In this month’s Recall Roundup for non-edible items, fans and chandeliers might plummet from the ceiling, handlebars on kids’ bikes and amphibious vehicles for grown-ups fall apart, and cocktail glasses shatter for no reason. Also, there are 40,000 portable heaters out there that could spray hot oil on their owners at any time. [More]
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Report: Injuries Related To Bounce Houses, Other Inflatable Attractions, On The Rise
By 3.6.15
Is it every kid’s dream to go flying through the air, light as a bird, only to land safely on a soft surface? Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean that all of those inflatable bounce houses, castles, slides and other amusements are necessarily safe for children, and a federal agency is pointing to a rise in injuries on such attractions to make sure parents are aware of the risks. [More]
Alibaba Promises To Help CPSC Keep Banned Merchandise Out Of The United States
By 1.13.15
Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba is the world’s largest online marketplace, and its wide reach has a downside for consumer safety. Retailers and consumers alike use the site to source parts and products directly from factories abroad. The lack of intermediaries makes it very easy to order products that have been banned in the United States for safety reasons, and that’s why the Consumer Product Safety Commission has teamed up with the site. [More]
Fitbit Puts Allergen Warning Labels On Wearables
By 10.20.14
You may remember the Fitbit Force, a fitness-tracking wristband that went on the market at the end of 2013, then was eventually recalled after Consumerist brought rashes caused by the devices to the world’s attention. We’ve heard reports that the Force’s less intelligent cousin, the Flex, also caused skin irritation in some wearers. Know who else heard that? The Consumer Product Safety Commission. Fortunately for Fitbit, they’re only getting a warning. Label. [More]
Vizio Recalls 245,000 TVs Because “Tipping Over” Is Not A Desirable Feature
By 8.6.14
Because it’s hard to watch TV when you screen has fallen onto the floor, the folks at Vizio are recalling approximately 245,000 39″ and 42″ TVs with stands that might fail. [More]
CPSC: Best Buy And Its Closeout Stores Sold Electronics And Furniture After Recall
By 7.25.14
Once an item has been formally recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it becomes illegal to sell that item. Yet the CPSC reports that Best Buy, Magnolia, Best Buy Private Auction, CowBoom, and TechLiquidators continued to sell products that had already been recalled in 2012 and 2013. [More]
CPSC Finally Announces Recall Of Buckyballs, Kicking Off Refund Process
By 7.17.14
After two years of fighting the makers of Buckyballs and related Buckycubes to get the manufacturer to issue a recall of the magnetic toys that health experts say can rip through your gut if swallowed, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says it’s reached a settlement with the owner of the former company, and consumers can start filing their refund requests. [More]
Which Fireworks, If Any, Are Legal In My State?
By 7.2.14
Like many kids whose families made biannual treks down I-95 to Florida, I used to beg my mom to please let me stock up on all the brightly colored and colorfully named fireworks you could buy at places like South of the Border. And every year on July 4th, I’d still be stuck with my stupid sparklers while the kids down the block set off their Fiesta Bombs and Earth Shakers. But hey, at least I wasn’t breaking the law, no matter how awesome it would have been. [More]
Baby-Carrier Maker Is ‘Company Doe,’ Tried To Litigate In Secret To Save Reputation
By 5.8.14
For the past couple of years, we’ve been telling you about “Company Doe,” a manufacturer of some kind who had successfully convinced a federal court to allow it to sue the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in secret, keeping its name and all relevant details of the case shielded behind black boxes of redacted text. Last month, an appeals court recognized how ridiculous this idea was and ordered that Company Doe be unmasked. And yesterday it was finally revealed to be Ergobaby, the company behind Orbit baby carriers. [More]
Stories You Might Have Missed Because You Were Too Busy Being Awesome
April 19, 2014
We post a lot of stories during the week, and we know that most of you have jobs, families, lives, hobbies, nagging itches and other more important things to do than read every single thing we write. So for those who might be playing catch-up on the weekend, here are some of the things you might have missed… [More]
Court Rules That Companies Can’t Litigate In Secret Just To Protect Reputation
By 4.16.14
Since 2012, we’ve been telling you about the mysterious case of Company Doe, a business that had sued the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission over the agency’s SaferProducts.gov database and had convinced a court to let it do so anonymously in order to protect the company’s reputation, setting a dangerous precedent that would allow manufacturers to file such lawsuits completely out of view of the public. But a federal appeals court has sided with consumer advocates and ordered that Company Doe’s identity be revealed. [More]
Walmart Recalls 174,000 My Sweet Love/My Sweet Baby Dolls Because Burnt Flesh Isn’t So Sweet
By 3.25.14
Though a handful of kids’ dolls have been known to become possessed by the souls of deceased serial killers — not to mention the occasional murderous, self-aware ventriloquist dummy — it’s generally accepted that dolls are not supposed to hurt the children who play with them. That’s why Walmart has issued a recall on 174,000 dolls that can overheat and cause burns or blisters. [More]
Fitbit Sued Over Itch-And-Rash-Inducing Wristbands
By 3.20.14
Nearly a month after Fitbit voluntarily recalled its Fitbit Force bracelets over complaints from thousands of users who developed itchy rashes while wearing the devices, and weeks after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission made the recall official, comes the first of what will likely be many lawsuits against the company. [More]
CPSC Wants Fitbit To Share Recall News With Customers
By 3.12.14
While Fitbit issued a voluntary recall of its itch-inducing fitness bands in February and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced a formal recall of 1 million of the devices, the company has been pretty quiet about sharing this information with its most dedicated customers. [More]
Government Officially Recalls Fitbit’s Rash-Inducing Wristbands
By 3.12.14
Nearly two months after Consumerist first brought you the news of Fitbit owners complaining about itchy rashes resulting from the fitness band, and several weeks after the company undertook its own recall of the product, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled 1 million of the devices in the U.S. after receiving nearly 10,000 complaints from consumers. [More]
CPSC Working With Fitbit On Mysterious Force Rash Issues
By 3.4.14
Some users of the new Fitbit Force activity tracker really liked the product. They thought it was just great… right up until ugly patches of contact dermatitis broke out on their wrists. The company announced its own recall, but is simply accepting wristbands back from users who don’t want them enough? [More]
More Bad News For Babies: 216,000 Britax Strollers Recalled Over Finger Amputation Risk
By 1.31.14
It’s been quite a bad news week for babies and their parents — on the heels of yesterday’s recall of 200,000 baby pacifiers by Fred & Friends, Britax has announced it’s recalling 216,000 strollers over the risk of amputation. [More]
Recall Of 200K Pacifiers: While A Baby With A Mustache Is Cute, It’s Not Worth Choking Over
By 1.30.14
Look that baby! She’s got a mustache and a tiny little beard! Isn’t that just so adorable, because see, babies can’t grow facial hair and also she’s a girl? Sure, it might be cute, but the company behind three novelty pacifiers, Fred & Friends, has announced it’s recalling 200,000 over safety concerns. Namely, that a baby could choke on some of the parts included. [More]
