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Recall: Onward Manufacturing Gas Grills Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

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Name of Product: Broil King Gas Grills

Units: About 4,800

Manufacturer: Onward Manufacturing Co., of Ontario, Canada

Hazard: The bottom of the cook box that contains the burners can melt or crack as a result of a grease fire. This poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: This recall includes the Signet, Sovereign and Sovereign XL series gas grills.

Signet series
(model #’s starting with 986xxx) 400 sq. inch cooking surface with 3 burners and drop-
down shelves; includes models with side and rear burners
Sovereign series
(model #’s starting with 987xxx) 450 sq. inch cooking surface with 3 burners and drop-
down shelves; includes models with side and rear burners.
Sovereign XL series
(model #’s starting with 988xxx) 600 sq. inch cooking surface with 4 burners and drop-
down shelves.

The model number can be located on the back panel of the grill.

Sold at: Independent retailers nationwide from February 2006 through April 2008 for between $450 and $700.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the grill immediately and contact Onward Manufacturing for a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For further information, visit the firm’s Web site at www.broilkingbbq.com or call toll-free at (866) 434-7455 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

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onward recall

Eight Basic Safety Rules For Outdoor Power Equipment

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Here are some rules everyone should be aware of before using outdoor power equipment. They come straight from the folks who know how to use them, The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI).

1 . Know how to operate the equipment.
Read the operator’s manual before using any power equipment. Know where the controls are and what they do. Follow safety instructions.

2. Dress properly for the job.
Wear long pants, close-fitting clothes, sturdy shoes, and safety glasses.Don’t wear anything that could get caught in moving parts (loose jewelry or clothing; be careful of long hair).

3. Handle gas carefully.
Fill up before you start, while the engine is cold. Don’t spill when you fill. Store gas in an approved container in a cool ventilated area. Never smoke around gasoline.

4. Clear the area before you start.
Pick up rocks, twigs, cans, golf balls, anything that could be thrown by mowing equipment.

5. Keep children and pets away from the area until you’re finished.
Never allow children to operate a mower. And never carry children as passengers on a riding mower.

6. Operate equipment carefully and follow recommended procedures.
Always turn off the engine and disconnect the spark plug wire before attempting to unclog or work on outdoor power equipment. When leaving equipment unattended, turn off the engine and remove key.

7. Keep hands and feet away from moving parts.
Never work on equipment while it is running. Never remove or tamper with safety devices and labels… they’re provided to protect you and your family.

8. Wear hearing protection.
When working with equipment that generates increased sound levels be sure to protect your ears. Wear hearing protection such as special earmuffs to prevent potentially damaging sounds from reaching your ears without eliminating the sounds you’ll NEED to hear. So protect your ears from sounds that are too LOUD and too CLOSE for too long.

Recall: DEWALT Table Saws Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: DEWALT DW744 Jobsite Table Saws

Units: About 13,000

Manufacturer: DEWALT Industrial Tool Co., of Towson, Md.

Hazard: The pivot bracket on the saw can separate which can misalign the blade and the fence and cause kick back. This poses a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: DEWALT has received one reported incident of the table saw’s blade misaligning. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the 10 inch DEWALT jobsite table saw model number DW744. Date codes included in the recall are 200715 through 200740. The table saws are yellow and black. The model number and date code are located on the name plate on the front of the saw. Table saws with an “X” stamped on the name plate by the date code are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Major home centers and hardware stores nationwide from April 2007 through January 2008 for about $500.

Manufactured in: Mexico

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled table saws and contact DEWALT for the location of a service center to obtain a free replacement table saw.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact DEWALT toll-free at (888) 742-9178 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dewalt.com

Picture of Recalled Table Saw with location of model number and date code

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Recall: Kyodo America LawnBott Lawn Mowers Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: LawnBott Lawn Mowers

Units: About 530

Importer: Kyodo America Industries Co. LTD., of Lawrenceville, Ga.

Manufacturer: Zucchetti Centro Sistemi S.p.A., of Italy

Hazard: The cutting blades continue to rotate when the mower is lifted from the ground and the spacing on the side of the lawn mower could allow room for a consumer’s foot to go beyond the shield and be struck by the blade. Both instances pose a serious laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Kyodo America has received one report of a consumer lifting the mower from the ground and suffered minor lacerations from the moving blade.

Description: This recall involves LawnBott lawn mowers with model numbers LB2000, LB2100, LB3000, and LB3200. The robotic lawn mowers freely and automatically cut grass by detecting the signal of a perimeter cable. The mowers have a docking station for recharging and a shiny plastic cover sold in red, green or blue. ”Evolution” or “deluxe” is printed on the side of the mower.

Sold by: Kyodo America dealers nationwide from January 2006 through December 2007 for between $1,750 and $2,750.

Manufactured in: Italy

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled LawnBott lawn mowers immediately and contact Kyodo America to register their lawn mowers for repairs that will be ready by the end of June. Consumers who have registered their mower with Kyodo America have been sent direct notification by mail.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Kyodo America at (877) 465-9636 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.lawnbott.com

Picture of Recalled LawnBott Lawn Mower

Picture of Recalled LawnBott Lawn Mower

Recall: Gecko Alliance Electronic Spa Controls Used on Serenity Spas Due to Fire Hazard

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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 Series Spa hot tubs with serial numbers 01350XXXX through 03210XXXX. The serial numbers are printed on the right side of the spa control. The Gecko spa control (SSPA-1) has model number 0202-205097 printed on it.

Sold Exclusively by: Hydropool dealers throughout Northeastern United States in Serenity brand spas from January 2002 through December 2004 for between $3,900 to $8,200.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the hot tubs and reduce the water temperature control to the minimum setting. Consumers should contact Gecko Alliance’s Back-Pak support center to receive the free retrofit enclosure kit. The kit will be provided with a full set of instructions. Instructions also are available at www.back-pak.com. Consumer should not use their spa until after the retrofit enclosure kit is installed.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact the Back-Pak support team toll-free at (800) 784 3256 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET or visit www.back-pak.com

Picture of Recalled Serenity Spa Hot Tub Picture of Location of Serial Numbers

Recall: Portable Air Compressors Sold Exclusively at Advance Auto Parts Stores Due to Fire and Electrical Hazards

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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 being touched, which poses an electrical shock hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received four reports of fires. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves the 4.6 gallon, 3.5 HP Strike Force™ brand portable air compressor and includes the following model and serial numbers:

Model Number Serial No.
BMM2524 (25254) JWAPC4005xxxxxxxxx
AC251FT (2516) YFJAC4005xxxxxxxxxx
APC4005 (4005) CSCC4005xxxxxxxxxxx

The compressor has twin air tanks that are black-colored. The model and serial numbers are located on the compressor’s housing.

Sold at: Advance Auto Parts stores nationwide and online at www.partsamerica.com from October 2006 through December 2007 for about $90.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the air compressor immediately and return it to any Advance Auto Parts store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For further information, contact All-Power America toll-free at (888) 896-6881 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit either www.allpoweramerica.com or www.advanceautoparts.com

Picture of Recalled Portable Air Compressor

Black & Decker In- Car Charger

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Having a dead battery is never fun. Having one late at night or in the freezing snow is bad. How about late at night and in the freezing snow? Okay- enough! Dead batteries happen, but being prepared can make the situation easier.

Black & Decker has a gadget called Simple Start that can jump start a car with you not even having to get out of it. Plug the charger into your cigarette lighter and in about ten minutes, you’re good to go. To be sure it is always ready, recharge the starter once a month through your car’s cigarette lighter, or an electrical outlet.

The Simple Start also has a built in LED light and a 12 volt DC charging port for charging cell phones.

I’ve found the Simple Start online for about $40.

Recall: Campbell Hausfeld Air Compressors Following Fires

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Name of Product: Campbell Hausfeld and Husky Air Compressors

Units: About 233,000

Importer: Campbell Hausfeld, of Harrison, Ohio

Hazard: Protective covers on the compressor’s motor are not made from proper flame retardant material and can ignite, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 11 reports of fires. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves the following Campbell Hausfeld and Husky brand air compressors:

Capacity Model Numbers Serial Numbers
8-15 gallon HL410100, HL421000
HL421500, HL431500		 The first four digits of the serial number indicate a date code
from July 2005 (0705) through March 2007 (0307)
4 gallon HL5402 Have a prefix of HY, KB, or HU followed by a date code
from November 2006 (1106) through November 2007 (1107)

The model and serial number are located on the back of the tank.

Sold at: Home improvement and hardware stores nationwide from September 2005 through November 2007 for between $170 and $200.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the air compressor immediately and contact Campbell Hausfeld for a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For further information, contact Campbell Hausfeld at (800) 241-0448 between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.chpower.com

 

air compressors

Use Portable Generators Safely

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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 matter of minutes.

At least 65 people died in 2006 from generator-related CO poisoning. Many of the deaths occurred after winter storms knocked out power.

Follow these important generator safety tips:

  • Never use a portable generator inside a home, garage, shed or other partially enclosed space, even if doors and windows are open.
  • Use portable generators outside only, far away from the home. And keep the generator away from openings to the home, including doors, windows and vents.
  • Read the label on the generator and the owner’s manual, and follow the instructions.
  • Install CO alarms with battery backup in the home outside each sleeping area.
  • Get to fresh air immediately if you start to feel sick, weak or dizzy. CO poisoning from exposure to generator exhaust can quickly lead to incapacitation and death.

CPSC recently mandated a new danger label on generators manufactured after May 14, 2007. The label states that, “Using a generator indoors CAN KILL YOU IN MINUTES.”

CPSC has additional rulemaking underway on generators. The Commission directed staff to investigate various strategies to reduce consumers’ exposure to CO and to enable and encourage them to use generators outdoors only. Those strategies include generator engines with substantially reduced CO emissions, interlocking or automatic shutoff devices, weatherization requirements, theft deterrence and noise reduction.

In addition to safe generator use, CPSC suggests consumers follow these safety tips after a storm:

  • Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal carbon monoxide.
  • Use caution when burning candles. Use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when you leave the room.
  • Do not use portable heaters or lanterns while sleeping in enclosed areas such as tents, campers, and other vehicles. This is especially important at high altitudes, where the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is increased.

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    • Recall: DeWALT Cordless Drills Due to Fire Hazard

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    Name of Product: DEWALT Cordless Drills

    Units: About 346,000

    Manufacturer: DEWALT Industrial Tool Company, of Towson, Md.

    Hazard: The trigger switch of the cordless drill can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

    Incidents/Injuries: DEWALT has received 11 reports of trigger switches overheating. No injuries or property damage have been reported.

    Description: This recall involves DEWALT individual cordless drills listed below:

    Model Number Description Date Codes
    DC920 Heavy-Duty XRP™ 1/2” (13mm) 18 Volt Cordless Drill/Driver 200723 through 200742
    DC930 Heavy-Duty XRP™ 1/2″ (13mm) 14.4 Volt Cordless Drill/Driver 200625 through 200746
    DC935 Heavy-Duty XRP™ 1/2″ (13mm) 14.4 Volt Cordless Hammerdrill/Drill/Driver 200627 through 200746
    DC936 Heavy-Duty XRP™ 1/2″ (13mm) 14.4 Volt Cordless Hammerdrill/Drill/Driver 200635 through 200746
    DC940 Heavy-Duty XRP™ 1/2″ (13mm) 12 Volt Cordless Drill/Driver 200635 through 200746

    The model number is printed on a sticker on the side of the unit. The date code is embossed on the bottom of the unit. Units stamped with an “M” following the date code have been repaired and are not included in this recall. The packaging of repaired drills has a green dot sticker near the UPC label.

    Sold at: Wholesale distributors and retailers from about June 2006 through December 2007 for between $180 and $280.

    Manufactured in: Mexico

    Remedy: Consumers should stop using the drills immediately and contact DEWALT for the location of the nearest service center to receive a free inspection and, if necessary, free repair.

    Consumer Contact: Call DEWALT toll-free at (888) 742-9168 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit firm’s Web site at www.DEWALT.com

    Picture of Recalled DEWALT Cordless Drill