Tag: recalls

Fidget spinner recalled for failing the button battery test

by Paul, posted in Battery, children, Compliance Engineering, LinkedIn, News, Product Safety, Recalls

“Fidget Spinners help people channel their nervous energy into a toy conducive to one-hand fidgeting. Think of them as the modern equivalent of a stress ball. But a model … that features LED lights has been recalled for failing to conceal its button battery securely. Infants who swallow a button battery are exposed to serious health risks, warns Product Safety Australia.”

Source: Fidget spinner recalled for failing the button battery test

RELATED ARTICLES:

Fidget spinners probe launched in WA after reported eye injury, battery size concerns:

“An investigation has been launched …after an 11-year-old boy in Victoria reportedly suffered a serious eye injury from one of the models. A 10-year-old girl in the United States has also reportedly swallowed a small part of one of the models.”

Source: “http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-19/fidget-spinners-probe-launched-in-wa/8540730

/assets/js/kidspot-ie8-1494562072.js

Fidget spinners banned in schools after boy almost loses eye – Kidspot

“He threw the spinner up a little higher,” Molly said, “and he didn’t manage to catch the spinner but it came down and clipped the corner of his eye and crunch. He was very lucky not to lose his eyesight let alone his eyeball.”

Source: http://www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/real-life/in-the-news/warnings-over-fidget-spinners-after-aussie-school-boy-nearly-loses-his-eye

Are Fidget Spinners Bad for You? Texas Girl Has Surgery After Swallowing Metal Toy Part

A young girl aged 10 in Houston was taken “to the emergency room after the girl swallowed part of her fidget spinner. (She) had put a metal piece of her fidget spinner in her mouth to clean it, and it went down her throat. (She was taken) to the Texas Childrens Hospital, where an X-ray revealed the part—called a bushing—was stuck in her esophagus. The girl had to have surgery to “endoscopically locate and remove the object,” which was about the size of a quarter…

Source: http://www.newsweek.com/fidget-spinners-injuries-kids-choking-611491

Grandmother warns popular toy could be a choking hazard | WSB-TV

She had just bought her 3 year old grandson the Fidget Spinner, and he and his mother were riding with her in the car. “He was playing with it going down the road,” then the child’s mother noticed the spinner had come apart and the child had the parts in his hand, including a small battery that lights up.

Source: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/grandmother-warns-popular-toy-could-be-a-choking-hazard/517930032

 

Woolworths Limited — Halloween Flashing Tumbler and Goblet (Australia)

by Paul, posted in Battery, children, LinkedIn, Product Safety, Recalls

Source: Woolworths Limited — Halloween Flashing Tumbler and Goblet

What are the defects?

The battery cover can be opened without the use of a tool. This could allow young children to access the button batteries inside.

What are the hazards?

Ingestion of button cell batteries by young children can cause internal burns which may lead to serious injury or death.

U.S. Lawsuit Against Samsung Claims Injuries from Galaxy 7 Explosion

by Paul, posted in Battery, Fire, LinkedIn, Recalls

Samsung Electronics Co. was sued on Friday by a Florida man who said he suffered severe burns after his Galaxy Note 7 smartphone exploded in his front pants pocket…

Source: U.S. Lawsuit Against Samsung Claims Injuries from Galaxy 7 Explosion

Hoverboard fires, food scares fuel jump in Australia product recalls: ACCC

by Paul, posted in General, LinkedIn, News Snippets that catch my eye, Product Liability, Product Safety, Recalls

There has been a concerning jump in the number of products recalled in Australia in the past year, the ACCC says.

Source: Hoverboard fires, food scares fuel jump in Australia product recalls: ACCC

 

Ms Rickard said button batteries, which can be lethal to children of swallowed, are a continuing concern across a number of products.

“We’ve been working with industry to get a code in place that’s going to lead to much better containment of button batteries, and major retailers not being able to sell products that don’t have batteries properly screwed in,” she said.

“We most frequently get the recalls around children’s novelty products which flash, things like kids bracelets, flashing rings, drinking cups which are cheaply made so easily break.

“They’re also there in car keys, TV remote controls, kitchen scales, hearing aids, so they’re virtually ubiquitous, so we’re saying to anyone who supplies products that contain button batteries, unless they are securely contained so children can’t access them, they shouldn’t be sold at all.”

Recalls: Panasonic Australia Pty Ltd—Rechargeable Battery Pack CF-VZSU61U

by Paul, posted in Australian ICT, LinkedIn, Product Safety, Recalls

What are the defects?

There is a risk that the rechargeable battery pack may overheat cause smoke or may ignite.

What are the hazards?

If the defect occurs, there is a risk of a fire or a burn hazard to consumers and to the CF-S10 Panasonic Toughbook Computer

Source: Panasonic Australia Pty Ltd—Rechargeable Battery Pack CF-VZSU61U

Woolworths misled consumers over product safety hazards – Ordered to pay over $3 million in penalties

by Paul, posted in LinkedIn, News Snippets that catch my eye, Product Safety, Recalls

“Australian consumers must be able to rely on the safety of goods supplied to them by retailers. By failing to recall and remove products from its shelves for some time after it became aware that the products were defective, Woolworths misled Australian consumers and placed their safety at risk. The significant penalties imposed in this case reflect the serious nature of Woolworths’ conduct.” Mr Sims said “In the future, companies generally must do more to detect unsafe products and remove them from their shelves. The Court has ordered Woolworths to implement an upgraded, dedicated product safety compliance program, and its quality assurance processes will be monitored by an external auditor”.

Source: Woolworths misled consumers over product safety hazards – Ordered to pay over $3 million in penalties

Apple AC Wall Plug Adapter Exchange Program

by Paul, posted in Australian ICT, Electrical Safety, LinkedIn, Product Safety, Recalls

“Apple has determined that, in very rare cases, the two prong Apple AC wall plug adapters designed for use in Continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Argentina and Brazil may break and create a risk of electrical shock if touched. These wall plug adapters shipped from 2003 to 2015 with Mac and certain iOS devices, and were also included in the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit.”

See details at the Source: Apple AC Wall Plug Adapter Exchange Program – Apple Support

Australia Safety Recall: Microsoft Corporation—Microsoft AC Power Cordset for Surface Pro, Pro 2 & Selected Pro 3 Models

by Paul, posted in Australian ICT, Electrical Safety, LinkedIn, Product Safety, Recalls

What are the defects?

The AC supply flexible cord of the cordset can fail at the entry to the appliance connector where it plugs into the power supply unit for the device, or at the entry to the power socket.

What are the hazards?

Risk of electric shock and fire.

Source: Microsoft Corporation—Microsoft AC Power Cordset for Surface Pro, Pro 2 & Selected Pro 3 Models

Australia: IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SUPPLIERS OF CORDSETS

by Paul, posted in Electrical Safety, LinkedIn, Product Safety, Recalls

(Public information, copied from an email circular from ERAC Secretariat)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SUPPLIERS OF CORDSETS

Recently several companies have recalled a C5 type Appliance connector part of a cordset (Australian plug, cord and appliance connector for connection to equipment) that was supplied with equipment. It is reported the fault identified may cause the appliance connector to overheat and cause a fire or burn hazard.

The appliance connector is marked LS-15 and LINE TEK and SAI TE4211EA.

Cordsets are level 1 equipment in the EESS. Responsible suppliers supplying cordsets, either separately or with their electrical equipment, are required to ensure the cordset parts (plug, cord, appliance connector) have current valid certification and are electrically safe.

If you supply cordsets, either separately or with your electrical equipment, you are requested to check if the cordset appliance connector has these markings, and if so then you need to confirm your appliance connector does not have the same fault and is electrically safe. NOTE: it is understood not all appliance connectors of this manufacturer or certification will have this fault.

ERAC secretariat.

PAULSPIECE COMMENT: the “cordsets” mentioned above are mains power cord set assemblies comprising a mains plug, flexible electrical cord and an appliance connector. Refer to the first image below (images borrowed from the recall notices). All three components individually are Level 3 articles, requiring individual electrical authority approval and EESS registration at Level 3. However the fully-assembled cord set itself is Level 1. There have been three safety-related recalls of the affected IEC 60320 type C5 appliance connector model LS-15 in Australia in recent months from different suppliers (refer to earlier separate posts in paulspiece.com).

Cord set with LS-15 connector
Cord set with LS-15 connector indicated on the bottom right
LS-15 appliance connector
View of the LS-15 appliance connector, on the end of the cord sets, which is subject to these recalls

 

Product Safety Recall: Lenovo (Australia & New Zealand) Pty Ltd—Linetek LS-15 Power Cord for Use With Laptop Devices

by Paul, posted in Electrical Safety, LinkedIn, Product Safety, Recalls

Product description “LS-15” labeled AC Power cables.

The exposure is limited to a single part number (p/n 145000589) for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. A sticker attached to the cord with the name Linetek on it will show a revision date ‘REV-001005’. The female connector has the imprint ‘LS-15 Linetek’

What are the defects? In some instances the “LS-15” labelled connector’s electrical insulation may degrade over time with the potential to overheat and burn.

via Lenovo (Australia & New Zealand) Pty Ltd—Linetek LS-15 Power Cord for Use With Laptop Devices.

Recall: Toshiba Australia Pty Ltd—AC Personal Computer Power Cords

by Paul, posted in Electrical Safety, LinkedIn, Product Safety, Recalls

Product description “LS-15” labelled AC Power cord sold with PC computers between September 2010 and June 2012

Identifying features “LS-15” moulded marking on appliance connector together with Product code/serial number combination

What are the defects? In some instances the “LS-15” labelled connector’s electrical insulation may degrade over time with the potential to overheat and burn.

What are the hazards? AC Power cord may overheat and potentially cause a burn hazard.

via Toshiba Australia Pty Ltd—AC Personal Computer Power Cords.

3-in-1 USB Chargers Recalled Due to Fire Hazard | In Compliance Magazine

by Paul, posted in News Snippets that catch my eye, Product Safety, Recalls

(profiled for USA)

Tectron International has issued a recall for approximately 55,000 USB chargers because the chargers can overheat while in use, posing a fire hazard. The 3-in-1 chargers feature a 10-foot white cord with a USB plug on one end and 30-pin plug, lightning plug, and a mini USB plug on the other end. The chargers are compatible with different models iPhone, iPads, and android phones. The chargers were sold during school fundraisers from July 2014 to August 2014.

via 3-in-1 USB Chargers Recalled Due to Fire Hazard | In Compliance Magazine.

HP recalls Australian AC power cords (5.6 million already recalled in the US)

by Paul, posted in Electrical Safety, Product Safety, Recalls

AUSTRALIAN users of some HP and Compaq computers are being urged to return their AC power cords, following a massive recall of 5.6 million cords in the US.Another 446,700 of the Hewlett-Packard LS-15 cords have been recalled in Canada.The recalls are due to concern about overheating, which can pose a fire and burns risk.“Australia is one of the markets impacted by this product recall,” an HP Australia spokesman confirmed to The Australian today.

via HP recalls Australian AC power cords with 5.6 million already recalled in the US | The Australian.

More info:

http://www.recalls.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1062625

Product description

AC Power Cord set with IEC 60320-1 C5 type Appliance connector. Supplied with HP & Compaq Notebook and Mini notebooks PCs and accessories such as docking stations.

Identifying features

Model “LS-15” moulded marking on Appliance connector

What are the defects?

In some instances the ‘LS-15’ connector’s electrical insulation may degrade over time with the potential to overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard.

What are the hazards?

The AC power cord Appliance connectors have the potential to overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard

Dates available for sale

1st September 2010 – 30th June 2012

Supplier’s web site:

http://www8.hp.com/au/en/home.html