Recalls of the Week

That time again friends to explore what has been going wrong in the products world while the rest of our world is completely off its axis. I seem to be spending most of my free time watching the economic and political pundits go on and on about the potential for a depression, our government investing in private enterprise ( can we say “conservatives” promoting socialism???) and whether the ethics of a candidate running for the second highest office in the U.S. really matter. One thing I have always prided myself on and which I use to evaluate people passing through my own life is “are they a good person” . Isn’t that what ethics is all about? Doing the “right thing”. I will now get off my soapbox and onto the issue at hand; what products do you need to be concerned about this week.
1. Nerf N-Strike Recon Blasters: About 330,000 of these Nerf bazooka type toys are being recalled because the Blasters’ plunger can pull the user’s skin when it is fired which can cause injury to the face, neck or chest. Already 46 reports of injuries have been received involving children between the ages of 4 and 12. These Blasters were sold at the usual; Wal-Mart, Target and Toys “R” Us between November 2007 and August 2008. The recall instructs parents to take the Blaster away from the child immediately and contact Hasbro at 1-800-245-0910 for a cover to prevent injuries. For more information, including how to identify if you have one of the problematic Blasters, see here.
2. General Electric Toasters: GE Toasters sold at Wal-Mart between September 2007 and July 2008 are being recalled because of an electrical short issue, which can cause a fire or electrical shock. Wal-mart has received 140 reports of fires and sparks coming from the toasters. (Yes, but was the toast burnt???) The recalled toasters have a chrome body, black plastic base and are either 2 or 4 slice toasters. The model numbers involved are 169115 and 169116. If you have one of these toasters, you should stop using it immediately and return it to your local Wal-Mart for a full refund or replacement. See here for more information regarding this recall.
3. Rack Room’s Girls’ Sandals: Now here is a new one on me…recall of shoes!! Rack Room Shoe Stores, between February 2008 and June 2008 sold sandals for little girls with attached leather flowers. The shoes were sold under the brand name “Kids Feet”. The sandals are white or white with pink soles. The ornamental leather flowers can detach and create a potential choking hazard for little kids. If your child has these shoes, you should take them away immediately and return them to the store where you purchased them for a refund or store credit. For more information regarding this recall and a photo of the shoes involved, see here.
4. Pottery Barn Wooden Hammock: Pottery Barn is recalling Wooden Hammock Stands, which, when use outdoors (where else would you put a hammock???) can deteriorate and break over time posing risk of falls and lacerations to users of the hammock. These Hammock Stands have been sold via the Pottery Barn catalog and website between March 2003 and July 2008. If you own this product, you are instructed to remove the two top side brackets of the hammock stand and dispose of the remaining parts of the stand. Contact Pottery Barn to receive a free pickup of the brackets (I guess proof you had the stands) and receive a merchandise credit. Just an aside: the hammock stands are made of wood. Did they not realize from the start that these would deteriorate over time when being used outside, as they knew they would, and break? That, in the products liability world, is called “foreseeability” which you much show to hold a manufacturer responsible for a defect in a product. For more information on this recall, see here.
That is all I have for you this week on recalls. Please remember to be careful out there, and if you need any further assistance regarding a recalled product or a product you have been injured by, please contact us either by calling the number shown above or filling out the “contact” form above.