Nearly 700,000 Roman shades and roll-up blinds sold at Cost Plus and World Market stores are being recalled because they pose a strangulation hazard to young children. according to this news report, these Roman shades have a looped pull cord and exposed inner cords on the back of the shade. So far no injuries or deaths have been reported with these recalled Roman shades and roll-up blinds. But the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received reports of three deaths with one incident involving the death of a child who became entangled in the lifting cord of a roll-up style blind whose manufacturer and retailer have not yet been identified. Two other deaths have been attributed to exposed inner cords on various styles of roman-style shades.

IKEA Home Furnishings issued a similar product defect recall of 670,000 Roman blinds after a 1-year-old girl in Greenwich, Connecticut, died. The girl had become entangled in the inner cord of a Roman blind and was strangled. That incident occurred on April 4, 2008, when the little girl was playing in a portable playpen that was placed under a fully lowered blind.

The blinds involved in the most recent recall include those that were sold at Cost Plus and World Market stores nationwide from February 2006 through August 2008 for between $25 and $60. They were manufactured in India and China. Consumers are asked to stop using the recalled window blinds and shades and return the product to any Cost Plus/World Market store to get a full refund. Consumers looking for more information are asked to call Cost Plus at 1-877-967-5362.
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Stork Craft is recalling more than 500,000 defective cribs because the cribs’ support brackets can crack and break creating an entrapment or suffocation hazard for children. When one or more of these support brackets break, the crib mattress can collapse and create a dangerous gap between the mattress and crib rails where a child could get caught and choke. Our source for this blog was this news report in Consumeraffairs.com.

This recall is being conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Please click here to read the safety alert issued by the federal safety agency. CPSC is apparently aware of 10 incidents in which the mattress support brackets broke. The government agency received one report of a toddler who sustained bruises to his forehead. In another incident, a child became trapped in the gap between the mattress and the drop side rail, but thankfully did not suffer any injuries.

This recall involves Stork Craft Baby brand cribs that were manufactured in Canada, China and Indonesia and distributed between May 2000 and November 2008. The cribs were sold at major retail stores including JC Penney, Kmart and Walmart nationwide in various styles and finishes. They were also sold at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com and Walmart.com from May 2000 to January 2009 for between $100 and $400.
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Auto manufacturers in the United States recalled the fewest number of vehicles last year since 1994, according to this Associated Press news report. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report released this month shows that car companies recalled 10.4 million vehicles in 2008, which is 30 percent fewer than the 14.8 million vehicles recalled in 2007. This is apparently the lowest number of vehicles recalled since 1994 when the recall number was at an all time high at 6.2 million.

That said, car companies also issued a record 684 vehicle recall campaigns in 2008, a 16 percent increase over 2007 when the auto industry issued 587 campaigns. Among American auto makers, General Motors recalled about 1.8 million vehicles in 21 separate campaigns in 2008, more than triple the 538,000 vehicles recalled in 2007. Ford Motor Company recalled 1.6 million vehicles in 2008 and that is well below the 5.5 million recalled vehicles in 2007. Chrysler also saw significantly lower recall numbers. Chrysler recalled 360,000 cars and trucks in 2008 compared to 2.4 million in 2007.

However, two out of three major Japanese auto makers – Honda and Toyota – saw their recall numbers increase. Toyota recalled close to 1 million vehicles compared to 640,000 in 2007 while Honda recalled 800,000 vehicles in 2008 compared to 550,000 in 2007. Nissan however saw a drop to 824,000 last year compared to 1.3 million in 2007.
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Rashti & Rashti is expanding an earlier recall of its Taggies Sleep’n’Play garments for children because the snaps on these children’s clothes can detach posing a choking hazard to infants and toddlers. According to this news report, the earlier recall in July 2008 involved two Taggies Sleep’n’ Play style infant garments. Now two more styles manufactured before July 1, 2008 have been identified as having issues with the snaps. The recall now includes the Dinosaur Applique and the Pink Toss print styles as well.

These infant garments are one-piece footed coveralls with snaps down the front. They were sold at major retail outlets such as Babies’R’ US, Buy Buy Baby, Dillards, Nordstrom and Internet retailers from January 2007 through November 2008 for about $20. Consumers are asked to take these garments away from children immediately and contact Rashti & Rashti to receive a refund. For more information, please call the company at 1-888-594-3730.

These are the latest in the long line of children’s products that have been recalled in the last two years. Some of the products have included lead-tainted toys, dangerous furniture with serious manufacturing and design defects and clothes with drawstrings that had posed a choking hazard. A majority of these dangerous and defective products were made in China.
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Ohio-based food distributor, King Nut Company, has recalled two brands of peanut butter after the deadly salmonella bacteria was found in an open five-pound tub sold under the King Nut label. The company has also recalled its Parnell’s Pride brand. The salmonella-tainted peanut butter was not sold in retail stores, but it was distributed to hospitals, schools, restaurants and nursing homes through food service companies. Our source for this blog was this Reuters news report.

Minnesota health officials issued a product safety alert on January 9, 2009 after finding a King Nut peanut butter jar contaminated with the strain of salmonella linked to a salmonella outbreak across the United States. Since September the salmonella food poisoning has sickened at least 399 people in 42 states and has sent at least 70 people to the hospital, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

This is not the first time that Americans have been sickened by salmonella tainted peanut butter. In 2007 a similar outbreak was linked to Peter Pan peanut butter manufactured by ConAgra Foods Inc. That outbreak sickened more than 300 people. ConAgra closed a Georgia plant where the contamination was said to have occurred. The current salmonella outbreak has most affected California. So far 55 cases have been reported here.
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A nationwide salmonella outbreak has struck 42 states including California, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Apparently, 400 people have become ill and one person has died as a result of this salmonella infection. In fact, Ohio and California reported the most, with 51 cases each. Our source for this blog was this Associated Press news report.

Reports of these illnesses began between September 3, 2008 and Dec. 29, 2008. But a majority of victims became sick after Oct. 1. Symptoms widely reported were diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness is said to last anywhere between four and seven days. One out of five victims had to be hospitalized, officials say. Health officials have not yet been able to pinpoint what is causing this food-borne illness. That is even more frightening because not knowing what food is responsible for this salmonella outbreak means federal officials cannot track the original source of contamination.
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Michael Jochum, 60, of Anaheim, was injured in an auto accident after his Jeep malfunctioned while making a U-turn, jumped a median and crashed into the front of a rug store in Fountain Valley. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the accident occurred the afternoon of January 6, 2009, when Jochum was attempting to make a U-turn at Euclid and Condor streets.

Jochum told officials that it seemed as if his car had “locked up.” As he finished his turn, Jochum’s Jeep accelerated causing him to hit the median, cross into oncoming traffic and jump the sidewalk before crashing into the Rugco store. Jochum says he felt helpless because the airbag deployed after he hit the center median and he couldn’t see where he was going.

This is a horrible California auto accident that could have turned out a lot worse. I’m relieved that the driver, Michael Jochum, the employees of the rug store and other pedestrians in the area were not injured or killed in this crash. Jochum did suffer injuries to his ribs in the crash. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
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Jardine Enterprises is expanding an earlier recall of 320,000 defective cribs sold at Babies ‘R’ Us because the wooden slats can break creating a gap posing an entrapment and strangulation hazard to infants and toddlers. The current recall includes an additional 56,450 cribs. This recall came after federal safety regulators received 19 additional incidents of crib slats breaking. In nine of these incidents, consumers apparently reported that their child broke the slat while still in the crib. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) also received a report of one 22-month-old falling through the gap between the crib slats when one of the slats came apart. Our source for this blog was this news report in Consumeraffairs.com.

The current recall involves three models of Jardine wooden cribs. The date codes and model numbers are printed on the label located on the inside of the bottom rail of the crib’s headboard or footboard. Apart from Babies‘R’Us, these defective cribs that were manufactured in China, were sold at KidsWorld, Geoffrey Stores and Toys‘R’Us stores across the country and at babiesrus.com from March 2004 through January 2009 for between $220 and $330.
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Lasko has agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty for failing to immediately report incidents about its defective portable box and floor fans that were said to have caused injuries and property damage. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Lasko received 42 reports of these defective fans overheating, smoking, melting or catching fire, resulting in nine personal injuries and several instances of property damage. Our source for this blog was this news report in the Miami Herald.

Federal law requires companies to alert the CPSC within 24 hours of learning information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product is defective and could create a substantial product hazard or an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. Consumers who have the recalled fans can still receive a free fan cord adapter that shuts off the fan motor if overheating occurs. Those who want more information about this recall are asked to contact Lasko at 1-800-984-3311 or visit www.laskoproducts.com.
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Hyundai Motor Company is recalling about 347 of its 2008 model year Elantras because of a defective fuel pump. According to this news report in Consumeraffairs.com , the affected Hyundai Elantra fuel pumps may produce less pumping pressure than is needed to supply the fuel injection system, causing poor engine starting and hesitation, possibly leading to a crash.

The models with the defective fuel pumps were apparently manufactured at Hyundai’s Puerto Rico plant. This recall is expected to begin in February. Hyundai dealers will replace the fuel pump subassembly on the affected vehicles free of charge. Owners with more questions are asked to call Hyundai at 1-800-981-0188 and reference recall number 086. Consumers may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 or visit the federal agency’s Web site at www.safercar.gov.
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