This week in safety: Toys, toys, toys

Just before parents hit the stores on Black Friday—and beyond—comes news about toys from several fronts. In its 23rd annual survey of toys, U.S. PIRG advises parents to remain vigilant about what they buy their children because tougher new federal safety laws have not yet taken effect. A group called WATCH (World Against Toys Causing Harm) issued a 10 worst toys list and MSN questions whether toys have become safer and features a photo gallery of all the toys recalled this year.

Trouble in Toyland: The 23rd annual survey of toy safety
U.S. PIRG
The recall of 45 million toys and other children’s products in 2007 and continued recalls in 2008 reminded Americans that no government agency tests toys before they are put on the shelves. Read more ...

2008 '10 worst toys' list
W.A.T.C.H.
W.A.T.C.H.'s—World Against Toys Causing Harm—annual "10 Worst Toys" list nominates representative toys with the potential to cause childhood injuries, or even death. Read more ...

Bad toys: What went wrong with recalled toys?
MSN
Nothing sucks the joy out of holiday toy shopping like a fresh batch of gruesome safety warnings. But 'tis the season when "choking hazard," "chemical burn risk" and the classic "violation of lead paint standard" dance in parents' heads. Read more ...

• Gallery of recalled toys

Toys with phthalates can be sold after U.S. ban takes effect
USA Today
Stores may continue selling plastic toys made with hormone-like chemicals next year, even after a law that was supposed to ban them takes effect, according to a legal decision from the federal agency that oversees consumer safety. Read more ...

Vendors urge relaxed lead-safety rule
The Wall Street Journal
Before new laws even take effect, manufacturers and retailers of children's products are asking the government to relax a requirement that they stop selling any inventory that doesn't meet tough new lead standards, beginning Feb. 10. Read more ...

BPA leaches from 'safe' products
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Products marketed for infants or billed as "microwave safe" release toxic doses of the chemical bisphenol A when heated, an analysis by the Journal Sentinel has found. The newspaper had the containers of 10 items tested in a lab. Read more ...

Keep bathroom chemicals locked up
U.S. News
If you are expecting little visitors over the holidays, the bathroom may be full of potential dangers and temptations. Here are suggestions to prevent little hands from getting into bathroom chemicals or medications. Read more ...

Counterfeit holiday lights pose hazards for consumers
International Business Times
Counterfeit Christmas lights—including those with fake Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) labels—pose a threat to consumers for their potential inability to meet electrical safety and fire codes. The traditional holiday decorations are part of the rapidly growing crime of counterfeit electrical products. Read more ...

Don't miss these recalls

• 7,000 Century Cookware stainless steel stockpots (burn hazard)
• 24,000 pairs Arizona newborn and infant denim pants (JC Penney) (choking hazard)
• 20,000 bottles DuPont Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner (skin irritation)
• 365,000 Target dive sticks (impalement hazard)

Ikea fined $500,000 for failing to report faulty candles

Ikea has agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty for failing to report incidents from defective outdoor candles sold by the retailer in a timely manner, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The CPSC alleges that Ikea failed to report to the government that outdoor candles sold by the firm for four years could unexpectedly flare up and pose fire and burn injury hazards to consumers when they attempted to extinguish the candles by blowing them out. During that time, the firm received at least 32 reports worldwide of unexpected flare-ups, including fire, scorching and twelve reported injuries that ranged in severity from minor to serious burns.

Ikea sold about 133,000 six-pack sets of the outdoor candles in the U.S. between February 2001 and July 2005. An additional 1.3 million candle sets were sold internationally. In May 2006, CPSC and Ikea announced a recall of the candles.

Federal Law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to the CPSC immediately after obtaining information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect, which could create a substantial product hazard or create an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death.
In agreeing to settle the allegations, Ikea denied that it knowingly violated federal law.

Made in Estonia, the white candles came in a silver-colored metal containers and featured a square wick made of brown fiberboard. The sets of six sold for $4.00. Consumers who may have purchased the candles can find more information on Ikea's Web site.

670,000 window blinds recalled from Ikea after strangulation of child

Additional recall of 7,300 roller shades after near-strangulation; available from multiple retailers

It’s hard to comprehend how something as seemingly innocent as window treatments can be so deadly to children. But two recalls announced today remind us that they are. 

The larger of the two involves 670,000 Iris and Alvine Roman blinds sold in the U.S. (and another 4.8 million sold outside the U.S.) by Ikea. In April, a one-year-old girl strangled to death when she became entangled in the inner cord of one of these blinds. 

They came in white, and were sold in a range of sizes at Ikea stores nationwide from July 2005 through June 2008. They have a sewn-in label on the top edge that says “Ikea” and either “Iris” or “Alvine,” as well as the number 19799 or 21369. Return these immediately to Ikea for a full refund. You can call the company at (888) 966-4532 for more information, or log on to www.ikea-usa.com. 

The second recall involves 7,300 black-out roller shades and insulated Roman shades made by Green Mountain Vista. The shades come with a looped bead chain that, if not attached to the wall or floor, hangs loosely. In June, a two-year-old girl nearly strangled to death when she put the looped chain around her neck and then slipped off the radiator where she was standing. Her five-year-old brother rescued her. She suffered deep neck bruising. 

The roller shades and Roman shades were sold nationwide from June 2005 through September 2008 at Country Curtains, Plow & Hearth, The Linen Source, Sturbridge Yankee Workshop, Ann & Hope, The Sportsman’s Guide, Target.com, The Curtain Shop of Maine, and Solutions Catalog. The range of sizes and colors is listed here. The shades have the number 107875 printed on the care label. 

This product came with a tension device that secures loose cords to the wall or window frame. If you didn’t install that when you put up the blinds, you can get a free replacement by calling (800) 639-1728 or sending an email to office @gmvista.com. 

With the holidays upon us, undecorating is the last thing anyone wants to do, but taking down dangerous blinds could save a life. If you have any shades or blinds in your home, check that cords are safely out of the reach of children. The CPSC has information here (PDF) and the Window Covering Safety Council has more here. 

Remember, too, that where you place a crib or playpen factors into its safety. Consumer Reports has tips for safe use and placement here.

GE recalls 244,000 wall ovens that pose a fire hazard

Just in time for Thanksgiving, GE is recalling 244,000 wall ovens from its GE, GE Profile, Monogram and Kenmore lines because they pose fire and burn hazards. The company has gotten 28 reports of property damage to kitchen cabinets that occurred when heat escaped from the ovens during the self-cleaning cycle. There have been no reported injuries.

The hazard, according to the recall notice issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, occurs when the door to the wall oven has been removed and then incorrectly reinstalled by the owner or a serviceman. This allows the extreme heat generated during the self-cleaning cycle to escape.

The recall includes single and double wall ovens as well as microwave-wall oven combinations, which were made in white, black, bisque and stainless steel. Manufactured in the U.S., the ovens were sold in home builder and appliance stores nationwide from October 2002 to December 2004 for between $900 and $3,600.

Consumers should immediately inspect their ovens to make sure they do not have an incorrectly re-attached wall oven door, which will not open into the flat position. If the wall oven door is incorrectly re-attached, consumers should stop using the self-cleaning cycle and call GE for a free repair. Consumers can continue to use normal baking or broiling function in the oven until the oven is repaired.

The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the oven on the left interior wall. For microwave combination ovens, the serial number is on the left interior wall of the microwave.

GE/Profile
Model numbers: JCT915, JT912, JT915, JT952, JT955, JT965, JT980*, JTP20, JTP25, JTP28, JTP48, JTP50, JTP86 (*lower oven only)
With serial numbers beginning in: TD, VD, ZD, AF, DF, FF, GF, HF, LF, MF, RF, SF, TF, VF, ZF

Monogram
Model numbers: ZET3058, ZET938, ZET958
With serial numbers beginning in: TD, VD, ZD, AF, DF, FF, GF, HF, LF, MF, RF, SF, TF, VF, ZF

Kenmore (All model numbers start with 911)
Model numbers: 4771, 4775, 4781, 4904, 4905, 4923* (*lower oven only)
With serial numbers beginning in: 2T, 2V, 2Z, 3A, 3D, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3L, 3M, 3R, 3S, 3T, 3V, 3Z

For additional information, contact GE toll-free at (888) 569-1588 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday ET, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.GEAppliances.com  and type in your model and serial number to see if your oven is affected by the recall.

This week in safety

Where do recalled toys and cribs go? That concern was in the news this week as regulators and safety advocates discussed ways to make sure dangerous items don't end up on the secondhand market. And with tougher federal safety regulations about to take effect, retailers are scrambling to keep banned toys and other products off their shelves. We were also amused by an item on cart washes—yes that's cart with a 't'—that disinfect grocery carts between uses.

New crib-safety law presents possible problem for eBay, other sites
CQ Politics
EBay Inc. has been teaming up with regulators to remove online auctions of potentially unsafe cribs, but eBay itself could become a target if the government proceeds with rules to hold online markets liable for sales of outlawed cribs. Read more ...

End of toy story: Where do lead-tainted toys go?
The Christian Science Monitor
The biggest problem with the recall of millions of lead-tainted toys over the last few years has been getting shops and consumers to comply. According to Mattel, which has issued dozens of recalls in recent years (including some 2.2 million Chinese-made toys contaminated with lead paint), historically only about 6 percent of recalled toys are returned. Read more ...

Toy regulations affect direct retailer
DM News
Toy catalog and Internet retailers are scrambling to meet deadlines for new regulations from the Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding the banning of lead and phthalates in toys, as well as how they inform consumers about toy safety warnings. Read more ...

Taking the gross out of grocery cart
The Wall Street Journal
When Brad Blaine grabbed a cart on a recent run to the Chevy Chase Supermarket in suburban Maryland, he noticed it was a little moist. He was puzzled, he says, until he figured out that the cart had been pushed through a sort of car wash for shopping carts—a hut set up at the store that mists a disinfecting peroxide solution onto carts as they're pushed through. Read more ...

Senator Klobuchar announces new carbon monoxide legislation    
KSAX TV (ABC News)
Proposed federal legislation would build on a new Minnesota law requiring carbon monoxide detectors in every single-family home, Senator Amy Klobuchar announced at St. Paul's Fire Station 8. Klobuchar's proposal builds on Minnesota's new state law which requires all single-family homes to have working CO detectors within ten feet of all sleeping areas. Read more ...

Two more Yamaha Rhino victims sue over injuries
NewsInferno.com
The Yamaha Rhino utility terrain vehicle (UTV) is the subject of two more personal injury lawsuits.  Plaintiffs in both lawsuits allege that the Yamaha Rhino contains multiple design flaws rendering it dangerously unstable and unduly prone to tipping and rolling over. Just last week, it was learned that federal safety officials were investigating the Yamaha Rhino, which has been linked to 30 deaths. Read more ...

Around the CR Blogs

• Electronics: Apple's bloated batteries
• Health: CR food labeling poll reveals safety concerns
• Baby&Kids: Infant gas-relief drops recalled

Don't miss these recalls

• 18,000 My Little Train Classics (choking hazard)
• 13,000 Honda off-road competition motorcycles (weld failure)
• 130 Swim 'N Score dive stick sets (impalement)
• 8,000 Cobra children's two way radios (chemical burns)
• Two lots of Nestlé Nesquik Strawberry Powder (foreign materials)

FDA to block Chinese milk products at U.S. border

The Food and Drug Administration today announced that it would be detaining at the border a wide range of Chinese products containing dairy ingredients until tests show they are not contaminated. The alert, which affects foods ranging from chocolates and candies to drinks and pet food, comes in the wake of the discovery in September that formula and other foods made from milk had been contaminated with the chemical melamine.

It is unusual for the FDA to take such a sweeping measure targeting imports from an entire country but the agency said the precaution was necessary to make sure that contaminated goods did not enter our food system. "The problem of melamine contamination in Chinese food products is a recurring one," said the FDA order, posted on the FDA's Web site.

Essentially, as the Associated Press reported, the FDA action shifts the burden of proof to Chinese companies, which must now supply evidence that their products are safe. 

Since September, more than 50,000 infants in China have become ill, 13,000 have been hospitalized and at least four have died after consuming tainted infant formula.  In the past two months, melamine has been found in a range of products, including milk, eggs and fish feed. Companies in the United States have recalled several products, including nondairy creamer and a type of candy primarily sold in Asian markets, because of melamine concerns. For a full list of recalled items, check the list on the agency's Web site.

As we've written here before, unscrupulous milk producers add melamine to watered-down milk to artificially boost the apparent protein content. The U.S. does not import milk or infant formula from China, and no illnesses have been reported here. But authorities from California to Connecticut have found melamine-contaminated candies and drinks during inspections at Asian groceries.

This week in safety

Following the election, the country is abuzz—about what kind of dog the Obama girls should get when they move into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But in a cautionary tale, the current canine-in-chief, Barney, bit a reporter this week that required treatment by the White House doctor. The Centers for Disease Control offers some tips about preventing dog bites. In other news about our four-legged friends, the CDC reported more links between salmonella infections and dry pet food.

Bush's dog Barney bites White House reporter
The Los Angeles Times and the AP
Apparently, the first dog is not happy about the impending changes at the White House. Today, Barney bit a reporter outside the briefing room. Read more ...

Dry pet food linked to salmonella in humans
The New York Times
Eight new cases of human salmonella infections linked with dry pet food have been reported this year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more ... We've written about salmonella and pet food in the past including about a dry pet food recall.

Only about 6 percent of recalled toys are returned
The Connecticut Post
The biggest problem with the recall of millions of lead-tainted toys over the last few years has been getting shops and consumers to comply. According to Mattel --which has issued dozens of recalls in recent years, including some 2.2 million Chinese-made toys contaminated with lead paint -- historically only about 6 percent of recalled toys are returned. Read more ...

Roman shades pose strangulation risk
NBC Chicago
For years, parents have heard about the dangers posed by window blinds and the cords that can strangle children, but the roman shade, a big seller for major retailers, can also be deadly. Read more ...

Officials: Kids shouldn't eat animals killed with lead bullets
USA Today
North Dakota health officials are recommending that pregnant women and young children avoid eating meat from wild game killed with lead bullets. The recommendation is based on a study that examined the lead levels in the blood of more than 700 state residents. Those who ate wild game killed with lead bullets appeared to have higher lead levels than those who ate little or no wild game. Read more ...

Don's miss these recalls

• FDA seizes contaminated Heparin from a Cincinnati manufacturer
• 67,000 Claire's Best Friends Yin Yang necklace sets (lead)

Sherwin-Williams recalls fabric-protector spray after man sickened

Sherwin-Williams today recalled 75,000 aerosol cans of Krylon fabric protector here and another 67,806 in Canada after a consumer who used the product was hospitalized with breathing difficulties. The product, Krylon “Outdoor Spaces UV Fabric Protector," is intended to repel moisture and prevent outdoor fabrics from fading. But over-exposure to fumes, vapor or spray mist from the product can pose a serious respiratory hazard.

According to the CPSC's recall notice, the part number (2900) is printed above the UPC code (724504029007) on the side of the can. Made in the U.S., it was sold in 11-ounce cans at Wal-Mart, Ace Hardware and other retail stores nationwide, and in Canada, from January 2006 through September 2008 for about $7.

Consumers should stop using the spray and return it to the store where purchased for a full refund. More information can be obtained by calling Sherwin-Williams toll-free at (888) 304-3769 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or by visiting the firm's Web sites at www.sherwin-williams.com or www.krylon.com.

This isn't the first problem with hazardous fumes from waterproofing sprays.  Last year, the New York Times reported that the CPSC was "unnecessarily leaving the American public at risk through its failure to properly investigate a long-running series of lung injuries tied to widely available waterproofing sprays." The Times said that thousands of consumers likely suffered respiratory problems after using certain waterproofing sprays.

In 2005, the CPSC recalled 300,000 cans of another waterproofing spray called Stand 'n Seal "Spray-On" Grout Sealer after getting 88 reports of consumers experiencing respiratory problems, 13 of them serious enough to require hospitalization. In a follow-up report, the New York Times said that that sealant remained on store shelves long after the recall. 

We think you should use extreme caution when using any waterproofing spray. Apply only outdoors, spray in the same direction as the wind, avoid skin contact, and report any ill effects to the CPSC, the manufacturer, and to us.

This week in safety

It's almost the witching hour so we'd like to share some Halloween safety tips from our fellow bloggers at Consumer Reports. Both the Cars blog and the Baby & Kids blog featured posts on pedestrian safety cautioning drivers to watch out for wee walkers after dusk. But with the clocks being turned back this weekend, those tips will hold true for the rest of the fall and winter as well. Our colleagues on the Home & Garden blog remind readers to change the batteries in their smoke alarms at the same time they reset their clocks. Here's what else was in the news this week.

FDA ignored evidence when calling BPA safe
USA Today
The Food and Drug Administration ignored evidence when concluding that a chemical in plastic baby bottles is safe, according an expert panel asked to review the agency's handling of the controversial substance. Read more ...

Some tainted toys get another turn
The Wall Street Journal
Pixos, a toy marketed by Spin Master Ltd. of Toronto, lets children arrange small beads into designs, then add water to make them stick together permanently. The toy is similar to Aqua Dots, a product recalled last November after several children swallowed beads and slipped into temporary comas. In fact, Pixos is a new version of the same toy, marketed under a different name. Read more ...

Mexican 'vanilla' with coumarin no bargain
Food and Drug Administration
Tourists tempted to pick up bargains south of the border should beware of one bargain that isn't always a good buy—so-called Mexican "vanilla." This flavoring product may smell like vanilla, taste like vanilla, and be offered at a cheap price. But it's often made with coumarin, a toxic substance banned in food in the United States. Read more ...

USFA releases new residential and buildings fire report
U.S. Fire Administration
Cooking (41 percent) and heating (13 percent) are the leading causes of residential building fires. Cooking also accounts for approximately 25 percent of fires that injure civilians. Smoking (20 percent) is the leading cause of fatal residential building fires. Read more ...

More Marines killed on motorcycles this year than in Iraq
CNN.com
Motorcycle accidents have killed more Marines in the past 12 months than enemy fire in Iraq, a rate that's so alarming it has prompted top brass to call a meeting to address the issue, officials say. Read more ... Our Cars blog explored the rise in motorcycle fatalities earlier this year.

Don't miss these recalls

• 135,310 Firestone and 26,941 Le Mans tires (insufficient tread)
• 35,000 Sony lithium-ion laptop batteries (fire and burn hazard)
• 17,000 DYMO  power adapters used with printers (burn hazard)
• 54,500 Fit & Fresh smooth blend mixers (laceration hazard)
• 370,000 Homelite chain saws (chain brake failure)
• 19,000 Cybex treadmills (fall hazard)
• 6,100 Serta zipper-covered mattresses (flammability)
• Mars Petcare Special Kitty dry food (Salmonella)

Illinois attorney general files suit against distributor of deadly bassinet

The attorney general of Illinois has launched an aggressive offensive against the manufacturers and distributors of unsafe baby products, including a lawsuit against a company that claims it bears no responsibility for recalled bassinets blamed for the deaths of two infants.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says she decided to take action after months of calling on the the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to hold manufacturers and distributors accountable for defective and often dangerous products.

In addition to filing the lawsuit, Madigan's office has put together a comprehensive guide that highlights information on recently recalled cribs, bassinets, and play yards to help parents identify whether they have these dangerous products in their homes. (Unfortunately, these products often end up on the secondhand market.) Consumers can download the free guide called "Rest Assured" by visiting www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov or request a hard copy via mail by calling Madigan’s product recall hotline at 1-888-414-7678.

At issue in the lawsuit are 900,000 Simplicity brand bassinets, which were recently recalled by retailers nationwide due to a dangerous design flaw (see video). The lawsuit alleges that SFCA Inc., a venture capital firm based in Bethesda, MD, that bought the Simplicity brand and inventory this spring, continued to supply the design-flawed bassinets to Illinois retailers despite knowing the products had caused two deaths. Simplicity eventually changed the design.

SFCA refused to participate in the recall of the bassinets, claiming it wasn't responsible for the design flaws, according to the lawsuit. Ultimately, retailers stepped up and removed them from shelves.

The lawsuit shines a spotlight on what Madigan calls one of the biggest weaknesses in CPSC’s recall policy—allowing manufacturers to issue cheap repair kits as remedies instead of offering consumers replacement products, refunds or store credits. That means many defective products are allowed to remain on the market.

For example, when the CPSC issued a recall of more than one million Simplicity cribs last year, fewer than 50,000 repair kits had been ordered in the five months following the recall, leaving hundreds of thousands of dangerous cribs in homes, day care centers, and secondhand outlets, according to Madigan.

The lawsuit asks the court to prohibit SFCA from selling and distributing the unsafe bassinets in Illinois and requires the company to:

• Hire an independent consultant to develop a product safety protocol and review all of SFCA’s product designs to ensure compliance with safety standards;
• Recall all Simplicity bassinets that use the flawed design;
• Provide refunds to retailers who issued refunds or store credits to consumers who returned Simplicity bassinets;
• Notify the public of CPSC recalls by advertising in newspapers throughout Illinois.

In addition to filing the lawsuit and putting together the guide to recalled cribs and bassinets, Madigan is calling on the CPSC to change its recall policy. She asks that when a defective crib or bassinet results in a fatality that manufacturers be required to offer full refunds only—not repairs.

“When a child has died in a defective crib, bassinet or play yard, the burden must remain on the manufacturers and distributors to remove them from the market and help to make families whole,” Madigan said. “A cheap repair kit fails to do either.”

Madigan says the CPSC’s current recall procedure creates an unfair burden on consumers to interpret the cumbersome and confusing language issued with its notices.

"For busy families, it is virtually impossible to keep track of these recalls," says Madigan. "The information from manufacturers and the CPSC is often unnecessarily complicated and confusing, and too often the recall notices contain long lists of model numbers and lack model names or retailer information that would help families in easily identifying whether their crib or bassinet is covered by the recall."

Madigan urges parents in her state and beyond to check their crib, bassinet or play yard, and to use the "Rest Assured" guide when shopping for secondhand items online at sites like Craigslist and eBay or at community resale shops and garage sales.