Recall Alert: Toys, Tools, and Home Hazards - August 2007

Fisher-Price Recalls Licensed Character Toys Due To Lead Poisoning Hazard

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

Name of Product: Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, and other children’s toys

Units: About 967,000

Importer: Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y.

Hazard: Surface paints on the toys could contain excessive levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves various figures and toys that were manufactured between April 19, 2007 and July 6, 2007 and were sold alone or as part of sets. The model names and product numbers for the recalled toys, which are all marked with “Fisher-Price,” are listed below. The toys may have a date code between 109-7LF and 187-7LF marked on the product or packaging.

Sold at: Retail stores nationwide from May 2007 through August 2007 for between $5 and $40.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Fisher-Price. Consumers will need to return the product and will receive a voucher for a replacement toy of the consumer’s choice (up to the value of the returned product).

Consumer Contact: For additional information contact Fisher-Price at (800) 916-4498 anytime or visit the firm’s Web site at www.service.mattel.com

Product List:

• 33662 Elmo Light Up Musical Pal
• 33663 Ernie Light Up Musical Pal
• 33664 Big Bird Light Up Musical Pal
• 34658 Elmo Stacking Rings
• 39038 Elmo Tub Sub
• 87946 Elmo Keyboard
• 90609 Elmo Collectible
• 90612 Zoe Collectible
• 90614 Big Bird Collectible
• 93068 Elmo Boom Box
• 93307 Press N Go Elmo
• 93492 Cookie Saxophone
• 93615 Splash Tub Puzzle
• B7554 Count To Beat Elmo
• B7987 Elmo In The Giggle Box
• B9620 Dora's Talking House
• C6908 Dora, Backpack, Perrito Figure Pack
• C6909 Diego Figure Pack
• C6911 Boots, Tico Figure Pack
• G5112 Sing With Elmo's Greatest Hits
• H2943 Grow With Me Elmo Sprinkler
• H3344 Birthday Dora
• H5570 Elmo & Pals (Elmo, Zoe, Bigbird)
• H4628 Water Fun Tote
• H8237 Blue 3 Pack Figures In Tube
• H9124 Chef Dora
• H9186 Giggle Grabber Ernie
• J0338 Diego Talking Field Journal
• J0344 Go Diego Go Deep Sea Rescue
• J0346 Go Diego Go Talking Rescue 4 X 4
• J5936 Giggle Grabber Chef Cookie Monster
• J6537 Sesame Street Giggle Toolbelt
• J6763 Royal Boots And Tico
• J7983 Sesame Street Tub Pots & Pans
• J9692 Dora's Talking Pony Place
• K3414 Diego - Talking Gadget Belt
• K3580 Fairytale Adventure Dora
• K4140 Toucan Motorcycle Rescue
• L3194 Surprise Inside Diego Eggs
• L3488 Sesame Street Birthday Figure Pack
• L3507 Sesame Street - Super Boom Box
• L5202 Birthday Dora
• L8905 Pablo & Pals
• M0352 Dora Figures Diego & Bear
• M0527 Sesame Street Giggle Doodler
• M2051 Lets Go Rescue Center
• 39054 Sesame Street Shape Sorter
• 90267 Ernie Splashin' Fun Trike
• 90611 Cookie Collectible
• 90613 Ernie Collectible
• 90745 Construction Playset
• 93107 Action Fire Engine
• 93308 Rev & Go Cookie Monster
• 93493 Elmo's Guitar
• 93780 Music And Lights Phone
• B7888 Shake, Giggle & Roll
• B7989 Silly Parts Talking Elmo
• C6910 Swiper Figure Pack
• G3825 Dora Talking Vamonos Van
• G9717 Giggle Doodler
• H3343 Cousin Daisy
• H5569 Elmo & Pals (Elmo, Cookie, Ernie)
• H4187 Dora Figures In Tube
• H8236 Dora 3 Pack Figures In Tube
• H8238 Sponge Bob 3 Pack Figures In Tube
• H9125 Bedtime Dora
• H9188 Giggle Grabber Oscar The Grouch
• J0343 Go Diego Go Antarctic Rescue
• J0345 Go Diego Go Mountain Rescue
• J5935 Giggle Grabber Soccer Elmo
• J6762 Queen Mami
• J6765 Prince Diego
• J9518 Sesame Street Giggle Drill
• K0617 Twins Nursery
• K3571 Go Diego Go Mobile Rescue Unit
• K4139 Go Diego Go Dinosaur Rescue
• L0305 Dora Figure
• L3215 Sesame Street Elmo Jack-In-The-Box
• L5813 Diego Tub Trike
• M0351 Dora Figures Dora & Kitty
• M0524 Go Diego Go Talking Gadget
• M0732 Dora's Talking House
• M2052 Fairytale Castle

The Toro Company Recalls Electric Blowers Due to Projectile Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the manufacturers named below, announced voluntary recalls of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Toro Power Sweep Electric Blowers

Units: About 900,000

Manufacturer: The Toro Company, of Bloomington, Minn.

Hazard: The blower’s impeller, which is a rotating component on the blower, can break, resulting in pieces of plastic flying out of the blower. This poses a risk of serious injury to the user or a bystander.

Incidents/Injuries: Toro has received 154 reports of broken impellers, including 21 reports of minor cuts and bruises resulting from projected impeller pieces.

Description: The recall involves Toro Power Sweep electric blower model 51586 that was manufactured between 2000 and 2002. The electric blowers have serial numbers that range between 000055100 and 220255609. There are two decals on the main housing of the blower. One decal reads, “TORO Power Sweep” and the decal on the opposite side of the blower contains the model number and serial number. The recalled units can be identified by a black impeller fan, which can be seen through the air inlet screen on the bottom of the unit.

Sold through: Toro dealers and various mass retailers nationwide including The Home Depot, Lowes, Target and K-Mart stores from January 2000 through late December 2002 for about $32.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled blowers immediately and contact Toro to receive a replacement blower.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Toro at (888) 279-3191 between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday. Consumers can also visit the Toro web site at www.toro.com. The Toro Company has notified registered owners directly.

CPSC Releases the “Top Five Hidden Home Hazards” Safety Agency Places Popular Magnetic Toys on the List of Deadly Dangers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Whether it is an apartment, duplex or single-family residence, the home is a place that is supposed to give families a feeling of safety and security. For many Americans families however, an injury or death of a loved one can turn this place of happiness into one of tragedy.

Each year, 33.1 million people are injured by consumer products in the home. Some hazards are from products the Agency has warned about for years; others come from new products and technologies. To keep Americans informed of dangers, the CPSC has identified the Top Five Hidden Home Hazards – associated with products that people may be using everyday, but are unaware of the dangers that they can cause. These home hazards are often unseen or unnoticed by consumers.

“The home is where people feel comfortable and secure, but constant awareness is the key to keeping families safe,” said Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. “CPSC is aiming to increase awareness of the hidden hazards around the home in order to help consumers protect against these dangers.”

With no or very little investment, incidents and injuries from these dangers are preventable. Simply by being aware of these Top Five Hidden Home Hazards, many lives can be spared and life-altering injuries avoided:

#1 Magnets - Since 2005: 1 Death, 86 Injuries; 8 million magnetic toys recalled.

Tip: Today’s rare-earth magnets can be very small and powerful making them popular in toys, building sets, and jewelry. As the number of products with magnets has increased, so has the number of serious injuries to children. In several hundred incidents, magnets have fallen out of various toys and been swallowed by children. Small intact pieces of building sets that contain magnets have also been swallowed by children. If two or more magnets, or a magnet and another metal object are swallowed separately, they can attract to one another through intestinal walls and get trapped in place.

The injury is hard to diagnose. Parents and physicians may think that the materials will pass through the child without consequence, but magnets can attract in the body and twist or pinch the intestines, causing holes, blockages, infection, and death, if not treated properly and promptly.

Watch carefully for loose magnets and magnetic pieces and keep away from younger children (less than 6). If you have a recalled product with magnets, stop using it, call the company today, and ask for the remedy.

#2 Recalled Products - Each year there are about 400 recalls.

Tip: CPSC is very effective at getting dangerous products off store shelves, such as recalled toys, clothing, children’s jewelry, tools, appliances, electronics and electrical products. But once a product gets into the home, the consumer has to be on the lookout. Consumers need to be aware of the latest safety recalls to keep dangerous recalled products away from family members.

Get dangerous products out of the home. Join CPSC’s “Drive To One Million” campaign and sign up for free e-mail notifications at www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx - an e-mail from CPSC is not spam – it could save a life.

#3 Tip-overs - Average of 22 deaths per year; 31 in 2006 and an estimated 3,000 injuries.

Tip: Furniture, TVs and ranges can tip over and crush young children. Deaths and injuries occur when children climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on television stands, shelves, bookcases, dressers, desks, and chests. TVs placed on top of furniture can tip over causing head trauma and other injuries. Items left on top of the TV, furniture, and countertops, such as toys, remote controls and treats might tempt kids to climb.

Verify that furniture is stable on its own. For added security, anchor to the floor or attach to a wall. Free standing ranges and stoves should be installed with anti-tip brackets.

#4 Windows & Coverings - Average of 12 deaths annually from window cords; Average of 9 deaths and an estimated 3,700 injuries to children annually from window falls.

Tip: Children can strangle on window drapery and blind cords that can form a loop. Parents should use cordless blinds or keep cords and chains permanently out of the reach of children. Consumers should cut looped cords and install a safety tassel at the end of each pull cord or use a tie-down device, and install inner cord stays to prevent strangulation. Never place a child’s crib or playpen within reach of a window blind.

The dangers of windows don’t end with window coverings and pull cords. Kids love to play around windows. Unfortunately, kids can be injured or die when they fall out of windows. Do not rely on window screens. Window screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep kids in.

Safeguard your windows: repair pull cords ending in loops and install window guards or stops today.

#5 Pool & Spa Drains - 15 injuries, 2 fatalities from 2002 to 2004.

Tip: The suction from a pool drain can be so powerful that it can hold an adult under water, but most incidents involve children. The body can become sealed against the drain or hair can be pulled in and tangled. Missing or broken drain covers are a major reason many entrapment incidents occur. Pool and spa owners can consider installing a Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS), which detects when a drain is blocked and automatically shuts off the pool pump or interrupts the water circulation to prevent an entrapment.

Every time you use a pool or spa, inspect it for entrapment hazards. Check to make sure appropriate drain covers are in place and undamaged.

To learn more about these and other home hazards, visit the CSPC web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.

This page only lists some of the recent recalls of potentially dangerous products. To find out about other product recalls, visit the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission website at www.cpsc.gov.