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Many people feel that because a microwave oven doesn’t use fire and because the container generally doesn’t get very hot, it is safe to let young children use one. Healthday Magazine reports that “Scalds are the leading cause of burn-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations for young children under 5,” said lead researcher Dr. Gina [...]

Name of Product: Fit & Fresh™ Smooth Blend Mixers
Units: About 54,500
Importer: MEDport LLC, of Providence, R.I.
Hazard: While placing the cup on or off the base of the mixer, the mixer can be unexpectedly turned on, activating the blade. This can pose a serious laceration hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: MEDport has received one report of finger lacerations [...]

On a recent Sat- urday night while my hus- band and I sat watch- ing a movie, my home was invaded by two men looking for a quick steal. I surprised them in action and they ran off empty handed. The first thing I did as they ran away was grab the landline [...]

Name of Product: Blue Ember Gas Grills
Units: About 47,000
Importer: Fiesta Gas Grills, of Dickson, Tenn.
Manufacturers: Keesung Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Unisplendor Corp., of China
Hazard: The gas grills can be assembled improperly exposing the gas burner hoses to excessive heat, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Fiesta has received 14 reports of grill fires. No [...]

Name of Product: Certain VAIO TZ-series Notebook Computers
Units: About 73,000
Manufacturer: Sony Electronics Inc., of San Diego, Calif.
Hazard: Irregularly positioned wires near the computer’s hinge and/or a dislodged screw inside the hinge can cause a short circuit and overheating. This poses a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Sony has received 15 reports of overheating, including one consumer [...]

Name of Product: Vitodens 200 Boilers
Units: About 4,600
Manufacturer: Viessmann Manufacturing Co. Inc., of Canada
Hazard: The boiler can leak gas, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The recall involves the Vitodens 200 boiler. The gas-fired boilers are white, wall-mounted and have “Viessmann” and “Vitodens 200” printed on the exterior in silver letters. The model [...]

Name of Product: MasterForce 3.6-volt Cordless Screwdrivers
Units: About 42,000
Importer: Menards, of Eau Claire, Wisc.
Manufacturer: Great Star Industry Co., of China
Hazard: The battery can overheat and ignite during charging, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. There is no protective device on the lithium battery to prevent overheating.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm and CPSC have [...]

Name of Product: Wolf Appliance Gas Ranges
Units: About 24,000
Manufacturer: Wolf Appliance Inc., of Madison, Wis.
Hazard: Delayed ignition of gas in the 18-inch oven can cause a flash of flames to be projected at a consumer when the range door is opened, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Wolf has received 97 reports of [...]

Name of Product: Countertop Water Dispensers
Units: About 44,000
Manufacturer: Greenway Home Products, of Northwood, Ohio
Hazard: The internal heating element could overheat and drop molten metal through ventilation openings in the water dispenser’s base onto the countertop, posing a fire hazard. The internal heating element also poses a shock hazard to consumers who touch it through the [...]

Name of Product: Kenmore and Kenmore Elite Coffee Makers
Units: About 145,000
Retailers: Sears, Roebuck and Co., the great indoors and Kmart Corp., of Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Hazard: The wiring in the coffee maker can overheat, posing burn and fire hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Sears has received 20 reports of coffee makers overheating, including 12 fires, causing damage to [...]

Name of Product: Signature Gourmet™ and Crofton® Personal Blenders
Units: About 124,000
Importers: Atico International USA Inc., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (for the Crofton® model) and East West Distributing Co., of Deerfield Ill. (for the Signature Gourmet™ model)
Hazard: While placing the cup on or off the base of the blender, the blender can be inadvertently turned on, [...]

Name of Product: Perfect Flame Double Lid Four Burner Gas Grills
Units: About 24,000
Retailer: Lowe’s Home Centers, Inc., of North Wilkesboro, N.C. and Lowe’s HIW, Inc., of Tukwila, Wash.
Manufacturer: Lucas Innovation Inc., of China
Hazard: The cooking chamber of the grill can melt and/or ignite, posing a risk of fires and burn injuries to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: There have [...]

Name of Product: DEWALT DC608 Cordless Brad Nailers
Units: About 14,000
Manufacturer: DEWALT Industrial Tool Co., of Towson, Md.
Hazard: The nailer can operate when the lock-off (safety) is in the locked position. Also, the nailer can operate when the trigger is not pulled and the contact trip is depressed. The unexpected ejection of a nail poses a [...]

Name of Product: Dirt Devil Vacuum Power Brush Attachment Tools
Units: About 987,000
Manufacturer: TTI Floor Care North America, of Glenwillow, Ohio
Hazard: Plastic pieces inside the vacuum tool can break apart and be ejected, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: TTI Floor Care has received 140 reports of incidents involving the recalled vacuum tool, including 12 reports [...]

We all know how important it is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday.   One of the easiest ways to do that is to keep the fridge produce drawers stocked with your family’s favorites .  The problem arises with how most people maintain those drawers.  The details of how a refrigerator is cleaned and [...]

Name of Product: Honda Lawn Mowers
Units: 20,500
Manufacturer: American Honda Motor Corp., of Torrance, Calif.
Hazard: The lawn mower’s rear shield can break off allowing debris to be thrown toward the operator, which poses a laceration hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: American Honda has received one report of a shield breaking off the lawn mower. No injuries have been [...]

The last time you bought a new gas appliance- grill, dryer or range for example, you were likely asked what type of gas you used in your home.  Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas are both used to power those and other household appliances,but they have different properties and will be used differently in [...]

Name of Product: Counterfeit Circuit Breakers labeled as “Square D”
Units: About 371,000
Distributor: Specialty Lamp International Inc., of Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Hazard: The recalled circuit breakers labeled “Square D” have been determined by Square D to be counterfeit and can fail to trip when they are overloaded, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The counterfeit [...]

Name of Product: Char-Broil Two-Burner Gas Grills Model 463720108
Units: About 400
Importer: Char-Broil LLC, of Columbus, Ga.
Manufacturer: Shenzhen Jinwoniu Trading Company LTD, China
Hazard: On the recalled grills, the main burner does not fit correctly and does not connect properly to the gas valve which could result in a propane leak. This poses fire and burn hazards [...]

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 [...]

Name of Product: FireX Branded 10000 Series Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms and 12000 Series CO/Smoke Combo Alarms
Units: About 280,000
Manufacturer: Maple Chase Company, of Plain City, Ohio
Hazard: The recalled alarms can sound a “double chirp”/fault alarm in the presence of CO, prior to going into full alarm. Upon hearing a double chirp, the [...]

If you are lucky, you rarely need to pay much attention to the appliances that run, some of them 24 hours a day, in your home. But to keep everything trouble free, it’s good to follow some basic guidelines for care and safety when using or installing appliances in your home. Handymanclub.com offers some [...]

Fisher & Paykel, the New Zealand appliance manufacturer well known for it’s dishwasher drawers and washing machines is consolidating it’s manufacturing and moving to Reynosa, Mexico, just south of the U.S. border.
The range and DishDrawer factory in Dunedin, New Zealand, the refrigeration plant in Brisbane, Australia and the DCS manufacturing plant in Huntington Beach will [...]

From the East Valley Tribune in Phoenix, Arizona:
A Pinal County jury on Thursday handed down a huge civil award to a family whose two boys were badly burned in a fire apparently caused by a faulty stove.
The manufacturer, Electrolux Home Products, was ordered to pay the Kavu family of Stanfield $43.1 million.
“They’re just elated,” said [...]

Name of Product: Serenity Spa Hot Tubs
Units: About 1,670
Manufacturer: Gecko Alliance of Quebec, Canada
Hazard: The hot tub’s spa control can overheat, posing a fire hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: Gecko Alliance has received 28 reports of the spa control overheating, including one incident of damage to spa equipment. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves the Hydropool Serenity [...]

Whether you are installing a new dryer, relocating an old one, or just looking to remind yourself of some basic household safety guidelines, you can clickon our link to The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers(AHAM) handbook on dryer care and safety.
You can read about:

Proper installation materials and how to use them
How to clean and maintain [...]

Name of Product: Toggle Switches and Rotary Switches
Units: About 19,000
Distributor/Importer: Disconnects of Florida Corp., of Tampa, Fla.
Manufacturer: Ensto Control Oy, of Finland
Hazard: When switched OFF, one electrical pole may remain energized, posing a risk of electrical shock hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Ensto Control Oy has received 13 reports of the switches not functioning properly. [...]

Microwaves are so common a household appliance and have been in homes for so many years, most of us can’t remember a time when we weren’t “zapping” our food. Still, using an appliance daily, we can get careless with how we use it. These guidelines can help you “zap” safely.
Cookware, containers and wraps
Only [...]

Smoke alarms are proven life savers. There are more than 300,000 residential fires every year, so when there is a fire, smoke alarms buy families valuable escape time.
Unfortunately, about two-thirds of fire deaths take place in homes with no smoke alarms or with non-working smoke alarms. The most common reasons why [...]

Name of Product: Hamilton Beach® and Proctor-Silex® Toasters
Units: About 482,000
Importer: Hamilton Beach Brands Inc., of Glen Allen, Va.
Hazard: The toasters can remain “on” (energized) after popping up, and can ignite flammable items covering or in contact with the toaster, posing a fire hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: Hamilton Beach has received at least 63 reports of [...]

Name of Product: Strike Force™ Portable Air Compressors
Units: About 64,000
Supplier: All-Power America, of City of Industry, Calif.
Importer: Advance Stores Co., d.b.a. Advance Auto Parts, of Roanoke, Va.
Hazard: The compressor’s motor can overheat and ignite the protective cover, posing a fire hazard to consumers. Also, the cover might not prevent internal components from [...]

Next time you pop one of those convenient bags of microwave popcorn, put the bag on a plate first.  The bottom of the bag can become so hot that it can crack the glass tray inside the oven.  Another good suggestion for popcorn and other foods is to place the food off center on the [...]

Carbon monoxide is a silent, odorless killer. As a household dweller, you are responsible for preventing the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) from harming you or your loved ones. Many household appliances emit CO, or can if they are not functioning properly.
Carbon monoxide is produced whenever fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, [...]

Microwave ovens can play an important role at mealtime, but special care must be taken when cooking or reheating meat, poultry, fish, and eggs to make sure they are prepared safely. Microwave ovens can cook unevenly and leave “cold spots,” where harmful bacteria can survive. For this reason, it is important to use the following [...]

Kenmore unveiled the addition of crisper drawers with Microban antimicrobial product protection in new Kenmore refrigerators. Featuring Microban antimicrobial technology, the new crisper drawer will remain fresh longer between cleanings. In new Kenmore refrigeration models, the crisper drawer is infused with Microban antimicrobial protection to continuously inhibit the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria. The [...]

Microwave ovens can play an important role at mealtime, but special care must be taken when cooking or reheating meat, poultry, fish, and eggs to make sure they are prepared safely. Microwave ovens can cook unevenly and leave “cold spots,” where harmful bacteria can survive. For this reason, it is important to use the following [...]

Name of Product: Portable Electric Heaters
Units: About 152,000
Importer/Distributor: Aloha Housewares Inc., of Arlington, Texas
Hazard: The portable electric heater can overheat and melt plastic parts, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Aloha Housewares has received 29 reports of the heaters melting, smoking or catching fire, including 18 reports of property damage. One consumer reported minor burns [...]

We may be halfway through the winter, but it’s never to late to check your furnace for safety and efficiency. Following some basic routine maintenance is one of the easiest ways to save money and hassles with your heating, and will also help with the air quality in your home. You can schedule [...]

Freezing food is a great way to save both time and money.  Many time managers suggest cooking only one or two days a week, making double amounts, and freezing the rest for future meals.  I love to bake and my family can’t always eat all the bread or cookies that I’ve made - enter my free [...]

This may stretch the appliance theme a bit, but since so many of us are switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs to save energy, I think it is worth sharing. According to Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld at Parade Magazine, new research suggests some dangers:
Flickering bulbs have been reported to precipitate migraines or even seizures, though manufacturers [...]

Name of Product: Crafters Square Hot Melt Mini Glue Guns
Units: About 253,000
Retailer: Dollar Tree Stores Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.
Importer: Greenbrier International Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.
Hazard: The recalled glue guns can short circuit, causing the gun to smoke and catch fire. This poses fire, burn and shock hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Dollar Tree is aware of seven [...]

Name of Product: Intermatic DT27 Digital Self-Adjusting Timers
Units: 8,500
Importer: Intermatic Inc., of Spring Grove, Ill.
Manufacturer: Ewig Industries Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd., of Macau, China
Hazard: The recalled timers could have been wired incorrectly, which poses an electrical shock hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves the Intermatic DT27 digital self-adjusting timer with a date code [...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing a warning to consumers confronted with severe winter weather. When there’s a power outage, exercise caution when using portable generators.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible killer. You can’t see or smell it. A generator’s exhaust contains poisonous CO which can kill you in a [...]