choke.
HOW MANY: About 2.8 million in the U.S. and 125,000 in Canada
FOR MORE: Call Fisher-Price at 800-432-5437 or visit www.service.mattel.com
PRODUCT: Fisher-Price Little People Wheelies Stand 'n Play Rampway with model numbers T4261 and V6378. They were sold with small cars that a child can push down winding ramps. Only the purple and the green cars that are marked "Mexico" and do not have a yellow dot on the bottom are included in the recall. They were sold from April 2010 through Sept. 2010.
WHY: The wheels on the purple and green cars can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.
INCIDENTS: Two reports of a wheel detaching from a vehicle.
HOW MANY: About 100,000 units in the U.S. and 20,000 in Canada.
FOR MORE: Call Fisher-Price at 800-432-5437 or visit www.service.mattel.com
PRODUCT: Fisher-Price Barbie Tough Trikes (model M5727) and Kawasaki Tough Trikes (model N6021). They were sold from Jan. 1997 through Sept. 2010.
WHY: A child can strike, sit, or fall on the protruding plastic ignition key, resulting in serious injury including genital bleeding.
INCIDENTS: 10 incidents resulting in injury, including six that required medical attention.
HOW MANY: About 7 million in the U.S. and 150,000 in Canada
FOR MORE: Call Fisher-Price at 800-432-5437 or visit www.service.mattel.com
PRODUCT: Munchkin Bathtub Subs. They are battery-operated bathtub submarine toys that are yellow, with a smiling face, turquoise windows, an orange propeller and an orange periscope that turns the toy on and off. The intake valve has a water pump that sucks in water to propel the submarine. They were sold between Nov. 2009 and Sept. 2010.
WHY: The intake valve on the submarine can suck up loose skin, posing a laceration hazard.
INCIDENTS: 19 incidents of lacerations to boys' genital area. One of the incidents required medical attention.
HOW MANY: About 34,000
FOR MORE: Call Munchkin at 877-242-3134 or visit www.munchkin.com.
PRODUCT: Sassy Refreshing Rings infant teethers and rattlers. The product has a red, water-filled ring on one end and a black and white polka dot ball on the other end. The two ends of the rattles/teethers are connected by a black and white, flexible plastic rod with three floating rings. Style number 80026 is printed on the packaging. They were sold between July 2009 and Jan. 2011.
WHY: Small pieces of the plastic ball can detach, posing a hazard if ingested.
INCIDENTS: One report of the black plastic from the polka dot ball detaching while being chewed, but no injuries.
HOW MANY: About 37,000
FOR MORE: Call Sassy Inc. at 800-323-6336 or visit www.sassybaby.com
COMPUTERS
DETAILS: Lenovo ThinkCentre M70z and M90z all-in-one desktop computers. The computer chassis has a matte black finish with the brand name "ThinkCentre" in the lower left hand corner of the monitor front. The computers were sold at Lenovo's web sites, by telephone, and direct sales through Lenovo authorized distributors nationwide from May 2010 through January 2012. Computers affected have manufacturing date codes 1001 to 1012, 1101 to 1112, 001 to 012, and 101 to 112.
WHY: A defect in an internal component in the power supply can overheat and pose a fire hazard.
INCIDENTS: One fire incident and one smoke incident in the U.S., but no reported injuries.
HOW MANY: About 50,500.
FOR MORE: Call Lenovo at 855-248-2194 or visit www.lenovo.com/aiopsurecall
JACKETS
DETAILS: Umbro Boys' outerwear nylon jackets in sizes medium to extra-large that can fit children through size 14. "Umbro" is printed on the front upper right side of the jackets. The bottom of the jacket has a drawstring with toggles. The jackets were sold in five color combinations: black, black/royal, black/Tabasco, black/cedar, and navy. The jackets were made by Hong Kong Genexy Group and were sold at Ross Stores from April 2011 through Jan. 2012.
WHY: The jacket has a retractable elastic drawstring at the waist with a toggle that could become snagged in certain spaces and poses an entrapment hazard to children.
INCIDENTS: None reported.
HOW MANY: About 240.
FOR MORE: Call Umbro at 866-217-6800 or visit www.umbro.com
SWING SETS
DETAILS: BCI Burke Co. and its distributors recalled 2 3/8 inch arch swing sets. This recall involves the end and middle arch supports on the sets and added bays with belt or bucket seats built with 2 3/8 inch steel tubing. The swings have a 2 7/8 inch diameter sleeve that is welded to the middle or end support. "Burke" is printed on identification labels. They were sold between Jan. 2004 and Dec. 2011.
WHY: The welded connection of the sleeve joint to the arch support can crack or break, potentially resulting in the top swing beam collapsing.
INCIDENTS: Seven incidents, including two minor injuries.
HOW MANY: About 250.
FOR MORE: Call BCI Burke at 800-356-2070, visit www.bciburke.com, or e-mail the firm at customerservice(at)bciburke.com
MEDICINE BOTTLE STORAGE CONTAINER
DETAILS: Locker Brand is recalling its Rx Locker. It is made of orange plastic with a white top resembling four pill containers and has a metal, three-number combination lock on the front. Production batch numbers are printed on the bottom of the container. The recalled containers were made between May 2010 and December 2010 and can be identified by the last six numbers in the production batch number. Recalled batch numbers end with: 052 010, 062 010, 082 010 and 122 010.
WHY: The container can open by applying pressure to the latch when locked, possibly resulting in unauthorized access to medicine bottles inside.
INCIDENTS: None reported.
HOW MANY: About 59,000
FOR MORE: Call Locker Brand at 888-491-6617, email the firm at admin(at)lockerbrand.com, or visit www.rxlocker.com
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BIKE BRAKE CABLES
DETAILS: W.L. Gore & Associates Inc. of Elkton, Md. recalled its Ride On Low Friction System and Ride On Professional System brake cables for road bikes if they were installed on Campagnolo systems. The cables are silver and are available with housings in black, white, blue, or red. "GORE Ride-On" is printed on the housing for the Low Friction cable. "GORE Ride-On Professional" is printed on the housing for the Professional System cables. They were sold from Jan. 2008 through Jan. 2012.
WHY: The brake cables pose a failure risk when installed on Campagnalo style brake levers.
INCIDENTS: One report of a brake cable detaching, but no injuries.
HOW MANY: About 9,700 in the U.S. and 200 in Canada
FOR MORE: Call Gore at 888-914-4673 or visit www.rideoncables.com
