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Top Ten Dangerous Toys of the Past Year

Staff Writer — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:24:30 GMT

To help parents with the purchase of toys that are not only fun to play with but are safe for use, the nonprofit organization World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc. (WATCH) has issued its list of 9 toys that it considers dangerous enough that parents should exercise caution when allowing their kids to play with them.

Inflatable Giga Ball: Watch notes that this inflatable ball that kids can crawl into, tumble around, and bounce in could cause potential impact and serious injuries.

Sportsman Shotgun: This toy is made by Parris Manufacturing Co. and comes with rubber bullets that could cause eye injuries.

Animal Alley Purse Pet: WATCH is concerned that the hair on these, dolls made by Geoffrey Inc./Toys ‘R’ Us, can easily be removed and swallowed by kids, potentially causing aspiration and ingestion injuries.

Go Go Minis Pullback Vehicle: Made by Kid Galaxy Inc., WATCH is concerned that the toy truck’s back tires might come off and pose a choking hazard.

Spider-Man Adjustable Toy Skates: While Street Flyers LLC recommends that kids use knee pads, elbow pads, helmets, and wrist guards to prevent impact injuries, only the pads come with the skates.

Walk’n Sounds Digger the Dog: The toy’s dog leash is 2 inches longer than the toy industry 12-inch limit and may cause strangulation or entanglement injuries. This product is made by Hasbro/Playskool.

Pucci Puppies - My Own Puppy House Golden Retriever: This Battat Inc. toy comes with small parts that can pose a choking hazards to kids.

Meadow Mystery Play-A-Sound Book With a Cuddly Pooh: The Disney Pooh’s mask could pose a choking hazard to children if removed.

Extreme Spiral Copters: This slingshot-like toy can potentially cause eye injuries. Made by Toysmith Group.

Despite effort to remove dangerous and defective toys from the marketplace, many hazardous toys continue to be available for purchase. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are still many toys available on store shelves that place children at risk for sustaining:

- Choking Injuries

- Aspiration Injuries

- Burn Injuries

- Impact Injuries

- Strangulation

- Impalement

- Lacerations

- Puncture Wounds

- Lead Exposure-Related Injuries

- Magnet-Related Internal Injuries

- Death

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Children’s Bangle Bracelets Recalled

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:39:42 GMT

Chandigarh Fashion, in cooperation with the CPSC, announced a voluntary recall of Children’s Bangle Bracelets because the surface coating contains high levels of lead. If ingested, lead can be toxic, especially in young children.

The company has not received any reports of illnesses in connection to the recalled bangles, to date.

The recall involves children’s bangle bracelets sold in packs of 24, in various colors. They were sold at Chandigarh Fashion stores in New York and Sonia Selections stores in Chicago.

Consumers should return the recalled bracelets to the store of purchase for a refund.

Consumer Contact: Call Chandigarh Fashion at (877) 288-2397 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday. To view a photo of the recalled bracelets, please refer to the CPSC news release.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Peanut Butter Salmonella Recalls Include Little Debbie Snacks

Michael Levine — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:40:32 GMT

Little Debbie snacks are the latest peanut butter-containing foods to be recalled amid a nationwide salmonella outbreak. The outbreak has been linked to a Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) facility in Georgia which supplies peanut paste and peanut butter to 85 other food companies. Little Debbie joined a growing list of companies that recalled snacks over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to avoid eating any foods that contain peanut butter.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium has sickened 474 people in 43 states. At least six have died. Nearly a quarter of those sickened have required hospitalization, the CDC said.

Peanut butter became the prime suspect in the salmonella outbreak after the bacteria was found in an opened 5-pound container of King Nut peanut butter made by PCA. That prompted both King Nut Company and PCA to recall peanut butters made at the plant, including those sold under the King Nut and Parnell’s pride labels.

Last week, the salmonella found in the King Nut peanut butter was confirmed to be the outbreak strain, and late Friday, investigators announced they found salmonella in peanut butter at PCA’s Blakely, Georgia facility. That plant has since been closed pending further investigation. In addition to peanut butter, the PCA factory also makes peanut paste, an ingredient in everything from baked goods to sauces.

The announcement set off an avalanche of recalls which are sure to continue in the coming days. Kellogg Company was the first to issue a snack food recall on Friday evening. The company is recalling several varieties of Keebler and Austin snack crackers as cookies, as well as Famous Amos cookies made with peanut butter.

Yesterday, McKee Food Corporation recalled all sizes of Little Debbie Peanut Butter Toasty sandwich crackers and Little Debbie Peanut Butter Cheese sandwich crackers. According to a McKee Food press release, those crackers were also made by Kellogg.

As a precaution, the FDA is urging consumers to avoid all snacks containing peanut butt or peanut paste until the salmonella investigation is complete. However, the agency said most peanut butter sold in jars at retail stores appears to be safe. PCA peanut butters are sold in bulk to food service firms and institutions.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Michael Levine

Tighter Lead Laws for Manufacturers of Children’s Items

Michael Levine — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:28:09 GMT

According to the Washington Post, all Child Products will have to meet a new, tougher lead standard by February 10, 2009. The new law will allow companies to sell off inventory on products that will be banned by February 10, 2009. Any products in inventory that do not meet the higher standard by that date will have to be destroyed.

The new law stipulates that children’s products will not be allowed to have a total lead content above 600 parts per million. By August 10, 2009 the number drops by 50 % to 300 parts per million. In 2012, the number drops to 100 parts per million.

Unfortunately, the law does not go into effect for another few months, so there will be another holiday season without strict lead standards for toys.

"This holiday season is ‘buyer beware,’ " said Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director for U.S. PIRG, a Washington advocacy group.

Some companies have already prepared for the February 10, 2009 deadline. RC2 began clearing out inventory that did not meet the new limit, and Toys R Us does not have any toys that fall short of the new standard.

High lead levels can be dangerous. In children, it can cause anemia, muscle weakness and attention-deficit problems, impair growth, and reduce the ability to understand language, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lead poisoning statistics also show that an estimated 890,000 U.S. children ages one to five have elevated blood lead levels.

The primary source of lead exposure among children is from lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust and soil that are found in and around old, deteriorating buildings. Lead poisoning statistics show that a substantial number of families still live in housing containing a high percentage of lead. Throughout the last fifty years, the level of lead considered to adversely affect children has dropped. In the 1960s, 60 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood was considered the level for concern. In the 1980s, this level was lowered to 25 micrograms. By 1990, the concerned level was lowered to 10 micrograms. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a national goal to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in the country by 2010.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Michael Levine

Product Liability - The Dangers of Defective Toys

Michael Levine — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:50:17 GMT

In a currently ongoing case, one of our clients was the victim of a dangerous product. On May 14, 2008, the mother of the plaintiff purchased a slingshot at a department store. On June 12, 2008, while the plaintiff was playing with the sling shot and pulling back on the cradle part of the sling shot that a polyurethane foam ball sits in, the plastic on the sling shot fractured and some portion of it then struck the right eye of the plaintiff. This resulted in a corneal laceration and a ruptured globe which necessitated surgical repair.

According to the Lawyer Shop, injuries as the result of toys and electronics have skyrocketed in the past decade. In 1997, toy-related injuries stood at 141,300. In 2007, that number has increased to 220,500. The following injuries are some of the most common in product liability suits:

1) Broken Bones or Severed Limbs

2) Deep Cuts or Lacerations

3) Burns

4) Brain Injury

5) Spinal Cord Injury

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Michael Levine

Sears Recalls Kenmore Coffee Makers for Burn Hazard

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:39:00 GMT

Sears, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced a voluntary recall of Kenmore and Kenmore Elite coffee makers because the wiring can overheat posing burn and fire hazards to users.

To date, the company has received about 20 reports of coffee makers overheating, including 12 fires that caused damage to cabinets and counter tops. No injuries have been reported.

The recall includes the following products:

12-cup Kenmore coffee makers in black, red and white / Model Numbers: 100.80006 (black), 100.82006 (red) and 100.81006 (white)

12-cup Kenmore elite coffee makers with thermal carafe / Model Number: 100.90007

14-cup Kenmore elite coffee makers / Model Number: 100.90006

The model numbers are printed on the bottom of the coffee makers.

Consumers are advised to immediately discontinue use of the coffee makers and take them to their nearest Sears or Kmart store for a free replacement.

Consumer Information: contact Sears at (800) 978-7615 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday, or visit the following Web sites: www.sears.com or www.kmart.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole