Can you ‘recall’ some recent RECALLS ?

What agency is responsible for CONSUMER SAFETY?  Is there a way to report a dangerous product?  Is there a way to see the latest reports?  If you resale shop, or garage sale; how do you know what you buy was not recalled in the past?

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

More about CPSC  Formed in 1970 after a report was issued to the President and Congress.  The report included :  surveys – on product hazards,  accident information systems,  voluntary product standards,  consumer education,  the state of product safety law,  the relationship between Federal law and State law,  product safety policy in other countries  proposals for general product safety legislation The core was to be the creation of a Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The Refrigerator Safety Act of 1956 (RSA)  Oldest and perhaps the most successful act  Dealt with deaths from children climbing into abandoned refrigerators and suffocating when the doors closed  The Act requires that refrigerator doors be easily opened from within.  Since the Act went into effect, most manufacturers have complied and childhood fatalities from this hazard have virtually disappeared.

Crib Safety   In 1973, as many as 200 infants died annually in the U.S. from suffocation or strangulation when they become trapped between broken crib parts or in cribs with older, unsafe designs.   CPSC published standards for safe cribs, including requirements that addressed:   side height, slat spacing, mattress fit, and other factors.   In 1982, standards were amended to also prohibit hazardous cutouts in crib end panels.   As a result of these and voluntary standards, deaths from baby cribs have been reduced to about 50 annually and occur primarily in older, previously used cribs.   CPSC estimates that without safety standards, deaths associated with baby cribs would have increased to as many as 240 deaths annually.

Children’s Sleepwear   The CPSC sets national safety standards for children's sleepwear flammability.   Designed to protect children from burn injuries if they come in contact with an open flame, such as a match or stove burner.   Garments sold as children's sleepwear for sizes larger than nine months must be either flame-resistant or snug-fitting.   Flame-resistant garments do not continue burning when removed from an ignition source. Examples include inherently flame-resistant polyesters that do not require chemical treatment.   Snug-fitting garments need not be flame resistant because they are made to fit closely against a child’s body. Snug-fitting sleepwear does not ignite easily and, even if ignited, does not burn readily because there is little oxygen to feed a fire.

Although efforts have been successful, there is still much to be done for consumers …

(CPSC: “Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Calendar Year 2006”) Toy-related emergency room treated injury estimates ,100 children under the age of 15 were treated in U.S. hospital ERs for toy- related injuries Top 5 Hazards: Magnets Recalled Items Tip Over (TV’s and items on carts) Window Coverings Pool/Spa Drains

Any idea how many recalls occur each month? MAY 2008 MAY 2008 APRIL 2008 APRIL 2008 To view recalls, visit You can find information on over 4,000 product recalls and recall alerts using the various searches on this Web page.

A Look at some tragic CPSC RECALL’s ALL Thrift store, Yard Sale Junkies should continually review recalled product information.

Lead in jewelry  Reebok gave this bracelet away with selected shoes.  Sold at major shoe stores nationwide from May 2004 through March 2006  A 4-year old child died as a result of lead poisoning after ingesting a piece of the jewelry. Over 145,000 bracelets were recalled.

Lead in jewelry

Tainted pet food  Research the details on pet food recalls and be amazed at your findings

Strangulation risk  A 4-year-old girl strangled after the hood drawstring on her coat became entangled on a fence as she attempted to climb over it.  Since 1987, 22 children have died in similar accidents with drawstrings.

Strangulation risk  Name of Product: Lil’ Snugglers™ Children’s Blankets  Units: About 74,000  Manufacturer: Douglas Co., of Keene N.H.  Hazard: The blanket’s satin edge can come loose, posing a strangulation hazard.  Incidents/Injuries: The firm has 18 reports of the satin separating from the blanket. No injuries have been reported.  Description: The recalled children’s blankets are 14 inches square with an animal head sewn in the middle. The satin border around the outside edge is about one inch wide

Name of Product: Flower Writers; Christmas Writers; Easter Writers; and Spooky Writers Seasonal Writing Pens Units: About 310,000 Distributor: Michaels Stores Inc., of Irving, Texas Hazard: The seasonal writing pens' surface coating contains high levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Lead and cadmium poisoning Remember, metals are used in products as vinyl and paint. A product may seem ‘safe’, but metals can hide where you would not expect them. STAY INFORMED.

Exploding iPODs and laptops

Poisoning danger

Lead in toys

The list goes on and on  Be an informed consumer  Utilize the CPSC information - it’s free  Sign up for notifications of recalls  Report unsafe products  Thrift store, yard sale junkies – beware - what you think is a savings may be very costly

To report a dangerous product or a product related injury, call the CPSC hotline at (800) or teletypewriter at (800) Consumers can obtain release and recall information at Consumers can also report product hazards by ing