Intermatic recalls digital timers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on February 5 a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Intermatic DT17 Heavy Duty Digital Timers

Units: About 200,000

Importer: Intermatic Inc., of Spring Grove, Ill.

Manufacturer: Computime Ltd., of China

Hazard: The recalled timers can have a faulty ground connection, posing a shock hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled Intermatic DT17 heavy-duty digital timers are lamp and appliance timers. They were packaged as the “DT17C Heavy Duty Digital Timer” and the “DT17C8 Heavy Duty Digital Timer.” The timer is white-colored and measures 3 3/8” tall x 2 5/8” wide x 1 5/8” deep. Only products with date codes of “40Z” through “52Z” or date codes ending in “A,” “B” or “C” are included in the recall. The brand name “Intermatic” is molded on the front of the timer, and the model number (“DT17”) and date code are printed on the back of the timer.

Sold at: Retailers and electrical distributors nationwide from September 2005 through December 2008 for between $15 and $25.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should unplug the timer immediately and contact Intermatic to obtain a free replacement including shipping.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Intermatic at (800) 704-3585 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.intermatic.com

The Land of Nod Recalls to Repair Cottage Bunk Beds Due to Fall Hazard

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the Land of Nod in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Cottage Bunk Beds

Units: About 750

Importer: The Land of Nod, of Northbrook, Ill.

Hazard: When screws are missing from the upper bunk’s guardrails, the vertical slats on the guardrails can detach and pose the risk of children falling when getting in or out of the upper bunk.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm received two reports of vertical slats detaching from the upper bunk guardrails. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The Cottage Bunk Beds can be configured as bunk beds or as twin beds. The assembled bunk bed dimensions are 81.5 inches (length) by 43.5 inches (width) by 74.5 inches (height). The beds were sold in both white (model #s 236-519 and 188-174) and pine/honey finishes (model #s 459-410 and 172-596) and included a long and a short upper bunk guardrail, each of which should be secured to the inside of the upper bunk bed’s side rail with screws. Stickers bearing the model numbers are located on the inside of the lower bunk headboard.

Sold by: The Land of Nod catalog, Web site www.landofnod.com and at The Land of Nod stores in Illinois and Washington state from January 2006 through January 2009 for about $1,100.

Manufactured in: Brazil

Remedy: Consumers should check that all screws that attach the guardrails to the upper bunk have been installed. If the screws have not been installed, stop using the beds as a bunk bed immediately and contact The Land of Nod to receive new screws free of charge. All known purchasers have been notified of the recall.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact The Land of Nod at (800) 933-9904, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

Playland International Recalls Swing Sets Due to Fall Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on February 4 a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Arch Swing Sets

Units: About 700

Manufacturer: Playland International, Carrollton, Ga.

Hazard: The metal around the weld at the top of the swing frame can fail, causing the top bar to fall, posing a fall and impact hazard to the user or by-standers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm received one report of a child who suffered a head injury as a result of being struck by the top of the bar on the swing.

Description: The recalled includes swings sets with a 3.5 inch arch swing frame and a 3.5 inch top metal bar. The recalled swing sets come in red, orange, yellow, blue, tan, white, black , brown, teal, green, fuchsia, burgundy and purple.

Sold by: Playland International dealers nationwide from September 2001 through May 2006 for between $800 and $2300.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled swing sets and contact Playland for instruction on receiving and installing a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Playland International at (800) 356-4727 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.playland-inc.com, or e-mail the firm at swingrecall@playland-inc.com

Safety 1st Stair Gates recalled due to fall hazard

On February 4, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Safety 1st SmartLight Stair Gates

Units: 100,000

Importer: Dorel Juvenile Group USA, of Columbus, Ind.

Hazard: The hinges that hold the stair gate in place can break, posing a fall hazard to children if the gate is placed at the top of the stairs.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves the Safety 1st SmartLight Stair Gate with model number 42111, which is printed on a sticker under the handle panel. The gates, which were manufactured before December 31, 2007, are white metal with a gray handle and a motion sensor nightlight that illuminates on approach. The manufacture date is located below the gate’s handle as a date wheel imprinted in the plastic; an arrow indicates the month, and the year is stamped inside the circle. The manufacture date is also printed on a sticker inside the battery door.

Sold at: Mass merchandise and juvenile product stores nationwide, including Babies R Us and Wal-Mart, from January 2005 through December 2007 for about $60.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled gate and contact the company to obtain a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: Consumers can call the toll-free number 1 (866) 690-2540 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m EDT; complete an online order form on the Dorel Juvenile Group Web site at www.djgusa.com/safety_notice/ to obtain their free repair kit; email the company at Smartlightgate@djgusa.com, or send a fax to (800) 207-8182. Consumers should not return product to retail stores.

Mavic USA recalls bicycles

On February 4, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Bicycles with R-SYS Front Wheel Rims

Units: About 12,000

Importer: Mavic USA, of Haverhill, Mass.

Manufacturer: Salomon SAS, of France

Hazard: The spokes on the bicycle’s front wheel rim can break during use, posing a fall and crash hazard to riders.

Incidents/Injuries: Mavic USA has received one report of an injury involving broken teeth.

Description: This recall includes R-SYS and R-SYS Premium front wheel rims. They were sold as original equipment on various bicycle brands and were also sold separately. R-SYS wheel rims are designed for road bikes. “R-SYS” is printed on the front rim of the wheels. The rims are 22mm in diameter, with 16 tubular, unidirectional carbon spokes.

Sold at: Specialty bicycle retailers from May 2007 through December 2008 for between $700 and $750 for the front wheel of the two-wheel set when sold separately from the bicycle.

Manufactured in: France

Remedy: Consumers should stop using bicycles with the recalled front wheel rims and contact their bicycle retailer for a free replacement front rim.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Mavic USA at (800) 664-9228 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.mavic.com

Lasko Products will pay $500,000 penalty for fialing to report defective fans

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced on January 2, 2009 that Lasko Products Inc., of West Chester, Pa., has agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty. The penalty (see PDF file here), which has been provisionally accepted by the Commission, settles allegations that the company failed to immediately report incidents about its defective portable fans.

These box and floor fans were sold between 2000 and 2004. In February 2006, CPSC and Lasko announced the recall of about 5.6 million fans.

CPSC alleged that Lasko failed to report to the government in a timely manner that fans sold by the firm could overheat, smoke, or catch fire, and pose fire and burn hazards to consumers.

Between November 2002 and September 2005, Lasko received about 42 reports of fans overheating, smoking, melting, or catching fire, which resulted in nine personal injuries and property damage. Lasko did not fully report the incidents to CPSC until September 2005.

Consumers who have the recalled fans can still receive a free fan cord adaptor, designed to shut off the fan motor if overheating occurs. Contact Lasko at (800) 984-3311, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.laskoproducts.com/recall/recall_fans.html

Federal law requires firms to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or violates any consumer product safety rule, or any other rule, regulation, standard, or ban enforced by CPSC.

In agreeing to settle the matter, Lasko denies that it knowingly violated the law.

Shindaiwa recalls backpack blowers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, has announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Shindaiwa Backpack Blowers Units: About 23,000

Importer: Shindaiwa Corp., of Tualatin, Ore

Manufacturer: Shindaiwa Kogyo Co. Ltd, of Hiroshima, Japan

Hazard: The blower’s impeller (fan) can separate from the base and break apart, causing plastic pieces to be blown out of the machine, and pose a laceration and impact hazard to consumers. The flying pieces also can cause property damage and injury to bystanders. Note: These backpack blowers were previously recalled due to a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Shindaiwa is aware of 13 incidents involving broken impellers. One incident involved a minor head injury and minor property damage to a nearby automobile.

Description: This recall involves Shindaiwa Models EB8510 and EB8510RT. All models up to serial # 7014728 are included. The backpack blowers weigh approximately 24 pounds and include Serial Numbers through February 2007 production (S/N 702XXXX) which are located on the side label. These machines are black and blue with a red and black label that reads, “EB8510, Shindaiwa.”

Sold by: Shindaiwa dealers nationwide from September 2005 through January 2007 for about $600.

Manufactured in: Japan

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the backpack blowers immediately and contact Shindaiwa for the closest dealer location to schedule a free inspection and impeller replacement. Consumers who have registered their equipment should have already received correspondence from Shindaiwa about this recall.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Shindaiwa at (800) 521-7733 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.shindaiwa.com

Aqua Dots in the news again; lawsuit alleges injury

Every parent's nightmare, in Texas:

A month after the public recall of Aqua Dots toy craft kits, Eddie and Summer Gerrald's 1- year- old ingested the product and required emergency medical treatment for vomiting and experiencing states of unconsciousness. The parents state that since ingestion, the toddler continues to suffer from sleeplessness, fevers and vomiting.

The Houston residents filed suit against the toy's distributors Spin Master Inc. and Target Corporation on April 4 in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas.

Aqua Dots is a craft toy kit that contains small, colored liquid-filled beads that when sprayed with water become adhesive and fuse together in a plastic tray. In November 2007 and in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Spin Master recalled 4.2 million Aqua Dots sets.

The toys, manufactured in China, were supposed to be made with a nontoxic compound found in glue, but instead the Aqua Dots beads were coated with an industrial solvent, 1, 4 butanediol. If the solvent is ingested, the body converts it into GHB, also know as the "date rape" drug.

More here.

Lawsuit alleges asbestos in CSI toy kits

A California asbestos awareness group sued CBS Corp, a toy maker and several retailers on Friday, claiming they sold toy crime-scene kits based on the hit CBS series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" that contained the cancer-causing substance.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that laboratory tests revealed the fingerprint dusting powder in the kits contained "substantial quantities of tremolite asbestos ... one of the most lethal forms of asbestos."

New York-based manufacturer Planet Toys Inc pulled the kits from the market late last year over the group's claims but said that multiple tests had shown no traces of asbestos.

The company said on its Web site it had issued a "stop sale" on all "CSI" fingerprint kits "until further information can be ascertained as to the discrepancy between our respective test findings."

Source: Reuters.

Dalmatian Press recalls children's board book sets

On April 8, 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Little Builder Children’s Board Book Sets with Toys

Units: About 17,000

Importer: Dalmatian Press LLC, of Franklin, Tenn.

Hazard: The cylinder on the toy concrete mixer and the tailgate on the toy dump truck can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves Little Builder Children’s Board Book sets with ISBN 1-49373-215-9. The sets include four concept board books (colors, tools, 123, shapes) and two toy trucks (dump truck and concrete mixer truck).

Sold at: Wal-Mart, Levy Home Entertainment, Lion Sales of NW Brunswick, Farris Wholesale Outlet, Crane Book Sales, Ingram Book Co., BPDI Corp., Books A Million and Christmas Tree Shop stores nationwide and on the Internet at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com from August 2007 through February 2008 for about $9.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys from young children and return the entire book set to the retailer where purchased for a refund or exchange.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Dalmatian Press toll-free at (866) 418-2572 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.Dalmatianpress.com

Magnetic dart boards recalled

On April 8, 2008 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Fun ‘N Games Magnetic Dart Boards

Units: About 870,000

Importer: Henry Gordy International Inc., of Plainfield, N.J.

Hazard: Small magnets at the ends of the darts can detach. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description and Models: This recall involves magnetic dartboards with a black, green, blue, and white checkered design, and a red bulls eye. The magnetic dartboards measure about 5 ½ inches wide and were sold with two 2 ¾-inch long magnetic darts. The darts magnetically attract to the dart board.

Sold Exclusively at: Family Dollar stores nationwide from September 2002 through March 2008 for about $1.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled magnetic boards away from children and return them by first class mail to: Henry Gordy International Inc., 809A Market Street, Hermann, MO 65041 for a full refund including tax and shipping costs.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Henry Gordy International Inc., at (888) 790-2700 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Crash tests of midsized cars released

Lots of improvement apparently, although side and rear protection remains weak:

Occupant protection in side impacts of midsize cars is improving as automakers introduce safer designs and add side airbags as standard equipment. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently completed front, side, and rear tests of seven 2008 model midsize cars, both moderately priced and luxury: Chevrolet Malibu, Dodge Avenger, Infiniti G35, Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant, Nissan Altima, and Saturn Aura. All earn the highest rating of good for occupant protection in frontal crashes. All but the Kia Optima earn the top rating of good for side crash protection (Malibu's rating applies to cars built after February 2008). Rear crash protection results vary more widely. Among the seats/head restraints evaluated, only those in the Optima earn a good rating.

"The side impact results represent a huge change from just four years ago," says Institute senior vice president David Zuby. "In 2004 we tested 10 midsize moderately priced cars, and all 10 were rated poor in their standard configurations without side airbags." In the 2004 tests, only the previous generations of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Chevrolet Malibu earned good ratings when tested with side airbags, which then were optional equipment.

"Side airbags were mostly optional in our first round of side impact tests of midsize cars," Zuby says. "A major change is that side airbags are standard in every one of the seven midsize cars we tested this time around. Auto manufacturers have been moving quickly to make side airbags standard, even on lower priced models."

Read the rest here at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

With warm weather coming, watch out for pool and spa dangers

A timely warning:

The 15-year-old went underwater to see how long she could hold her breath when suddenly, something pulled on her, slamming her back against the bottom and sending her legs up toward the sky.

Walker dislodged herself and noticed her back hurt badly. Later she saw how her skin had been sucked into the drain leaving an imprint on her back.

Her mom dubbed it a "Florida tattoo." But it's no joke. That mark demonstrates how close her daughter came to dying.

I figured Walker had gotten off the drain because she's athletic and strong.

But experts in suction entrapment, the term used to describe what happened, told me that she was saved by a couple of inches of fabric.

"Her bathing suit strap stopped her from making a full seal. If it hadn't, she would have never gotten off," said Anthony Sirianni, president of Stingl Products, a company that sells safety devices that prevent these types of accidents.

More here.

Sam Adams recalls some beer for possible presence of glass

During a routine bottle inspection at one of our breweries, we detected possible defects in a small percentage of bottles resulting in the random presence of bits of glass, most the size of grains of sand, but some small slivers in some bottles as well. Based on this sample, we quickly began testing bottles of Samuel Adams at all of our breweries and identified that the problem appeared to be isolated to a single glass plant of the five that supply us.

More here.

Sudden vehicle acceleration in the news again

Some in-depth reporting on the Toyota Tacoma from the Detroit Free Press:

It's a wonder Frank Visconi walked away from the crash that turned his new Toyota Tacoma pickup into an unrecognizable mush of metal, plastic and dirt. But Visconi has a different wonder -- why Toyota doesn't believe his complaints of sudden acceleration....

Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong says the company has found no problems with the Tacoma that would explain the complaints.

"We don't feel it's an issue with the vehicle," he said. Regulators "get sudden acceleration complaints from consumers for various manufacturers ... and in most cases they have found it's a misapplication of the pedals by the driver."

But attorneys and safety advocates argue that sudden acceleration complaints are symptoms of defects, including electronic failures in increasingly complex vehicle-control systems that may leave no trace and can't be easily reproduced by a mechanic.

If there "were truly human error, there would be a proportional distribution across models," said Clarence Ditlow, who has spent years researching sudden acceleration as head of the Center for Auto Safety in Washington. "It's very difficult to explain how some makes and models have higher numbers of complaints than others absent some flaw in the vehicle."

Malt-O-Meal recalls cereals for possible salmonella contamination

Malt-O-Meal announced on April 5, 2008 that it is voluntarily recalling its unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced with "Best If Used By" codes between April 8, 2008 (coded as "APR0808") and March 18, 2009 (coded as "MAR1809") because they may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled product was distributed nationally, marketed under the Malt-O-Meal brand and as some private label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. A comprehensive listing of impacted products can be found at www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this situation. All other Malt-O-Meal products are unaffected by this action and are safe for continued sale and consumption. The products affected by this recall represent less than one-half of one percent of the company's annual production of ready-to-eat cereal.

"Our first and highest priority is the safety of the consumers who use our products," said Malt-O-Meal President and CEO Chris Neugent. "It's important that we spread the word about this situation quickly and broadly in order to remove even the slightest possibility that someone will consume something harmful. We apologize for this situation and promise to do everything to complete the recall as quickly as possible."

The recall was initiated after the company's internal routine food safety testing detected the presence of Salmonella in a product produced on March 24, 2008. The company immediately commenced an investigation to determine the root cause of this one positive finding as well as the extent of any possible exposure. Initial results from this follow-up investigation indicate that additional product may have been exposed to this contaminant. Thus, out of an abundance of caution to protect consumers, the company has chosen to voluntarily remove all unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat products with "Best If Used By" codes between April 8, 2008 (coded as "APR0808") and March 18, 2009 (coded as "MAR1809"). Investigation into the source of the Salmonella has determined a root cause of this situation and corrective measures have been taken to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of this issue.

Persons infected with Salmonella may experience a variety of symptoms and illnesses. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, persons infected with Salmonella may experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in more severe illnesses, some potentially life threatening.

Consumers who have purchased any products covered by this recall are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-877-665-9331. Information regarding this recall, including images of the Malt-O-Meal product packaging, also will be posted to the company's website at www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo.

Source: The FDA

Toys "R" Us recalls Imaginarium Activity Centers for choking hazard

On April 3, 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Imaginarium Multi-Sided Activity Centers and Jungle Activity Centers

Units: About 16,400

Importer/Retailer: Toys "R" Us Inc., of Wayne, N.J.

Manufacturer: Taizhou Orient Toys Company Ltd. (Multi-Sided Activity Centers), and Shanghai Cosmos Gift Industry Company Ltd. (Jungle Activity Centers), of Shanghai, China.

Hazard: Small parts on the toys can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: Toys “R” Us has received 12 reports of small parts detaching from activity centers. No injuries have been reported.

Description and Models: This recall involves the Imaginarium Multi-Sided and Jungle activity centers. The multi-sided activity center has moveable block letters, clock face, sliding shapes and gears. The jungle activity centers have peg jumping monkeys, sliding fish, abacus beads, bead mazes and other animal-themed activities. “Imaginarium” and the name of the activity center are printed on the packaging. Item numbers 69042 (multi-sided) and 69083 (jungle) are printed on the back of the box, near the bar code.

Sold exclusively at: Toys “R” Us stores nationwide and www.toysrus.com from August 2007 through February 2008 for between $20 and $50.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the activity centers from children and return the toys to the nearest Toys “R” Us for a refund or store credit. Consumers can go to http://www.toysrus.com/safety/safetyFAQ.cfm for more information.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Toys “R” Us at (800) 869-7787 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.toysrus.com.

Gas water heaters recalled for fire and carbon monoxide hazards

On April 3, 2008 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Natural and Propane Gas Water Heaters

Units: About 1,500

Manufacturer: A.O. Smith Water Products Co., of Ashland City, Tenn.

Hazard: The water heater’s flue gas temperatures can exceed safe limits and produce excessive temperatures in the venting unit, posing a fire hazard. Also, the water heater’s exhaust can leak into the surrounding room, posing a carbon monoxide hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves 75 gallon natural and propane gas water heaters. “A.O. Smith” or “State” is printed on the side of the unit. A.O. Smith and State model and serial numbers included in this recall are listed in the chart below. Model and serial numbers are printed on the water heater’s rating plate.

Brand Name	Model Number	Serial Number Ranges
A.O. Smith	FCG-75 300	L07A071460 through L07A144966 or M07A009387 through M07A072884
	FCG-75 301
State	GS6 75 XRR S
	GS6 75 CRR S

Sold by: Independent contractors and plumbers nationwide from November 2007 through January 2008 for between $1,000 and $2,500.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled water heater and contact A.O. Smith to arrange for a free repair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact A.O. Smith toll-free at (866) 880-4661 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.hotwater.com

Wal-Mart recalls candleholders for fire and laceration hazards

On April 3, 2008 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Holiday Times Candleholders

Units: About 61,000

Importer: Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark.

Hazard: The candle holders could tip over, posing a fire hazard. Also, the glass holder could break, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves three Holiday Times candle holders shaped as a Santa Claus, a snowman, and a goblet. The goblet is made of glass. A tea light candle sits inside the holders. “Holiday Times” is printed on the product hang tag.

Sold exclusively at: Wal-Mart stores nationwide from September 2007 through February 2008 for between $13 and $17.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled products and return them to Wal-Mart for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Wal-Mart at (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the company’s Web site at www.walmartstores.com

"Main Street Drag" kids' sunglasses recalled

On April 3, 2008 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Children’s Sunglasses

Units: About 144,000

Importer/Distributor: StyleMark Inc., of Ormond Beach, Fla.

Hazard: Surface paint in the orange lettering on the temples of the sunglasses contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled children’s sunglasses have Main Street Drag characters on the bottom of one lens. The sunglass frames have dark metallic blue or dark metallic red fronts and gray checkered sides. “Main Street Drag” is printed in orange at the temples. Style number DI25K7116 is printed on the left temple. No other styles are included in this recall.

Sold at: Payless, Walgreen’s, Academy Sports, and CVS stores nationwide from October 2007 through March 2008 for between $6 and $9.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled sunglasses away from children and contact StyleMark for instructions on returning the sunglasses for a free replacement pair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact StyleMark toll-free at (866) 928-1913 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.stylemark.net