WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an unprecedented initiative by the three product safety agencies of North America, technical staff of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada, and Mexico’s Consumer Protection Federal Agency (PROFECO) have developed consensus recommendations to improve test methods for ensuring the safety of alternating current (AC) chargers and universal serial bus (USB) chargers.

In joint tri-lateral letters to the standards development organizations in the three jurisdictions, the product safety agencies recommended new testing to assess the potential for fire and burn hazards caused by AC-powered chargers for small electronic devices.  This collaboration represents the first example of a joint consumer product safety standard recommendation developed among multiple governments that are not members of a single administrative region.

The joint letters conclude a multi-year project under the three agencies’ “Early Consultation Initiative.” The stated goal of the Early Consultation Initiative was to foster closer alignment of consumer product safety requirements through technical consultations. The strategy was to seek consensus approaches to consumer product hazards not yet being addressed through formal regulatory or standards work.

In the joint letters to U.S.-based Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL), Canada-based CSA group, and the Mexican government’s Directorate General of Standards (DGN), staff cited numerous incidents of injuries.  These included burns from contact with hot surfaces on an electronic device, or the charger itself; fires and explosions that initiated within the charger, or in one of the cords attached to the charger; and electric shock injuries from user-contact with an exposed energized conductor when the charger housing is breached by melting, or when the housing breaks apart.  Incidents also included lithium-ion battery fires as a result of improper charging. The letters noted that incidents are more prevalent when an AC charger or USB charger has not been evaluated and certified by a third party testing facility.  The trilateral team examined incident data and analyzed existing voluntary standards before proposing new testing procedures and requesting that standards developers add the tests to their current standards.

“This initiative has proven, at least on a small scale, that multiple jurisdictions can develop consensus recommendations to improve voluntary safety standards, if they consult early and compare data and experience,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle. “We are very hopeful this will provide a template for future initiatives.”   Buerkle added that a second round of the Early Consultation Initiative will be underway during 2019.

Consensus Paper - Trilateral Investigation into the Safety Hazards Associated with AC and USB Chargers (also called Adapters)

CPSC Test Report - Early Consultation Initiative AC and USB Chargers Testing Procedures

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Babies spend most of their time sleeping, so the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging parents and caregivers to get “back to basics” to make sure that baby’s sleep spaces are safe. CPSC’s new public service announcement focuses on three key reminders for safe sleep:  

1. Back to Sleep: Always place the baby to sleep on the baby’s back to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUID/SIDS) and suffocation;
2. Bare is Best: Always keep the baby’s sleep space bare (fitted sheet only) to prevent suffocation. Do not use pillows, padded crib bumpers, quilts or comforters; and 
3. Only place the baby to sleep in a product that is intended for sleep. Transfer the baby to a crib, bassinet, play yard or bedside sleeper if the baby falls asleep in a swing, bouncer, lounger or similar product. 

CPSC’s most recent report on nursery product injuries and deaths shows that cribs/mattresses, playpens/play yards, bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined infant sleep products were associated with 83 percent of the fatalities reported. About one-third (32 percent) of infant and toddler fatalities were associated with cribs and/or mattresses, while bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined sleep products, collectively, were associated with an additional one-third (32 percent) of fatalities. Most of these nursery product-related deaths are due to asphyxiation resulting from a cluttered or hazardous sleep environment. The sleep area is often cluttered with extra bedding, such as pillows, blankets, comforters and plush toys. 

Beginning in mid-2022, any product intended or marketed for infant sleep must meet a new federal safety standard. This new mandatory standard will effectively eliminate potentially hazardous sleep products in the marketplace that currently do not meet a CPSC mandatory standard for infant sleep, such as inclined sleepers, travel and compact bassinets and in-bed sleepers, which have been linked to dozens of infant deaths. Popular products formerly referred to as “inclined sleep products” include several styles that have been recalled over the years.

“Protecting babies and toddlers is among the most sacred of our obligations as Commissioners,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “We are dedicated to using all the tools at the agency’s disposal—education, enforcement and rulemaking—to ensure that when a product is intended or marketed for sleep, it will indeed be safe for an infant to sleep.”

The new federal safety rule incorporates the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International (ASTM F3118-17a, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Inclined Sleep Products), with modifications to make the standard more stringent. The new standard requires that infant sleep products that do not already meet the requirements of an existing CPSC sleep standard now must be tested to confirm that the angle of the sleep surface is 10 degrees or lower, and that the products comply with the agency’s Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles.

For more tips on baby safety, recalled baby products and to view CPSC’s newest baby safety PSA, “Back to Basics,” visit CPSC’s Safe Sleep and Crib Safety Education Center here. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Babies spend most of their time sleeping, so the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging parents and caregivers to get “back to basics” to make sure that baby’s sleep spaces are safe. CPSC’s new public service announcement focuses on three key reminders for safe sleep:  

1. Back to Sleep: Always place the baby to sleep on the baby’s back to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUID/SIDS) and suffocation;
2. Bare is Best: Always keep the baby’s sleep space bare (fitted sheet only) to prevent suffocation. Do not use pillows, padded crib bumpers, quilts or comforters; and 
3. Only place the baby to sleep in a product that is intended for sleep. Transfer the baby to a crib, bassinet, play yard or bedside sleeper if the baby falls asleep in a swing, bouncer, lounger or similar product. 

CPSC’s most recent report on nursery product injuries and deaths shows that cribs/mattresses, playpens/play yards, bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined infant sleep products were associated with 83 percent of the fatalities reported. About one-third (32 percent) of infant and toddler fatalities were associated with cribs and/or mattresses, while bassinets/cradles, infant carriers and inclined sleep products, collectively, were associated with an additional one-third (32 percent) of fatalities. Most of these nursery product-related deaths are due to asphyxiation resulting from a cluttered or hazardous sleep environment. The sleep area is often cluttered with extra bedding, such as pillows, blankets, comforters and plush toys. 

Beginning in mid-2022, any product intended or marketed for infant sleep must meet a new federal safety standard. This new mandatory standard will effectively eliminate potentially hazardous sleep products in the marketplace that currently do not meet a CPSC mandatory standard for infant sleep, such as inclined sleepers, travel and compact bassinets and in-bed sleepers, which have been linked to dozens of infant deaths. Popular products formerly referred to as “inclined sleep products” include several styles that have been recalled over the years.

“Protecting babies and toddlers is among the most sacred of our obligations as Commissioners,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “We are dedicated to using all the tools at the agency’s disposal—education, enforcement and rulemaking—to ensure that when a product is intended or marketed for sleep, it will indeed be safe for an infant to sleep.”

The new federal safety rule incorporates the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International (ASTM F3118-17a, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Inclined Sleep Products), with modifications to make the standard more stringent. The new standard requires that infant sleep products that do not already meet the requirements of an existing CPSC sleep standard now must be tested to confirm that the angle of the sleep surface is 10 degrees or lower, and that the products comply with the agency’s Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles.

For more tips on baby safety, recalled baby products and to view CPSC’s newest baby safety PSA, “Back to Basics,” visit CPSC’s Safe Sleep and Crib Safety Education Center here. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Tropical Storm Nicholas threatens the Gulf Coast, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to be prepared for power outages and to take steps now to keep their families safe. 

Loss of Power—Using a Generator Safely

Consumers need to be especially careful during a loss of electrical power.  Many use portable generators and other devices for sources of power and heat, exposing themselves to increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire. Consumers who plan to use a portable generator in the case of a power loss should follow these tips:

• Operate portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet away from the house, and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter.  
• Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed, or on the porch. Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO. 
• Check that portable generators have had proper maintenance, and read and follow the labels, instructions, and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.
• CPSC urges consumers to look for and ask retailers for a portable generator equipped with a safety feature to shut off automatically when certain CO concentrations are present.  

Poisonous carbon monoxide from a portable generator can kill in minutes. CO is an invisible killer. It’s colorless and odorless. According to the CDC, more than 400 people die each year in the United States from CO poisoning. CPSC estimates about 78 consumers die each year from CO poisoning caused by portable generators. CO poisoning from portable generators can happen so quickly that exposed persons may become unconscious before recognizing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness, or weakness.

 To help avoid carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup at home, outside separate sleeping areas, and on each floor of your home.
• Make sure CO alarms at home are working properly, by pressing the test button and replacing batteries, if needed. Never ignore a carbon monoxide alarm when it sounds. Get outside immediately. Then call 911.

Dangers with Charcoal and Candles

• Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide. Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.
• Use caution when burning candles. Use flashlights instead. If using candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when leaving the room and before sleeping.
• Make sure smoke alarms are installed on every level of the house and inside each bedroom. Never ignore a ringing smoke alarm. Get outside immediately. Call 911.

If the storm causes flooding:

• Look for signs that your appliances have gotten wet. Discard unplugged electrical or gas appliances that have been wet, because they pose electric shock and fire hazards. Do not touch electrical or gas appliances that are still plugged in.
• Before using your appliances, have a professional or your gas or electric company evaluate your home, and replace all gas control valves, electrical wiring, circuit breakers, and fuses that have been under water.

If the storm causes gas leaks:

• Smell or hear gas? Do not turn lights on or off, or use electrical equipment, including a phone. Leave the home and contact local gas authorities from outside.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said that you may need to adjust any preparedness actions, based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC and local officials.  

Remember, it only takes one storm to wreak havoc, causing mass destruction and loss of life.  Be informed, be prepared, and be safe!

CPSC resources:

Carbon Monoxide Safety Center

Links to broadcast quality video for media: 

Hurricane Safety b-roll: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/XtFQ7YqK0x

Flood safety b-roll:  https://spaces.hightail.com/space/thCBWTX157

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye at nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As schools reopen this fall and kids head back to the classroom, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and students to “Think Safety First.”  Every year, thousands of children are injured on playgrounds, while playing sports, or as they walk, bike, skateboard or scooter to and from school.

Prevent injuries and illness before they happen by following these safety tips when heading back to school:

Mask Up:

• Safety Tip: To stay safe from COVID-19, follow local, state and federal guidance on face mask wearing at school.

Distracted Walking: 

• Safety Tip: Don’t text or talk on the phone while walking. Distracted walking can be dangerous, especially near traffic and crosswalks.
• For the two-year period from 2019 to 2020, there were an estimated 4,600 emergency room-treated injuries associated with walking while distracted on the phone.

Bicycles:

• Safety Tip: Wear a helmet when biking, skateboarding, or riding a scooter to school, or while playing sports.
• From fractures to contusions and lacerations, there were an estimated annual average of 144,100 emergency room-treated bicycle injuries from 2017 to 2019, to children under 16 years old.

Playgrounds:

• Safety Tip: Leave necklaces and clothing with drawstrings at home to reduce strangulation hazards. Check for “S” hooks, protruding bolt ends, and sharp points or edges on playground equipment. Don’t play on slides or other surfaces that are burning hot. Check that the playground has good impact surfacing such as nine inches of mulch/wood chips.
• Each year, more than 206,700 injuries to children under the age of 16 occur on playgrounds. CPSC has investigated 43 deaths associated with playground equipment that happened since 2014.

Backpacks:

• Safety Tip: Lighten the load! Make sure backpacks for students are not too heavy.
• Heavy backpacks can hurt young backs! From 2017 to 2019, an estimated annual average of 7,500 kids under 19 years old were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to backpacks.

Movable Soccer Goal Deaths and Injuries:

• Safety Tip: Make sure movable soccer goals are anchored securely!
• CPSC is aware of 12 reported fatalities involving children under the age of 16, which occurred between 2000 and 2019, due to soccer goal tip overs or structural failure. From 2000 to 2019, there were about 3,400 emergency room-treated soccer goal tip over- or structural failure-related injuries involving children under the age of 16.

Chemistry Classroom Experiments:

• Safety Tip: Don’t get burned by science! Parents: Attend back-to-school night, or contact the teacher and ask about precautions that will be taken during experiments using fuel and flames.
• To minimize the risk of injuries to students from flame jetting--a sudden and possibly violent flash fire that can occur when pouring flammable liquids from a container over an exposed flame or other ignition source--schools and teachers should:
  • Conduct a hazard analysis and take proper precautions.
  • Consider safer demonstrations, such as a flame test.
  • If pouring flammable liquids, use the smallest beakers possible, and keep larger containers out of the classroom. Do not use flasks.

Don’t become a statistic! “Think Safety First” when heading back to school.

Related poster:

NSN Poster: Think Safety First as Kids Head Back to School

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye at nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Consumer Protection Federal Agency of Mexico (PROFECO), and the Department of Health Canada (Health Canada) remain committed to our collaboration and to the common goal of protecting the consumers of North America.

On May 3rd and 4th, 2018, the product safety regulators held the Fourth North America Consumer Product Safety Summit in Bethesda, Maryland to take stock of the accomplishments in recent years, gather input from a wide range of stakeholders, identify areas for joint work in product safety, and develop a path forward for future collaboration.  Regulators will build upon the achievements to date and explore new areas for cooperation under the new trilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of March 2018.

In 2011 the regulators held the first North America Product Safety Summit in Bethesda, Maryland, followed by the 2013 Summit in Ottawa and the 2015 Summit in Mexico. The regulators see the continuation of this collaboration as an essential aspect of addressing consumer product safety issues in today’s economies. The rise of online and direct-to-consumer sales has blurred traditional borders and has enabled consumers to access an ever-increasing variety of consumer products. Innovative products and the ways in which consumers interact with them are changing the way regulators approach consumer product safety. As such, trilateral cooperation remains an essential tool to meeting the challenges of today’s marketplace.  

The 2018 Summit focused on the product safety challenges presented by e-commerce and high energy batteries (e.g., lithium-ion), and gave regulators a chance to hear from North American stakeholders on consumer product safety matters of interest to them.

Staff from the three agencies will develop activities based consensus generated during the summit, as well as the priority areas of cooperation as outlined in the recently signed MOU, including:

1. developing further the regulators’ joint capacity to engage in cross-border product safety and customs cooperation in order to prevent trade in hazardous products within North America;
2. creating joint outreach activities to promote consumer awareness;
3. participating in joint industry outreach activities to conduct training on product safety requirements in North America;
4. promoting collaboration across different technical areas including laboratory sciences, risk identification, and compliance;
5. working together and with industry to issue joint recalls when the regulators mutually decide it is appropriate;
6. holding technical consultations on consumer product hazards; 
7. where authorized by each regulator’s national laws, sharing best practices related to compliance and enforcement, risk assessments of consumer products, and the identification of new and emerging issues of concern;
8. sharing updates or proposed changes to relevant legislation, regulations, safety standards, and conformity assessment procedures, to the extent possible;
9. holding technical staff exchange programs on issues of mutual interest; and,
10. holding joint working group meetings on issues of mutual interest.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Tropical Depression Ida continues on its path of destruction through the Gulf states and barrels northeast toward the mid-Atlantic region, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to be prepared for power outages and to take steps now to keep their families safe. 

Before the Storm

Consumers need to be especially careful during a loss of electrical power.  Many use portable generators and other devices for sources of power and heat, exposing themselves to increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire. If you plan to use a portable generator in the case of a power loss, follow these tips to prepare before the storm:

• Make sure CO and smoke alarms in your home are working properly, by pressing the test button and replacing batteries, if needed.         

• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup in your home, outside separate sleeping areas, and on each floor of your home.

• Check that your generator has had proper maintenance, and read and follow the labels, instructions, and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.

Poisonous carbon monoxide from a portable generator can kill you and your family in minutes. CO is an invisible killer. It’s colorless and odorless. According to the CDC, more than 400 people die each year in the United States from CO poisoning. CPSC estimates about 78 consumers die each year from CO poisoning caused by portable generators. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said that you may need to adjust any preparedness actions, based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC and your local officials during the COVID-19 pandemic.   

After the Storm

The storm has hit, and the power is out. Now what? Follow these life-saving tips:

• Operate portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet away from the house; and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter.  

• Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed, or on the porch. Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO. 

• Never ignore a carbon monoxide alarm when it sounds. Get outside immediately. Then call 911.  

• CO poisoning from portable generators can happen so quickly that exposed persons may become unconscious before recognizing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness, or weakness.

Other product safety hazards during hurricane season include:

CHARCOAL DANGER: 

- Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide. Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.

CANDLES:

- 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 and before sleeping.

WET APPLIANCES:

- Look for signs that your appliances have gotten wet. Discard unplugged electrical or gas appliances that have been wet, because they pose electric shock and fire hazards. Do not touch electrical or gas appliances that are still plugged in.

- Before using your appliances, have a professional or your gas or electric company evaluate your home and replace all gas control valves, electrical wiring, circuit breakers, and fuses that have been under water.

GAS LEAKS: IF YOU SMELL IT, EVACUATE AND REPORT IT.

If you smell or hear gas, do not turn lights on or off, or use electrical equipment, including a phone. Leave your home and contact local gas authorities from outside.

In Case of Evacuation/COVID-19 Concerns

• If you must evacuate, the CDC recommends having additional items on hand, such as cloth face coverings, hand sanitizer, and cleaning products to help prevent the spread of viruses at the shelter. CPSC also reminds consumers to keep all cleaning products and medications out of reach of children, and keep these items in their original child-resistant containers at your evacuation site.

Remember, it only takes one storm to wreak havoc, causing mass destruction and loss of life.  Be informed, be prepared, and be safe!

CPSC resources:

Carbon Monoxide Safety Center

Links to broadcast quality video for media: 

Flood safety b-roll:  https://spaces.hightail.com/space/thCBWTX157

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye at nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Hurricane Ida threatens several states, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to be prepared for power outages and to take steps now to keep their families safe.

Before the Storm

Consumers need to be especially careful during a loss of electrical power.  Many use portable generators and other devices for sources of power and heat, exposing themselves to increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire. If you plan to use a portable generator in the case of a power loss, follow these tips to prepare before the storm:

• Make sure CO and smoke alarms in your home are working properly, by pressing the test button and replacing batteries, if needed.         
• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup in your home, outside separate sleeping areas, and on each floor of your home.
• Check that your generator has had proper maintenance, and read and follow the labels, instructions, and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.

Poisonous carbon monoxide from a portable generator can kill you and your family in minutes. CO is an invisible killer. It’s colorless and odorless. According to the CDC, more than 400 people die each year in the United States from CO poisoning. CPSC estimates about 78 consumers die each year from CO poisoning caused by portable generators.

After the Storm

The storm has hit, and the power is out. Now what? Follow these life-saving tips:

• Operate portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet away from the house; and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter.  
• Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed, or on the porch. Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO.
• Never ignore a carbon monoxide alarm when it sounds. Get outside immediately. Then call 911. 
• CO poisoning from portable generators can happen so quickly that exposed persons may become unconscious before recognizing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness, or weakness.
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said that you may need to adjust any preparedness actions, based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC and your local officials. 

Other product safety hazards during hurricane season include:

CHARCOAL DANGER:

- Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide. Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.

CANDLES:

- 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 and before sleeping.

WET APPLIANCES:

- Look for signs that your appliances have gotten wet. Discard unplugged electrical or gas appliances that have been wet, because they pose electric shock and fire hazards. Do not touch electrical or gas appliances that are still plugged in.

- Before using your appliances, have a professional or your gas or electric company evaluate your home and replace all gas control valves, electrical wiring, circuit breakers, and fuses that have been under water.

GAS LEAKS: IF YOU SMELL IT, EVACUATE AND REPORT IT.

If you smell or hear gas, do not turn lights on or off, or use electrical equipment, including a phone. Leave your home and contact local gas authorities from outside.

In Case of Evacuation/COVID-19 Concerns:

• If you must evacuate, the CDC recommends having additional items on hand, such as cloth face coverings, hand sanitizer, and cleaning products to help prevent the spread of viruses at the shelter. CPSC also reminds consumers to keep all cleaning products and medications out of reach of children, and keep these items in their original child-resistant containers at your evacuation site.

Remember, it only takes one storm to wreak havoc, causing mass destruction and loss of life.  Be informed, be prepared, and be safe!

CPSC resources:

Carbon Monoxide Safety Center

NSN Poster – Safety in the Storm, When Hurricanes Happen

PSA - Hurricane Season is in Full Swing

Links to broadcast quality video for media:

Hurricane Safety b-roll: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/XtFQ7YqK0x

Flood safety b-roll:  https://spaces.hightail.com/space/thCBWTX157

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye at nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As schools reopen this fall and kids head back to the classroom, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and students to “Think Safety First.”  Every year, thousands of children are injured on playgrounds, while playing sports, or as they walk, bike, skateboard or scooter to and from school.

Prevent injuries and illness before they happen by following these safety tips when heading back to school:

Mask Up:

• Safety Tip: To stay safe from COVID-19, follow local, state and federal guidance on face mask wearing at school.

Distracted Walking: 

• Safety Tip: Don’t text or talk on the phone while walking. Distracted walking can be dangerous, especially near traffic and crosswalks.
• For the two-year period from 2019 to 2020, there were an estimated 4,600 emergency room-treated injuries associated with walking while distracted on the phone.

Bicycles:

• Safety Tip: Wear a helmet when biking, skateboarding, or riding a scooter to school, or while playing sports.
• From fractures to contusions and lacerations, there were an estimated annual average of 144,100 emergency room-treated bicycle injuries from 2017 to 2019, to children under 16 years old.

Playgrounds:

• Safety Tip: Leave necklaces and clothing with drawstrings at home to reduce strangulation hazards. Check for “S” hooks, protruding bolt ends, and sharp points or edges on playground equipment. Don’t play on slides or other surfaces that are burning hot. Check that the playground has good impact surfacing such as nine inches of mulch/wood chips.
• Each year, more than 206,700 injuries to children under the age of 16 occur on playgrounds. CPSC has investigated 43 deaths associated with playground equipment that happened since 2014.

Backpacks:

• Safety Tip: Lighten the load! Make sure backpacks for students are not too heavy.
• Heavy backpacks can hurt young backs! From 2017 to 2019, an estimated annual average of 7,500 kids under 19 years old were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to backpacks.

Movable Soccer Goal Deaths and Injuries:

• Safety Tip: Make sure movable soccer goals are anchored securely!
• CPSC is aware of 12 reported fatalities involving children under the age of 16, which occurred between 2000 and 2019, due to soccer goal tip overs or structural failure. From 2000 to 2019, there were about 3,400 emergency room-treated soccer goal tip over- or structural failure-related injuries involving children under the age of 16.

Chemistry Classroom Experiments:

• Safety Tip: Don’t get burned by science! Parents: Attend back-to-school night, or contact the teacher and ask about precautions that will be taken during experiments using fuel and flames.
• To minimize the risk of injuries to students from flame jetting--a sudden and possibly violent flash fire that can occur when pouring flammable liquids from a container over an exposed flame or other ignition source--schools and teachers should:
  • Conduct a hazard analysis and take proper precautions.
  • Consider safer demonstrations, such as a flame test.
  • If pouring flammable liquids, use the smallest beakers possible, and keep larger containers out of the classroom. Do not use flasks.

Don’t become a statistic! “Think Safety First” when heading back to school.

Related poster:

NSN Poster: Think Safety First as Kids Head Back to School

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye at nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Waupaca Elevator Company, of Appleton, Wis., are reannouncing a 2018 recall and warning consumers not to use  recalled Waupaca elevators until an overspeed safety device is installed by a local dealer. There have been incidents reported of the elevators falling unexpectedly without the overspeed safety device installed, including one resulting in a death.  

Consumers should not use the recalled elevators until the overspeed safety device is installed. Waupaca and its dealers have an extensive backlog of overspeed safety device installations, which may take several years to complete.

The elevators were recalled in October 2018 because the elevator cab can fall unexpectedly to the bottom of the elevator shaft and stop abruptly, posing an injury hazard to consumers inside the elevator cab. As part of the 2018 recall, Waupaca agreed to provide consumers with a free gearbox inspection and to install a free overspeed safety device, and a free gearbox, if the oil sample test shows an elevated level of wear in the oil.  

Waupaca has received 15 reports of the elevator cab falling unexpectedly, including three incidents since the 2018 recall announcement. Two of the incidents involved elevators that had oil samples taken, but that had not received the overspeed safety device. Until an overspeed safety device is installed, all elevators should be placed out of service. Many of those incidents allegedly caused by the defect in the elevator gearbox resulted in injuries. In one of those incidents a consumer in Milbrae, Cal. died. The incident occurred in August 2018. Other injuries caused by elevators falling include broken bones and strained or sprained knees and ankles.

The recalled elevators are Custom Lift 450# and 500# Capacity elevators sold by Waupaca Elevator's dealers nationwide from 1979 through 2008, for between $5,000 and $14,000.

Contact Waupaca Elevator toll-free at 833-850-7981 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, via e-mail at info@WaupacaElevator.com, or online at www.waupacaelevator.com and click on the “Safety” link for more information. 

Consumers should report any incidents to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov or to CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Following another report of a tragic death of a young child in a residential elevator, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Acting Chairman Robert Adler today asked the vacation rental community for help. In a letter to vacation rental platforms, AirBnB, Vrbo, and others, Adler urged the companies to take steps immediately to protect vulnerable consumers.

“The agency is taking steps with the manufacturers, but we need the businesses that facilitate vacation rentals to join us,” said Adler. “These injuries and deaths are horrific, and we need property owners and rental agencies to disable elevators immediately until they have been inspected.”

Residential elevators pose a hidden and deadly hazard: small children can be crushed to death in a gap that may exist between the doors.  If the gap between any exterior (i.e., hoistway) door, and the farthest point of the inner door (which is often an accordion door) is too deep, a child can enter and close the hoistway door without opening the interior car door, and become entrapped between the two doors, resulting in serious injuries or death when the elevator car moves. Children, some as young as two, and as old as 12, have been crushed to death in this gap, suffering multiple skull fractures, fractured vertebrae and traumatic asphyxia. Other children have suffered devastating and lifelong injuries. Last week, a 7-year-old child was reported to have tragically died in a vacation home elevator in North Carolina.

Today’s letter is the first time the agency has publicly called on vacation rental businesses to take immediate action. Specifically, the letter asks rental companies to notify all renters immediately about the potential hazard via email, or in a warning box on their reservation or booking pages; immediately require all members or “hosts” using the platforms to lock outer access doors or otherwise disable the elevators in their properties, unless and until those members provide proof of an inspection, certifying that no hazardous gap exists; and require elevator inspections of anyone posting a listing going forward.

CPSC has issued warnings, recalls and a lawsuit concerning residential elevators.

• CPSC Sues thyssenkrupp Access Corp., July 7, 2021 CPSC Sues thyssenkrupp Access Corp. Over Deadly Gap Hazard in Residential Elevators; Action Prompted by Three Incidents: One Child Died, Another Permanently Disabled, and a Third Hospitalized After Becoming Entrapped | CPSC.gov
• Otis Elevator Company Residential Elevators, December 17, 2020 https://cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/otis-elevator-company-recalls-to-inspect-private-residence-elevators-due-to-entrapment.
• Cambridge Elevating Home Elevators, March 27, 2019 https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2019/Cambridge-Elevating-Recalls-Home-Elevators-Due-to-Fall-Hazard.
• Waupaca Elevator Home Elevators, October 25, 2018 https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2019/Waupaca-Elevator-Recalls-to-Inspect-Elevators-Due-to-Injury-Hazard.
• Porta Residential Elevators, August 3, 2016 https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Porta-Recalls-Residential-Elevators.
• Coastal Carolina Residential Elevators, March 19, 2015 https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2015/Childs-Catastrophic-Brain-Injury-Prompts-Recall-of-Residential-Elevators.
• ThyssenKrupp Access Manufacturing Residential Elevators, September 20, 2012 https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2012/Residential-Elevators-Recalled-for-Repair-by-ThyssenKrupp-Access-Manufacturing-Due-to-Fall-Hazard.

For more safety information, see CPSC’s safety education messages on residential elevators.

• Vacation Rental Homes Can Pose a Deadly Hazard - Kids Can Be Crushed to Death in Dangerous Home Elevator Gaps | CPSC.gov
• As Family Vacations Resume, CPSC Warns of Safety Hazards in Vacation Rental Homes | CPSC.gov

CPSC will continue its investigation into the safety of residential elevators, and advises consumers to report any safety incident involving residential elevators at www.SaferProducts.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today filed an administrative complaint against Amazon.com, the world’s largest retailer, to force Amazon to accept responsibility for recalling potentially hazardous products sold on Amazon.com.

“Today’s vote to file an administrative complaint against Amazon was a huge step forward for this small agency,” says Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “But it’s a huge step across a vast desert—we must grapple with how to deal with these massive third-party platforms more efficiently, and how best to protect the American consumers who rely on them.”

The complaint charges that the specific products are defective and pose a risk of serious injury or death to consumers and that Amazon is legally responsible to recall them. The named products include 24,000 faulty carbon monoxide detectors that fail to alarm, numerous children’s sleepwear garments that are in violation of the flammable fabric safety standard risking burn injuries to children, and nearly 400,000 hair dryers sold without the required immersion protection devices that protect consumers against shock and electrocution.

The Commission voted 3-1 to approve the complaint, which seeks to force Amazon, as a distributor of the products, to stop selling these products, work with CPSC staff on a recall of the products and to directly notify consumers who purchased them about the recall and offer them a full refund. Although Amazon has taken certain action with respect to some of the named products, the complaint charges that those actions are insufficient.

CPSC urges consumers to visit SaferProducts.gov to check for recalls prior to purchasing products and to report any incidents or injuries to the CPSC.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, millions of Americans are traveling this summer. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers to look for critical safety features when staying in vacation rental homes.

Travelers should make sure their vacation rental home has smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, in addition to pool safety and home elevator safety features, if applicable.

Among the most important safety tips for traveling consumers are the following:

Fire Safety

• Check for adequate smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Smoke alarms should be on every level of the home, outside each sleeping area and inside every bedroom.
  • Carbon monoxide alarms should be on every level of the home outside sleeping areas.
• Make sure there is a fire extinguisher in the home.
• Have a fire escape plan (providing two ways out each room).

Child Safety

• Avoid deadly furniture and TV tip-overs; don’t let children climb on furniture, and don’t place toys and remotes where children might be tempted to climb up to reach for them.
• Keep cleaning supplies in a locked cabinet or out of reach of children.
• Keep all window cords out of reach of children.
• Keep baby’s sleep space free from pillows and blankets, and use cribs that meet CPSC safety standards.
• Even when traveling, ensure that baby sleeps in a flat crib or play yard with a well-fitting sheet.
• Check SaferProducts.gov to be sure none of the child or infant products in a vacation rental are subject to a recall. If they are, do not use them, and notify the property or rental manager.

Pool Safely

At vacation rental homes with pools:

• Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate an adult Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smartphone or otherwise be distracted.
  • Child drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages one to four years old.
• There should be an alarm on the door leading from the house to the pool.
• Pools and spas should be surrounded by a fence at least four feet high with self-closing and self-latching gates.
• Pools and spas should have drain covers that meet federal standards; consumers can ask property or rental managers for confirmation.
• Life-saving equipment, such as life rings or reaching poles, should be available for use.
• Make sure kids learn to swim.
• Keep children away from pool drains.
• Know how to perform CPR on children and adults.

Home Elevator Safety

At vacation rental homes with elevators:

• Be aware of a deadly gap (greater than 4 inches deep) that may exist between the interior and exterior doors of home elevators.
  • Children, from ages 2 through 16, have been crushed to death in this gap. In some incidents, children have suffered multiple skull fractures, fractured vertebrae, traumatic asphyxia and other horrific and lifelong injuries. 

• Lock the elevator so that it cannot be accessed by children; or lock all exterior (hoistway) doors to the elevator.
• Don’t let children play with or around residential elevators.
  • Residential elevators were linked to 4,600 injuries and 22 deaths from 1981 through 2019. 

Related poster:

NSN Poster – Take Safety With You

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye at nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –To prevent children from suffering further serious injury or death, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) filed an administrative complaint against thyssenkrupp Access Corp. (thyssenkrupp), alleging that thyssenkrupp’s residential elevators contain defects that present a substantial product hazard. CPSC alleges that certain models of thyssenkrupp residential elevators manufactured and distributed through 2012 were installed with a hazardous gap between the exterior hoistway door and the interior elevator car door or gate. The models include, but are not limited to: Chaparral, Destiny, LEV, LEV II, LEV II Builder, Rise, Volant, Windsor, Independence, and Flexi-Lift models. thyssenkrupp has refused to conduct a voluntary recall of the hazardous residential elevators.

Children can become entrapped when a residential elevator is installed with excessive space between the exterior hoistway door and the interior elevator car door or gate, and suffer serious injuries or death when the elevator is called to another floor. There have been three incidents involving thyssenkrupp residential elevators, including a 2-year-old child who died in 2017, and a 3-year-old child left permanently disabled in 2010. Additionally, in 2019, a 4-year-old boy was hospitalized after a crush injury.

“These injuries and deaths are ghastly,” said Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “The gaps in residential elevators are truly a hidden hazard for homeowners, and for anyone who is visiting or renting a home with an elevator.”

The complaint charges that the residential elevators are defective for a variety of reasons, including defects in thyssenkrupp’s installation materials and defects in the elevators’ design.

At least 16,800 residential elevators were manufactured and distributed by ThyssenKrupp Access Manufacturing, LLC, thyssenkrupp Access Corp., Access Industries, Inc., or National Wheel-O-Vator Company, Inc., through 2012. The residential elevators were distributed by third-party builders, residential elevator dealers and installers for $15,000 to $25,000 for a two-landing installation.

The Commission voted 3-1 to approve the complaint, which seeks, among other things, that thyssenkrupp be ordered to notify the public of the defect and offer consumers a remedy that includes a free inspection, and if necessary, installation of safety devices, such as space guards, at no cost to consumers.

CPSC urges consumers to disable or block children’s access to the thyssenkrupp residential elevators to prevent a potential deadly incident.

Fireworks Safety Is Critical for 4^th of July Celebrations

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The nation saw a large increase in people being hurt and killed by fireworks last year. Many municipalities cancelled July 4^th public fireworks displays during the COVID- 19 pandemic, which may have spurred consumers to use fireworks on their own.

“These tragic deaths and injuries are reminders of just how dangerous fireworks can be,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Consumers should enjoy professional fireworks displays from a distance, and be extra vigilant when using consumer-type fireworks.” 

A new report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) finds a 50 percent increase in deaths and injuries from fireworks-related incidents in 2020, compared to 2019.

• At least 18 people died from fireworks-related incidents in 2020, compared to 12 reported for the previous year.
• About 15,600 people were treated in hospital emergency departments for fireworks injuries in 2020. There were about 10,000 ER-treated fireworks injuries in 2019.

Other important highlights from CPSC’s report:

• Of the 18 deaths, 8 of the victims (44 percent) had used alcohol or drugs prior to the incident.
• Most fireworks-related injuries (about 66 percent) occurred in the month surrounding the July 4^th holiday (from June 21, 2020 to July 21, 2020). During that one-month period:
  • Severe injuries related to fireworks increased in 2020. More consumers were admitted to the hospital, or were transferred to another hospital for treatment, due to severe fireworks injuries in 2020 (21 percent) versus 2019 (12 percent).
  • Young adults ages 20-24 saw the biggest spike in visits to the hospital emergency room for fireworks-related injuries, compared to any age group last year, 17 injuries per 100,000 people in 2020 versus 2.8 per 100,000 people in 2019.
  • Firecrackers were the biggest source of ER-treated fireworks injuries (1,600), followed by sparklers (900).
  • The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers, at 30 percent. The head, face and ears were the second most injured body parts, at 22 percent. Eye injuries were third at 15 percent.
  • Burns were the most common fireworks-related, emergency room-treated injury, at 44 percent. 

Tips to Celebrate Safely

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit—hot enough to melt some metals.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move away from the fireworks device quickly.
• Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water, and throw them away.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never point or throw fireworks (including sparklers) at anyone.
• After fireworks complete their burning, to prevent a trash fire, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding the device.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area, and only purchase and set off fireworks that are labeled for consumer (not professional) use.
• Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

• For more fireworks safety tips, visit www.cpsc.gov.

CPSC fireworks demonstration b-roll

Demonstrations of fireworks dangers https://spaces.hightail.com/space/leQcRVoZfH

Firework Information Center https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks 

See our multi-media news release at https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8910351-cpsc-report-fireworks-related-injuries-deaths-spiked-pandemic/

For more information, contact Patty Davis, CPSC’s Office of Communications, at pdavis@cpsc.gov at 240-863-8585.

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) new mandatory federal flammability standard for upholstered furniture goes into effect on June 25, 2021. Upholstered furniture manufactured, imported or reupholstered on or after that date must comply with the standard.

House Fires Are Deadly

In a house fire, a consumer has just minutes to escape before their home is engulfed in flames. Upholstered furniture in a house fire is frequently the first thing to catch fire, presents a significant source of fuel for fires, and is associated with about 390 deaths each year, which is 17 percent of deaths in home fires, according to CPSC’s annual Residential Fire Loss Estimates report.

What Is Upholstered Furniture?

The federal standard applies to upholstered furniture, which is furniture with an upholstered seat, back or arm and that is meant for indoor use in a home, other places of assembly or public accommodation where consumers will customarily use the upholstered furniture. What is not covered by this standard?  Futons, cushions and pads used on outdoor furniture, certain durable infant and toddler products and products prescribed by a healthcare professional are excluded from the standard.

Consumers Should Look for the Label, Starting June 25, 2022

Upholstered furniture will be required to have a permanent label, stating: “Complies with U.S. CPSC requirements for upholstered furniture flammability.” CPSC recommends that manufacturers make the label easy for consumers to find and identify. CPSC will enforce the new federal label requirement beginning on June 25, 2022. 

The federal standard for upholstered furniture was mandated by Congress in the 2021 COVID relief law.  CPSC’s standard adopts the State of California’s furniture flammability standard, TB-117-2013, which addresses smoldering fires.

For more on the new standard, see CPSC’s frequently asked questions (FAQ’s).

WASHINGTON, D.C. Vacation rental homes have become a popular alternative to hotels and motels during the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding travelers to take safety with them, especially when staying in vacation rental homes with residential elevators. 

Residential elevators can pose a deadly hazard. Consumers who have a residential elevator at home, or use one at vacation rentals, should be aware that a simple push of a button can swiftly turn into a tragedy. In fact, residential elevators were linked to 4,600 injuries and 22 deaths from 1981 through 2019.

CPSC is warning consumers with home elevators, and those who visit homes with elevators, to be aware of a deadly gap that may exist between the elevator door and the exterior (i.e., hoistway) door inside the home. Children, some as young as two, up to age 16, have been crushed to death in this gap. In some incidents, children have suffered multiple skull fractures, fractured vertebrae, traumatic asphyxia and other horrific and lifelong injuries.

Typical Residential Elevator with Swinging Hoistway Door and Accordion Car Door

A Deadly Gap:
The distance between the inner elevator car door or gate and the exterior hoistway door inside the home may be too deep to protect small children. If the gap is too deep between any exterior hoistway door and the farthest point of the car door (which is often an accordion door), a child can enter and close the exterior hoistway door without opening the interior car door, and become entrapped between the two doors, resulting in serious injuries, or death, when the elevator car moves. 

Residential elevators are commonly found in multilevel homes, townhomes, vacation homes and rentals, in addition to large homes that have been converted to inns or bed-and-breakfast hotels. Elevator installers should never allow any gap greater than four inches deep to exist in an elevator entryway, as measured in accordance with ASME A17.1-2016 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators.

How to Protect Kids and Fix the Gap:

• Consumers concerned about elevator safety, should lock the elevator itself in an unusable position, or lock all exterior (hoistway) doors to the elevator.
• CPSC urges consumers to have a qualified elevator inspector examine their home elevator for this dangerous gap and other potential safety hazards, ensuring that the elevator complies with the requirements of the ASME A17.3-2017 Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators.

• Dangerous gaps can be eliminated by placing space guards on the back of the exterior hoistway door, or by installing an electronic monitoring device that deactivates the elevator when a child is detected in the gap. Consumers can contact their elevator manufacturer, or an elevator installer, to obtain these critical safety devices and protect children from this hidden hazard.

Residential Elevator Recalls:

• Check www.cpsc.gov for recalls of residential elevators. If the elevator has been recalled, contact the recalling company, and get the remedy right away. 
• CPSC has worked with manufacturers to recall residential elevators for a variety of hazards:
  • Otis Elevator Company Residential Elevators, December 17, 2020, https://cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/otis-elevator-company-recalls-to-inspect-private-residence-elevators-due-to-entrapment.
  • Cambridge Elevating Home Elevators, March 27, 2019, https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2019/Cambridge-Elevating-Recalls-Home-Elevators-Due-to-Fall-Hazard.  
  • Waupaca Elevator Home Elevators, October 25, 2018, https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2019/Waupaca-Elevator-Recalls-to-Inspect-Elevators-Due-to-Injury-Hazard.
  • Porta Residential Elevators, August 3, 2016, https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Porta-Recalls-Residential-Elevators.
  • Coastal Carolina Residential Elevators, March 19, 2015, https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2015/Childs-Catastrophic-Brain-Injury-Prompts-Recall-of-Residential-Elevators.
  • ThyssenKrupp Access Manufacturing Residential Elevators, September 20, 2012, https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2012/Residential-Elevators-Recalled-for-Repair-by-ThyssenKrupp-Access-Manufacturing-Due-to-Fall-Hazard.

CPSC will continue its investigation into the safety of residential elevators, and advises consumers to report any safety incident involving residential elevators at www.SaferProducts.gov.

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye in CPSC’s Office of Communications at

nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410.

Report Unsafe Products to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. –We all know that an annual medical checkup is a good idea to help us stay healthy. The products in consumers’ homes need the same attention at least once every year to be safe. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to check for unsafe products in their homes. 

Most consumer products have safety standards, warning labels or safety devices. Those safety aids include, for example, an immersion-protection device on hair dryers to protect consumers from electrical shocks and electrocution; a label on bicycle helmets, stating that the helmet meets CPSC’s federal safety standard; warning labels on toys, cautioning that small parts can be a choking hazard to young children; and safety information, providing alerts about medication and hazardous household chemicals that must comply with the Poison Prevention Packaging Act.

Report dangerous products to CPSC at Safer Products.gov. Consumers should make sure the products at home have these important labels or safety devices. If they don’t, consumers should report the product to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov. 

Help protect others. Reporting unsafe products helps CPSC do its job and lets other consumers know about dangerous products. Reporting also helps CPSC decide whether it should recall a product, issue a fine to the manufacturer, or create a regulation to address the product hazard.

Reporting is confidential. Personal information will remain confidential throughout the reporting process and will never be shared without a consumer’s permission. If a consumer gives CPSC permission to publish their report, the report may become searchable from the Search page on SaferProducts.gov. If they do not give us permission to publish their report, the safety information may still be made public by CPSC, however consumers’ names and contact information will never be released.

Consumers should check their homes today. Consumers should use the following checklist to make sure their consumer products are safe. If a consumer suspects a product in their home is counterfeit, they should let CPSC know about it at www.SaferProducts.gov. Also check for recalled products in the home. The list of recalled products is at SaferProducts.gov, or CPSC’s recalls app can be downloaded for free. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) once again is warning parents and caregivers about the dangers of high-powered magnetic balls and cubes.  Today, the CPSC announced a mandatory recall of 10 million Zen and Neoballs magnets due to an ingestion hazard and risk of death. Most recalls are done voluntarily with the firm and CPSC working together to get dangerous products out of consumers’ hands. Because Zen did not agree to a voluntary recall, CPSC sued the company to effect a mandatory recall. 

When high-powered magnets are swallowed, they can interact with each other or other metallic objects (material attracted to magnets) and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning, and death. These injuries can occur when infants, toddlers, and teens access and ingest the magnets, including, for example, when teens use the magnets to mimic mouth piercings and swallow them inadvertently. 

To help protect children from this hidden hazard, CPSC has issued violation notices to companies that market dangerous, high-powered magnetic balls and cubes as toys for children, insisting that those companies notify purchasers and warn of the dangers of use by children. CPSC also works with major online platforms to remove these products from their sites. 

The agency is also warning parents and caregivers to be extremely cautious with magnets that are not subject to the Toy Standard and are marketed for adults. Numerous magnet ingestion incident reports involving children and teens identify magnets marketed only to adults and with involving products intended for adults demonstrate the difficulty caregivers have preventing children and teens from accessing the magnets, and continued misunderstanding of the likelihood and severity of this hidden hazard.

“When consumers see these products marketed for children on trusted e-commerce sites, many of these items sold by foreign firms, consumers assume they are safe,” says Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “But the reality is, these magnets can cause lifelong injury, or worse, to kids. That’s why it’s so important that e-commerce sites not allow these products to be sold to kids and why kids are safest when these products are not in the home.”

In some cases, when the magnet firms were not responsive, CPSC worked with e-commerce sites to issue safety alert notices directly to purchasers.

“The sad truth is we’re playing whack-a-mole with these dangerous products, and each one we miss could have grave consequences for young children and teens,” said Adler. “But until we can get these products off the market entirely, we just have to be vigilant.”

From 2009 to 2018, there were two deaths in the U.S. and at least an estimated 4,500 magnet-related cases treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for ingestions of magnets with characteristics of magnet sets (e.g., numerous small, round magnets), most by children 11 months to 16 years old. 

To help prevent serious magnet ingestion injuries and deaths, follow these safety tips:

• Make sure your children, including teens, understand the magnet ingestion hazard and to never put magnets near their mouth or nose. It is important to explain that magnet ingestions often occur accidentally while playing or using the magnets like piercings.

• Remove magnet sets, small magnets and small pieces containing magnets from the homes with children who might mistakenly, or intentionally, swallow them.

• Look out for loose magnetic pieces–and regularly inspect toys and children’s play areas for missing or dislodged magnets.

• Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect your child may have swallowed a magnet. 

• Look for non-specific abdominal symptoms, such as abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some cases, these and other symptoms may not appear until after serious internal injury has occurred—do not wait for symptoms.

• Note that objects in x-rays may appear as a single object that could actually be multiple magnetic pieces separated by trapped intestinal walls.

• Check www.cpsc.gov to make sure your children’s magnetic toys have not been recalled. If they have been recalled, stop using them immediately, and get the remedy offered by the firm.

• To learn more about how and why magnetic balls are so dangerous to children, please go to www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Magnets. 

CPSC continues its enforcement efforts to address the hazard of dangerous magnets by issuing notices of violation and pursuing recalls. For a listing of recalls and notices of violations to companies that marketed their magnetic balls and cubes to children in violation of federal safety standards for toys, click here.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, millions of Americans are traveling this summer. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers to look for critical safety features when staying in vacation rental homes.

Travelers should make sure their vacation rental home has smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, in addition to pool safety and home elevator safety features, if applicable.

Among the most important safety tips for traveling consumers are the following:

Fire Safety

• Check for adequate smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Smoke alarms should be on every level of the home, outside each sleeping area and inside every bedroom.
  • Carbon monoxide alarms should be on every level of the home outside sleeping areas.
• Make sure there is a fire extinguisher in the home.
• Have a fire escape plan (providing two ways out each room).

Child Safety

• Avoid deadly furniture and TV tip-overs; don’t let children climb on furniture, and don’t place toys and remotes where children might be tempted to climb up to reach for them.
• Keep cleaning supplies in a locked cabinet or out of reach of children.
• Keep all window cords out of reach of children.
• Keep baby’s sleep space free from pillows and blankets, and use cribs that meet CPSC safety standards.
• Even when traveling, ensure that baby sleeps in a flat crib or play yard with a well-fitting sheet.
• Check SaferProducts.gov to be sure none of the child or infant products in a vacation rental are subject to a recall. If they are, do not use them, and notify the property or rental manager.

Pool Safely

At vacation rental homes with pools:

• Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate an adult Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smartphone or otherwise be distracted.
  • Child drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages one to four years old.
• There should be an alarm on the door leading from the house to the pool.
• Pools and spas should be surrounded by a fence at least four feet high with self-closing and self-latching gates.
• Pools and spas should have drain covers that meet federal standards; consumers can ask property or rental managers for confirmation.
• Life-saving equipment, such as life rings or reaching poles, should be available for use.
• Make sure kids learn to swim.
• Keep children away from pool drains.
• Know how to perform CPR on children and adults.

Home Elevator Safety

At vacation rental homes with elevators:

• Be aware of a deadly gap (greater than 4 inches deep) that may exist between the interior and exterior doors of home elevators.
  • Children, from ages 2 through 16, have been crushed to death in this gap. In some incidents, children have suffered multiple skull fractures, fractured vertebrae, traumatic asphyxia and other horrific and lifelong injuries. 

• Lock the elevator so that it cannot be accessed by children; or lock all exterior (hoistway) doors to the elevator.
• Don’t let children play with or around residential elevators.
  • Residential elevators were linked to 4,600 injuries and 22 deaths from 1981 through 2019. 

Related poster:

NSN Poster – Take Safety With You

For more information, contact Nicolette Nye at nnye@cpsc.gov or at 240-204-4410.

Note: Grants deadline extended to August 16, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is seeking applications for a Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP or grant program) offered to state and local governments.  CPSC will award up to a total of $2 million in two-year grants to assist jurisdictions in reducing deaths and injuries from drowning and drain entrapment incidents in pools and spas.  The PSGP is a part of CPSC's national campaign to make drowning and drain entrapment prevention a critical public safety priority.

The grant program is made possible through the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act), legislation authored and advanced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida).  The VGB Act seeks to provide state and local governments with assistance for education, training and enforcement of pool safety requirements.

“These grants can make a real difference and potentially save lives as communities work to reopen pools following the pandemic.  These grants can help educate consumers about drowning and entrapment dangers and provide assistance to states and municipalities for their enforcement of pool safety laws,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler.  “State and local programs can receive funding to continue this lifesaving work to reduce the risk of drowning.”

Applicants must be a state or local government or U S. Territory that has an enacted or amended a state and/or local law(s) that meet the requirements of the VGB Act (15 U.S.C. 8001), sections 1405 and 1406.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the solicitation on Grants.gov, under grant opportunity CPSC-21-001.  Applications will be accepted through August 16, 2021.

CPSC's website: www.PoolSafely.gov, has more information about the Pool Safely Grant Program and the VGB Act. Poolsafely.gov  has free, downloadable information for the general public, state and local officials, the swimming pool and spa community and the media.

The requirements of this child safety law have helped reduce the risk of drowning.  The requirements, include installing new safety drain covers and physical barriers, such as a fence completely surrounding the pool, with self-closing, self-latching gates, and, if the house forms a side of the barrier, using alarms on doors leading to the pool area and/or a power safety cover over the pool.  See additional pool safety tips at: www.poolsafely.gov

Rule Will Mean a Changed—and Safer—Marketplace for Parents

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a new federal rule that will ensure that products marketed or intended for infant sleep will provide a safe sleep environment for babies under 5 months old.

Beginning in mid-2022, any product intended or marketed for infant sleep must meet a federal safety standard—a requirement that does not exist today.  The new mandatory standard will effectively eliminate potentially hazardous sleep products in the marketplace that do not currently meet a CPSC mandatory standard for infant sleep, such as inclined sleepers, travel and compact bassinets, and in-bed sleepers, which have been linked to dozens of infant deaths. Popular products formerly referred to as “inclined sleep products” include several styles that have been recalled over the years.

“What we’ve done today fulfills the most sacred of our obligations as Commissioners—to take steps to protect vulnerable consumers, including babies,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Today’s vote ensures that when a product is intended or marketed for sleep, it will indeed be safe for an infant to sleep.”

The new federal safety rule incorporates the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International (ASTM F3118-17a, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Inclined Sleep Products), with modifications to make the standard more stringent. The new standard now requires that infant sleep products that do not already meet the requirements of an existing CPSC sleep standard must be tested to confirm that the angle of the sleep surface is 10 degrees or lower and that they comply with the agency’s Safety Standard for Bassinets and Cradles.

CPSC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have long warned of the dangers of bed-sharing or co-sleeping. The new rule does not take any action against bed-sharing without sleep products. Instead, it shifts responsibility to manufacturers to assist parents who want to bed-share, by requiring them to produce only products that are safe to do so. The new rule also does not extend to items that are expressly not intended or marketed for infant sleep, such as swings and car seats. CPSC reminds consumers that the safest place for a baby to sleep is a flat, bare surface dedicated to the infant. Today’s rule ensures that products marketed for sleep meet these basic safety requirements. For more on safe sleep practices, click here.

CPSC is aware of a total of 254 incidents, including 21 fatalities, related to infant sleep products (inclined and flat), occurring between January 2019 and December 2020 reported since the SNPR. The hazard patterns associated with the infant inclined sleep products include design-related issues which resulted in infants rolling over and asphyxiating, children developing respiratory problems, or developing physical deformations due to extended period of use. Hazard patterns for the flat infant sleep products included infants falling out of the product, or suffocating on soft structure sides.

For more information on the Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (the Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act), which requires the Commission to issue consumer product safety standards for durable infant or toddler products, click here.

The Commission voted 3 to 1 to approve the standard on June 2, 2021. Later this year, the Commission expects to consider federal safety standards for crib bumpers and crib mattresses.

CPSC Commissioner Statements:

Acting Chairman Robert Adler

Commissioner Peter Feldman

Commissioner Dana Baiocco

Commissioner Elliot F. Kaye

Fireworks Safety Is Critical for 4^th of July Celebrations

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The nation saw a large increase in people being hurt and killed by fireworks last year. Many municipalities cancelled July 4^th public fireworks displays during the COVID- 19 pandemic, which may have spurred consumers to use fireworks on their own.

“These tragic deaths and injuries are reminders of just how dangerous fireworks can be,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Consumers should enjoy professional fireworks displays from a distance, and be extra vigilant when using consumer-type fireworks.” 

A new report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) finds a 50 percent increase in deaths and injuries from fireworks-related incidents in 2020, compared to 2019.

• At least 18 people died from fireworks-related incidents in 2020, compared to 12 reported for the previous year.
• About 15,600 people were treated in hospital emergency departments for fireworks injuries in 2020. There were about 10,000 ER-treated fireworks injuries in 2019.

Other important highlights from CPSC’s report:

• Of the 18 deaths, 8 of the victims (44 percent) had used alcohol or drugs prior to the incident.
• Most fireworks-related injuries (about 66 percent) occurred in the month surrounding the July 4^th holiday (from June 21, 2020 to July 21, 2020). During that one-month period:
  • Severe injuries related to fireworks increased in 2020. More consumers were admitted to the hospital, or were transferred to another hospital for treatment, due to severe fireworks injuries in 2020 (21 percent) versus 2019 (12 percent).
  • Young adults ages 20-24 saw the biggest spike in visits to the hospital emergency room for fireworks-related injuries, compared to any age group last year, 17 injuries per 100,000 people in 2020 versus 2.8 per 100,000 people in 2019.
  • Firecrackers were the biggest source of ER-treated fireworks injuries (1,600), followed by sparklers (900).
  • The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers, at 30 percent. The head, face and ears were the second most injured body parts, at 22 percent. Eye injuries were third at 15 percent.
  • Burns were the most common fireworks-related, emergency room-treated injury, at 44 percent. 

Tips to Celebrate Safely

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit—hot enough to melt some metals.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move away from the fireworks device quickly.
• Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water, and throw them away.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never point or throw fireworks (including sparklers) at anyone.
• After fireworks complete their burning, to prevent a trash fire, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding the device.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area, and only purchase and set off fireworks that are labeled for consumer (not professional) use.
• Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

• For more fireworks safety tips, visit www.cpsc.gov.

CPSC fireworks demonstration b-roll

Demonstrations of fireworks dangers https://spaces.hightail.com/space/leQcRVoZfH

Firework Information Center https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks 

See our multi-media news release at https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8910351-cpsc-report-fireworks-related-injuries-deaths-spiked-pandemic/

For more information, contact Patty Davis, CPSC’s Office of Communications, at pdavis@cpsc.gov at 240-863-8585.

Fewer Kids Took Swim Lessons During COVID-19 Pandemic Putting Them at Risk

WASHINGTON – The annual drowning and submersion report released today by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reminds families to make water safety a priority, particularly as they return to community pools and resume warm-weather activities near water. Child drownings remain the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages one to four years old.

CPSC’s latest data show:

• an increase in pool-or spa-related fatal drowning incidents among children younger than 15 years old;
• on average, there were 397 reported pool-or-spa-related fatal drownings per year for 2016 through 2018, involving children younger than 15 years of age; and
• seventy-five percent of the reported fatal drownings from 2016 through 2018 involved children younger than five years of age- eighty-three percent of these were at residential pools.

“As we enter the summer months, parents and caregivers must be mindful of the pandemic’s impact on their children’s swimming ability and water safety skills,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “CPSC’s latest report confirms that most child drownings involve children under the age of five, whose limited experience around the water due to recent social distancing restrictions could put them at greater risk of drowning. With fewer children attending swimming lessons during the past year, it is critical to refresh these and others the life-saving skills, while practicing increased vigilance both anywhere children are swimming and during non-swim times as well.”

While the report shows that number of pool-or spa-related, hospital emergency department-treated, nonfatal drowning injuries decreased from 2019 (6,300 injuries) to 2020 (5,800 injuries), CPSC advises that the changes are not statistically significant. From 2018 to 2020, 78 percent of nonfatal drowning injuries occurred among children younger than five years old.

The lower number of drownings is likely the result of limitations on summer activities – including group or public swimming – due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As American families gradually return to public recreational activities and in-person gatherings in the warm-weather months, parents and caregivers can follow Pool Safely’s simple steps to help prevent fatal and nonfatal drownings and keep children safer:

• Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate an adult Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smartphone or be otherwise distracted. In addition to pools and spas, this warning includes bathtubs, buckets, decorative ponds, and fountains.
• If you own a pool or spa, install layers of barriers to prevent the unsupervised child from accessing the water. Homes can use door alarms, pool covers, and self-closing, self-latching devices on doors that access the pools and on gates of four-sided fences.
• Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults. Many communities offer online CPR training.
• Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.
• Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards and if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safer drain covers.
• Visit the Pool Safely Kids’ Corner to keep children entertained and educated with virtual water safety games and activities.
• Take the Pool Safely Pledge as a family, and find customized water safety resources using the Pool Safely Safer Water Information Match (S.W.I.M.) tool.

Additional health and safety considerations for visiting public pools during COVID-19 are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here.

You can read the full CPSC drowning and entrapment reports by visiting PoolSafely.gov.

Note: CPSC’s report addresses nonfatal drownings for the period 2018 through 2020 and fatal drownings for the period 2016 through 2018, reflecting a lag in the reporting of fatal drowning statistics.

Fewer Kids Took Swim Lessons During COVID-19 Pandemic Putting Them at Risk

WASHINGTON – The annual drowning and submersion report released today by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reminds families to make water safety a priority, particularly as they return to community pools and resume warm-weather activities near water. Child drownings remain the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages one to four years old.

CPSC’s latest data show:

• an increase in pool-or spa-related fatal drowning incidents among children younger than 15 years old;
• on average, there were 397 reported pool-or-spa-related fatal drownings per year for 2016 through 2018, involving children younger than 15 years of age; and
• seventy-five percent of the reported fatal drownings from 2016 through 2018 involved children younger than five years of age- eighty-three percent of these were at residential pools.

“As we enter the summer months, parents and caregivers must be mindful of the pandemic’s impact on their children’s swimming ability and water safety skills,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “CPSC’s latest report confirms that most child drownings involve children under the age of five, whose limited experience around the water due to recent social distancing restrictions could put them at greater risk of drowning. With fewer children attending swimming lessons during the past year, it is critical to refresh these and others the life-saving skills, while practicing increased vigilance both anywhere children are swimming and during non-swim times as well.”

While the report shows that number of pool-or spa-related, hospital emergency department-treated, nonfatal drowning injuries decreased from 2019 (6,300 injuries) to 2020 (5,800 injuries), CPSC advises that the changes are not statistically significant. From 2018 to 2020, 78 percent of nonfatal drowning injuries occurred among children younger than five years old.

The lower number of drownings is likely the result of limitations on summer activities – including group or public swimming – due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As American families gradually return to public recreational activities and in-person gatherings in the warm-weather months, parents and caregivers can follow Pool Safely’s simple steps to help prevent fatal and nonfatal drownings and keep children safer:

• Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate an adult Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smartphone or be otherwise distracted. In addition to pools and spas, this warning includes bathtubs, buckets, decorative ponds, and fountains.
• If you own a pool or spa, install layers of barriers to prevent the unsupervised child from accessing the water. Homes can use door alarms, pool covers, and self-closing, self-latching devices on doors that access the pools and on gates of four-sided fences.
• Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults. Many communities offer online CPR training.
• Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.
• Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards and if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safer drain covers.
• Visit the Pool Safely Kids’ Corner to keep children entertained and educated with virtual water safety games and activities.
• Take the Pool Safely Pledge as a family, and find customized water safety resources using the Pool Safely Safer Water Information Match (S.W.I.M.) tool.

Additional health and safety considerations for visiting public pools during COVID-19 are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here.

You can read the full CPSC drowning and entrapment reports by visiting PoolSafely.gov.

Note: CPSC’s report addresses nonfatal drownings for the period 2018 through 2020 and fatal drownings for the period 2016 through 2018, reflecting a lag in the reporting of fatal drowning statistics.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As consumers around the country welcome the warm-weather recreation season, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to understand the risks and undertake necessary safety measures before riding ATVs and other off-highway vehicles.  The dangers are real, and include overturning, collision, and occupant ejection.

CPSC’s latest report includes off-highway vehicle (OHV)-related estimated injury statistics during the period 2015 through 2019, and deaths from 2015 through 2017.  OHVs are comprised of recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), in addition to ATVs.

ATVs accounted for approximately 97 percent of total off-highway vehicle (OHV)-related emergency department-treated injuries.  There were about 1,700 ATV-related fatalities and 445 ROV-related fatalities reported during this period.

Children Are at High Risk

ATVs and ROVs become more dangerous when children drive adult-sized vehicles, or when more than one passenger rides on vehicles built for a single rider.  Children under 16 accounted for the third-highest percentage of OHV deaths by age group; almost 50 percent of this group were children under 12.

State with the Most Deaths

During the 2015 through 2017 period, Texas had the highest number of deaths from ATVs, ROVs or OHVs, with 161 fatalities.                                                      

Never Ride ATVs and ROVs on Paved Roads

It is extremely dangerous to use ATVs and ROVs on paved roads intended for vehicles; they are simply not designed for that purpose.  Because ATVs and ROVs can be unwieldy on paved surfaces, the risk of collision with a car, truck, or other vehicle is significantly higher.  The risk of tip-over is also dramatically increased.  Even if a locality allows ATVs and RTVs on paved roads, CPSC strongly recommends not using them on paved surfaces.

CPSC Safety Tips

Consumers who are riding an ATV or ROV should follow these key safety tips:

• Always wear a helmet and other protective gear, such as eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
• Never ride with more passengers than there are seats.  Most ATVs are designed for one rider.
• Riders younger than 16 should only drive age-appropriate youth model ATVs, and never operate adult ATVs.
• Off-road vehicles are designed to be driven only on off-road terrain, not paved surfaces.
• Never ride on public roads, except to cross, where permitted by law.
• Get hands-on training from a qualified instructor.
• Avoid drinking alcohol before or while driving an ATV or ROV.  Alcohol can impair judgment and response time.

For more information, contact Brian Walch in CPSC’s Office of Communications at 301-943-1146 or by email at bwalch@cpsc.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and EGL Motor Inc., are warning consumers to stop using EGL Motor’s ACE D110 youth ATV immediately, to avoid serious injury or death.  These youth ATVs do not meet federal safety standards. 

The youth ATVs are intended for use by children ages 6 years and older, as demonstrated by the product dimensions and advertising. However, the ATVs exceed the mandatory maximum speed limitations and fail to comply with other federal safety standard requirements for ATVs intended for children as young as 6 years of age.  This poses a risk of a high-speed crash, which can result in serious injury or death, if these ATVs are used by young children.

The ATVs were sold online and at dealerships.  The online locations included: www.wholesaleatv.com and www.Alibaba.com.  The dealerships included:  D&M Motorsports, Dirt Cheap Motorsports, Scooter Importer LLC, SB Organization LLC, Infinity Motors, Arizona Discount ATV, JL Motorsports, C&C Motorsports, Scott Millington Motorsports, Wholesale ATV, Jaguar Power Sports, Moto El Paso, Thrifty Scooters, and Windham Powersports.

EGL Motor distributed and sold the ACE D110 model ATV from November 2019 through February 2021.  Approximately 1,300 ATVs were sold since November 2019, for $650 to $850.

EGL Motor informed CPSC that it is working to provide a remedy to consumers.

CPSC and EGL Motor urge consumers to stop using the ACE D110 products immediately and to report any incidents to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As consumers around the country welcome the warm-weather recreation season, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to understand the risks and undertake necessary safety measures before riding ATVs and other off-highway vehicles.  The dangers are real, and include overturning, collision, and occupant ejection.

CPSC’s latest report includes off-highway vehicle (OHV)-related estimated injury statistics during the period 2015 through 2019, and deaths from 2015 through 2017.  OHVs are comprised of recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), in addition to ATVs.

ATVs accounted for approximately 97 percent of total off-highway vehicle (OHV)-related emergency department-treated injuries.  There were about 1,700 ATV-related fatalities and 445 ROV-related fatalities reported during this period.

Children Are at High Risk

ATVs and ROVs become more dangerous when children drive adult-sized vehicles, or when more than one passenger rides on vehicles built for a single rider.  Children under 16 accounted for the third-highest percentage of OHV deaths by age group; almost 50 percent of this group were children under 12.

State with the Most Deaths

During the 2015 through 2017 period, Texas had the highest number of deaths from ATVs, ROVs or OHVs, with 161 fatalities.                                                      

Never Ride ATVs and ROVs on Paved Roads

It is extremely dangerous to use ATVs and ROVs on paved roads intended for vehicles; they are simply not designed for that purpose.  Because ATVs and ROVs can be unwieldy on paved surfaces, the risk of collision with a car, truck, or other vehicle is significantly higher.  The risk of tip-over is also dramatically increased.  Even if a locality allows ATVs and RTVs on paved roads, CPSC strongly recommends not using them on paved surfaces.

CPSC Safety Tips

Consumers who are riding an ATV or ROV should follow these key safety tips:

• Always wear a helmet and other protective gear, such as eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
• Never ride with more passengers than there are seats.  Most ATVs are designed for one rider.
• Riders younger than 16 should only drive age-appropriate youth model ATVs, and never operate adult ATVs.
• Off-road vehicles are designed to be driven only on off-road terrain, not paved surfaces.
• Never ride on public roads, except to cross, where permitted by law.
• Get hands-on training from a qualified instructor.
• Avoid drinking alcohol before or while driving an ATV or ROV.  Alcohol can impair judgment and response time.

For more information, contact Brian Walch in CPSC’s Office of Communications at 301-943-1146 or by email at bwalch@cpsc.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is reminding consumers of the importance of wearing helmets for sports and recreation to reduce the risk of head injury, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).  Helmets absorb much of the impact energy from a fall or collision, and can protect the skull and brain from more severe injury.

Bike helmets are required to meet CPSC’s federal safety standard.  They must have a label stating that they meet the standard.  Consumers can usually find this label on the liner inside of the helmet, on the exterior surface, or attached to the chin strap.  Information on bike helmets, and helmets for other activities, can be found at CPSC’s “Which Helmet for Which Activity” webpage.

Findings in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show just how critical helmets are to preventing injuries and deaths.  The report found that from 2009 through 2018:

• Bicycle-related deaths increased between 2009 and 2018, primarily among adults. (NHTSA data)
• There were nearly 597,000 bicycle-related traumatic brain injuries treated in hospital emergency departments (ED) in the United States.
• The rate of ED visits declined by almost 50% among kids, but declined only 6% among adults.
• Males were three times more likely than females to end up in the ED with traumatic brain injuries.
• Policies requiring bike helmets have been associated with long-term, sustained bike helmet use and a 20%-55% reduction in head injuries.

CPSC’s recent report on the impact of COVID-19 on hospital emergency room-treated injuries during the period March through September 2020 also highlighted the concern, finding that although bicycles had a slight increase (1%) in overall injuries, the increase jumped to 21% for users age 40 and above, and 39% for adults older than 70.  Injuries from skateboards, scooters, and hoverboards rose 39%.

Although no helmet design has been proven to prevent concussions, CDC’s HEADS UP helps identify concussion symptoms, and when to seek treatment.

To prevent sports-related head injuries, consumers should:

• Always wear a helmet and other safety gear when bicycling and playing sports.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Ensure the helmet fits and is worn correctly.
• Replace helmets when needed.  Incidents can impact helmets, and you may not see the damage.  Cracks in the shell, worn straps, and missing pads or other parts are all reasons to replace a helmet.
• Look for a label inside the helmet stating it meets CPSC’s federal safety standard.
• When bicycling, scootering, or skateboarding, watch out for cars, and follow rules of the road and local regulations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is reminding consumers of the importance of wearing helmets for sports and recreation to reduce the risk of head injury, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).  Helmets absorb much of the impact energy from a fall or collision, and can protect the skull and brain from more severe injury.

Bike helmets are required to meet CPSC’s federal safety standard.  They must have a label stating that they meet the standard.  Consumers can usually find this label on the liner inside of the helmet, on the exterior surface, or attached to the chin strap.  Information on bike helmets, and helmets for other activities, can be found at CPSC’s “Which Helmet for Which Activity” webpage.

Findings in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show just how critical helmets are to preventing injuries and deaths.  The report found that from 2009 through 2018:

• Bicycle-related deaths increased between 2009 and 2018, primarily among adults. (NHTSA data)
• There were nearly 597,000 bicycle-related traumatic brain injuries treated in hospital emergency departments (ED) in the United States.
• The rate of ED visits declined by almost 50% among kids, but declined only 6% among adults.
• Males were three times more likely than females to end up in the ED with traumatic brain injuries.
• Policies requiring bike helmets have been associated with long-term, sustained bike helmet use and a 20%-55% reduction in head injuries.

CPSC’s recent report on the impact of COVID-19 on hospital emergency room-treated injuries during the period March through September 2020 also highlighted the concern, finding that although bicycles had a slight increase (1%) in overall injuries, the increase jumped to 21% for users age 40 and above, and 39% for adults older than 70.  Injuries from skateboards, scooters, and hoverboards rose 39%.

Although no helmet design has been proven to prevent concussions, CDC’s HEADS UP helps identify concussion symptoms, and when to seek treatment.

To prevent sports-related head injuries, consumers should:

• Always wear a helmet and other safety gear when bicycling and playing sports.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Ensure the helmet fits and is worn correctly.
• Replace helmets when needed.  Incidents can impact helmets, and you may not see the damage.  Cracks in the shell, worn straps, and missing pads or other parts are all reasons to replace a helmet.
• Look for a label inside the helmet stating it meets CPSC’s federal safety standard.
• When bicycling, scootering, or skateboarding, watch out for cars, and follow rules of the road and local regulations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 1 marks the start of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, fires and electric shock that can happen as a result of hurricanes and severe storms.

More storms on average

Following the record-setting and devastating 2020 hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that the average Atlantic hurricane season will reflect more storms.  NOAA has increased the averages for the Atlantic hurricane season from 12 to 14 named storms and from 6 to 7 hurricanes beginning this year.  The average for major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5) remains at 3.  NOAA’s forecast for this Hurricane season has not yet been released.

Colorado State University forecasts a more dire storm and hurricane picture – 17 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes for this year.

“Millions of Americans who are still dealing with the stress of the global COVID-19 pandemic also live in regions prone to devastating hurricanes and severe storms,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler.  “It only takes one hurricane to cause massive destruction and loss of life.  Be prepared, stay informed, and keep safe before and after storms.”

Consumers need to be especially vigilant when storms knock out their electrical power.  Many use portable generators as a source of power, exposing themselves to increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire.  CO is called the invisible killer because it is colorless and odorless.  According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 400 people die each year in the United States from CO poisoning.

CPSC data show African Americans are at higher risk of death

While not solely from storm use, there were 78 deaths on average each year between 2015 and 2017, from CO poisoning associated with generators, according to CPSC’s latest report.  Non-Hispanic Black or African Americans are at higher risk, accounting for 22 percent of these generator-related CO deaths from 2009 through 2019, which is nearly double their estimated 13 percent share of the U.S. population.

Poisonous carbon monoxide from a portable generator can kill you and your family in minutes.  Follow CPSC’s safety tips below to help keep your family safe before and after storms:

Before the Storm

• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup in your home, outside separate sleeping areas, and on each floor of your home.
• Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside sleeping areas.
• Press the test button every month to make sure CO and smoke alarms in your home are working properly, and replace batteries, if needed.
• Check that your generator has had proper maintenance, and read and follow the labels, instructions, and warnings on the generator and the owner’s manual.
• Stock up on flashlights and extra batteries to provide light if the power goes out.

After the Storm

Once the storm has hit, and the power is out, now what?

• Use portable generators OUTSIDE ONLY, at least 20 feet away from the house; and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter.
• NEVER operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed or on the porch.  Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO.
• CO poisoning from portable generators can happen so quickly that exposed persons may become unconscious before recognizing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness or weakness.
• Never ignore carbon monoxide and smoke alarms when they sound.  Get outside immediately.  Then call 911.

Other product safety hazards during hurricane season include:

CHARCOAL DANGER:

- Never use charcoal indoors.  Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.  Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.

CANDLES:

Use flashlights instead of candles.  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 and before sleeping.

WET APPLIANCES:

- Look for signs that your appliances have gotten wet.  Discard unplugged electrical or gas appliances that have been wet because they pose electric shock and fire hazards.  Do not touch electrical or gas appliances that are still plugged in.

- Before using your appliances, have a professional or your gas or electric company evaluate your home and replace all gas control valves, electrical wiring, circuit breakers, and fuses that have been under water.

GAS LEAKS: IF YOU SMELL IT, LEAVE, THEN REPORT IT.

If you smell or hear gas, do not turn lights on or off, or use electrical equipment, including a phone.  Leave your home and contact local gas authorities from outside.

Remember, it only takes one storm to wreak havoc causing mass destruction and loss of life.  Stay informed, be prepared and keep safe!

CPSC resources:

Carbon Monoxide Safety Center

NSN Poster – Safety in the Storm, When Hurricanes Happen

PSA - Hurricane Season is in Full Swing

Link to broadcast quality video for media:  https://spaces.hightail.com/space/XtFQ7YqK0x

CPSC spokespeople are available for interviews.  Email nnye@cpsc.gov or call 240-204-4410 to arrange for an interview.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 1 marks the start of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, fires and electric shock that can happen as a result of hurricanes and severe storms.

More storms on average

Following the record-setting and devastating 2020 hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that the average Atlantic hurricane season will reflect more storms.  NOAA has increased the averages for the Atlantic hurricane season from 12 to 14 named storms and from 6 to 7 hurricanes beginning this year.  The average for major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5) remains at 3.  NOAA’s forecast for this Hurricane season has not yet been released.

Colorado State University forecasts a more dire storm and hurricane picture – 17 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes for this year.

“Millions of Americans who are still dealing with the stress of the global COVID-19 pandemic also live in regions prone to devastating hurricanes and severe storms,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler.  “It only takes one hurricane to cause massive destruction and loss of life.  Be prepared, stay informed, and keep safe before and after storms.”

Consumers need to be especially vigilant when storms knock out their electrical power.  Many use portable generators as a source of power, exposing themselves to increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire.  CO is called the invisible killer because it is colorless and odorless.  According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 400 people die each year in the United States from CO poisoning.

CPSC data show African Americans are at higher risk of death

While not solely from storm use, there were 78 deaths on average each year between 2015 and 2017, from CO poisoning associated with generators, according to CPSC’s latest report.  Non-Hispanic Black or African Americans are at higher risk, accounting for 22 percent of these generator-related CO deaths from 2009 through 2019, which is nearly double their estimated 13 percent share of the U.S. population.

Poisonous carbon monoxide from a portable generator can kill you and your family in minutes.  Follow CPSC’s safety tips below to help keep your family safe before and after storms:

Before the Storm

• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup in your home, outside separate sleeping areas, and on each floor of your home.
• Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside sleeping areas.
• Press the test button every month to make sure CO and smoke alarms in your home are working properly, and replace batteries, if needed.
• Check that your generator has had proper maintenance, and read and follow the labels, instructions, and warnings on the generator and the owner’s manual.
• Stock up on flashlights and extra batteries to provide light if the power goes out.

After the Storm

Once the storm has hit, and the power is out, now what?

• Use portable generators OUTSIDE ONLY, at least 20 feet away from the house; and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter.
• NEVER operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed or on the porch.  Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO.
• CO poisoning from portable generators can happen so quickly that exposed persons may become unconscious before recognizing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness or weakness.
• Never ignore carbon monoxide and smoke alarms when they sound.  Get outside immediately.  Then call 911.

Other product safety hazards during hurricane season include:

CHARCOAL DANGER:

- Never use charcoal indoors.  Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.  Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.

CANDLES:

Use flashlights instead of candles.  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 and before sleeping.

WET APPLIANCES:

- Look for signs that your appliances have gotten wet.  Discard unplugged electrical or gas appliances that have been wet because they pose electric shock and fire hazards.  Do not touch electrical or gas appliances that are still plugged in.

- Before using your appliances, have a professional or your gas or electric company evaluate your home and replace all gas control valves, electrical wiring, circuit breakers, and fuses that have been under water.

GAS LEAKS: IF YOU SMELL IT, LEAVE, THEN REPORT IT.

If you smell or hear gas, do not turn lights on or off, or use electrical equipment, including a phone.  Leave your home and contact local gas authorities from outside.

Remember, it only takes one storm to wreak havoc causing mass destruction and loss of life.  Stay informed, be prepared and keep safe!

CPSC resources:

Carbon Monoxide Safety Center

NSN Poster – Safety in the Storm, When Hurricanes Happen

PSA - Hurricane Season is in Full Swing

Link to broadcast quality video for media:  https://spaces.hightail.com/space/XtFQ7YqK0x

CPSC spokespeople are available for interviews.  Email nnye@cpsc.gov or call 240-204-4410 to arrange for an interview.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Acting Chairman Robert Adler and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) announced today five awardees of a grant program aimed at preventing pool and spa drownings and drain entrapments.  The state and local governments, selected by CPSC, will receive more than $860,000 in Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP) grant funds.  This funding will provide the awardees financial assistance for education, training, and enforcement of pool safety requirements that are intended to save lives and prevent serious injuries.

FY 2021 Pool Safely Grant Program Awards

“Unfortunately, drowning remains the number one cause of unintentional death to children ages one to four,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler.  “These grants will help states and local governments reach consumers with lifesaving information to prevent pool and spa drownings and entrapments, and will help them to enforce pool safety requirements.”

“Throughout my career I have been a passionate advocate for pool and spa safety.  We must do more to stop these preventable tragedies, and I know that these grants are one of the key steps we can take to help save more children’s lives,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  “My overall goal is to reduce the number of child drownings across the country, and we can accomplish that by teaching children to swim, ensuring pools have the right safety equipment, and educating parents on the critical importance of supervising children in and near the water.”

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act), which Rep. Wasserman Schultz authored and led, was passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush in December 2007.  The VGB Act authorizes the PSGP, which provides state and local governments with assistance for education, training, and enforcement of pool safety requirements.

CPSC’s website www.PoolSafely.gov has more information on the Pool Safely Grant program and the VGB Act, as well as free, downloadable educational materials available to the public.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Peloton are announcing two separate voluntary recalls of Peloton’s Tread+ and Tread treadmills.

Consumers who have purchased either treadmill should immediately stop using it and contact Peloton for a full refund or other qualified remedy as described in the press releases below.

Peloton has also stopped sale and distribution of the Tread+ and continues to work on additional hardware modifications. CPSC previously warned consumers about the Tread+ in April.

In the United States, the Tread was only sold as part of a limited invitation-only release from about November, 2020 to about March, 2021 and the company is currently working on a repair to be offered to Tread owners in the coming weeks.

Peloton Recalls Tread+ Treadmills After One Child Died and More than 70 Incidents Reported

Peloton Recalls Tread Treadmills Due to Risk of Injury

Statement of Robert S. Adler, Acting Chairman of the CPSC

I am pleased that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Peloton have come to an agreement to protect users of the Peloton Tread+ and Tread products. The agreement, which the Commission voted this morning to accept, requires Peloton to immediately stop selling and distributing both the Tread+ and Tread products in the United States and refund the full purchase price to consumers who wish to return their treadmills. The agreement between CPSC and Peloton is the result of weeks of intense negotiation and effort, culminating in a cooperative agreement that I believe serves the best interests of Peloton and of consumers. I would like to thank the CPSC technical staff who have worked tirelessly to protect consumers and to warn the public. Today we have taken steps to prevent further harm from these two products.

 Full statement from Robert S. Adler, Acting Chairman of the CPSC

Statement of Peloton’s CEO John Foley

The decision to recall both products was the right thing to do for Peloton’s Members and their families. I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request that we recall the Tread+.  We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize. Today’s announcement reflects our recognition that, by working closely with the CPSC, we can increase safety awareness for our Members. We believe strongly in the future of at-home connected fitness and are committed to work with the CPSC to set new industry safety standards for treadmills. We have a desire and a responsibility to be an industry leader in product safety.”

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using three models of adult portable bed rails manufactured by Bed Handles, Inc. These models (AJ1, BA10W, and BA11W) can create an entrapment hazard and pose a risk of asphyxia to users.

Because the manufacturer of these bed rails is no longer in business, the company cannot offer a remedy. Consumers are urged to immediately stop use of the products and dispose of the products.   

CPSC evaluated the bed rails and found that they can allow an individual to become entrapped between the bed rail and mattress, or within the portions of the bed rail itself, leading to asphyxia.  

These bed rails have been sold online at Walmart.com, MedontheGo.com, soymedical.com, bpimedicalsupply.com, sonomasurgical.com, and other online retailers for around $80 to $100. The products have also been found for sale on secondary sites, such as eBay.com. The model number can be found on a white label located on the bottom of the handle.

The CPSC announced a recall of a previous version of the bed rails in both 2014 and 2015, due to an entrapment hazard. These bed rails, manufactured between 1994 and 2007, were sold without retention straps. Four people died after becoming entrapped in the bed rail; all four victims were elderly or disabled individuals. Since 2007, the bed rails have been sold with retention straps, but CPSC has found that the straps do not adequately protect consumers.

CPSC urges consumers to stop using these bed rails and report any related incidents to the agency at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Washington, D.C. – As COVID-19 continues to shape our “new normal,” consumers are reminded to maintain social distancing and wear protective masks when in public or group settings. And now with spring upon us, flowers in the garden are not the only things blooming. Milder temperatures mean more of us will head outdoors for recreation and do-it-yourself home projects involving power tools, yard equipment and sports gear. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) encourages consumers to remain vigilant about avoiding hazards while at home, at play or at school. Whatever the activity, CPSC cautions consumers, always Do It Safely (D-I-S), and heed the following tips:  

• Keep children and pets at a safe distance when using power tools, lawn mowers, ladders, and electric or motorized recreational devices.
• Wear snug clothing, and remove jewelry or other accessories that might get caught in tools or machinery, and keep hands away from moving parts.
• Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris.
• When using table saws, be extra cautious. Always use the fence for rip cuts and the miter gauge for cross cuts. NEVER cut “free hand.” Incorrect guiding of the workpiece is a major cause of kickback and blade-contact injuries.
• Make sure all tools and machinery are in good condition or serviced, as needed.  Register equipment for warranty coverage and safety updates. Check for possible recalls at SaferProducts.gov.
• When engaged in activities that require a ladder (such as gutter cleaning, painting, and home repairs) – BEFORE you climb: place the ladder’s feet on solid and level ground to avoid falls, and be sure to have another adult on site who can act as a “spotter.”
• Keep ladders away from power lines and live wires to prevent electrocution.
• For more tips on staying safe when engaged in outdoor repairs, spring into action here.

Kids back in school?

• When playing sports, make sure to wear a helmet and other protective gear meant for that sport to prevent injuries. For more helmet tips, spring into action here.
• Is there a 3D printer at school? Be aware of possible hazards, such as burns, electric shocks and exposures to additives or chemicals that can affect indoor air quality. Make sure there is proper ventilation for the printer.

Kids still home?

As reflected in CPSC's COVID injuries report, emergency room-treated injuries rose for a number of products during the first seven months of the pandemic. Increased incidents included unintentional poisonings related to cleaning agents, soaps and detergents and injuries related to skateboards, scooters, hoverboards and ATVs.

Be sure to:

• Keep laundry and cleaning products stored in their original containers, locked up and away from children.
• Wear a helmet when riding a bike, skateboard or scooter. The proper helmet can significantly reduce the risk of head injury in the event of a fall.
• For more safety tips when playing outdoors, spring into action here.

Throughout the pandemic, CPSC has provided consumers with safety tips and information that can be found at our COVID-19 Safety Education Center. Remember, whatever the activity, Do It Safely.

Washington, D.C. – As COVID-19 continues to shape our “new normal,” consumers are reminded to maintain social distancing and wear protective masks when in public or group settings. And now with spring upon us, flowers in the garden are not the only things blooming. Milder temperatures mean more of us will head outdoors for recreation and do-it-yourself home projects involving power tools, yard equipment and sports gear. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) encourages consumers to remain vigilant about avoiding hazards while at home, at play or at school. Whatever the activity, CPSC cautions consumers, always Do It Safely (D-I-S), and heed the following tips:  

• Keep children and pets at a safe distance when using power tools, lawn mowers, ladders, and electric or motorized recreational devices.
• Wear snug clothing, and remove jewelry or other accessories that might get caught in tools or machinery, and keep hands away from moving parts.
• Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris.
• When using table saws, be extra cautious. Always use the fence for rip cuts and the miter gauge for cross cuts. NEVER cut “free hand.” Incorrect guiding of the workpiece is a major cause of kickback and blade-contact injuries.
• Make sure all tools and machinery are in good condition or serviced, as needed.  Register equipment for warranty coverage and safety updates. Check for possible recalls at SaferProducts.gov.
• When engaged in activities that require a ladder (such as gutter cleaning, painting, and home repairs) – BEFORE you climb: place the ladder’s feet on solid and level ground to avoid falls, and be sure to have another adult on site who can act as a “spotter.”
• Keep ladders away from power lines and live wires to prevent electrocution.
• For more tips on staying safe when engaged in outdoor repairs, spring into action here.

Kids back in school?

• When playing sports, make sure to wear a helmet and other protective gear meant for that sport to prevent injuries. For more helmet tips, spring into action here.
• Is there a 3D printer at school? Be aware of possible hazards, such as burns, electric shocks and exposures to additives or chemicals that can affect indoor air quality. Make sure there is proper ventilation for the printer.

Kids still home?

As reflected in CPSC's COVID injuries report, emergency room-treated injuries rose for a number of products during the first seven months of the pandemic. Increased incidents included unintentional poisonings related to cleaning agents, soaps and detergents and injuries related to skateboards, scooters, hoverboards and ATVs.

Be sure to:

• Keep laundry and cleaning products stored in their original containers, locked up and away from children.
• Wear a helmet when riding a bike, skateboard or scooter. The proper helmet can significantly reduce the risk of head injury in the event of a fall.
• For more safety tips when playing outdoors, spring into action here.

Throughout the pandemic, CPSC has provided consumers with safety tips and information that can be found at our COVID-19 Safety Education Center. Remember, whatever the activity, Do It Safely.

Note: Peloton issued a recall for this product on May 5, 2021.

Urgent Warning Comes After Agency Finds One Death and Dozens of Incidents of Children Being Sucked Beneath the Tread+ (Formerly Known as the Tread)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the danger of popular Peloton Tread+ exercise machine after multiple incidents of small children and a pet being injured beneath the machines. The Commission has found that the public health and safety requires this notice to warn the public quickly of the hazard.

The urgent warning comes less than a month after Peloton itself released news of a child’s death by a Peloton Tread+ and CPSC’s announcement of an investigation into that incident.

The agency is continuing to investigate all known incidents of injury or death related to the Peloton Tread+.

To date, CPSC is aware of 39 incidents including one death. CPSC staff believes the Peloton Tread+ poses serious risks to children for abrasions, fractures, and death. In light of multiple reports of children becoming entrapped, pinned, and pulled under the rear roller of the product, CPSC urges consumers with children at home to stop using the product immediately. This video demonstrates the hazard to children posed by the Tread+. [Warning, video content may be disturbing to some viewers.] It is believed that at least one incident occurred while a parent was running on the treadmill, suggesting that the hazard cannot be avoided simply by locking the device when not in use. Reports of a pet and objects being sucked beneath the Tread+ also suggest possible harm to the user if the user loses balance as a result.

What should consumers do now?

• Stop using the Peloton Tread+ if there are small children or pets at home. Incidents suggest that children may be seriously injured while the Tread+ is being used by an adult, not just when a child has unsupervised access to the machine.
• If consumers must continue to use the product, CPSC urges consumers to use the product only in a locked room, to prevent access to children and pets while the treadmill is in use. Keep all objects, including exercise balls and other equipment, away from the treadmill.
• When not in use, unplug the Tread+ and store the safety key away from the device and out of reach of children.
• Report any Peloton Tread+ incidents to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov or to CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.

Tread+ treadmills are sold directly to consumers via retail showrooms, and online at www.onepeloton.com.

Model No. TR-01 was called “Tread” from August 2018 to September 2020, when it was renamed “Tread+”.

Link to broadcast quality video for media: https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/blKOH6LRIk

For media questions, please email: jmartyak@cpsc.gov or pdavis@cpsc.gov.

Under section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act, CPSC is required to include with this press release any comments or other information or a summary thereof. Accordingly, here is a summary of the company’s statement.

“The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s unilateral press release about the Peloton Tread+ treadmill is inaccurate and misleading. The Tread+ is safe for Members to use in their homes and comes with safety instructions and warnings to ensure its safe use. Like all motorized exercise equipment, the Tread+ can pose hazards if the warnings and safety instructions are not followed. The Tread+ is not for children under 16. Peloton warns Members not to let children use the Tread+ and to keep children, pets, and objects away from the Tread+ at all times. Any owner of a treadmill – whether made by Peloton or not – should follow these warnings, as they are included in the applicable safety standards, which the Peloton Tread+ meets.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Maxtrade LLC are warning consumers to immediately stop using Maxtrade’s Coolster youth ATV-3050-C and ATV-3050-B models to avoid serious injury or death.  These youth ATVs do not meet CPSC’s mandatory safety standards.  Maxtrade halted all sales of the ATV 3050-C and ATV 3050-B immediately upon receiving notice from the CPSC.

The youth ATVs are intended for use by children ages 6 years and older, as demonstrated by the product dimensions and advertising by various retailers. However, the ATVs exceed the mandatory maximum speed limitations and other mandatory standard requirements for ATVs intended for children as young as 6.  This poses a risk of a high-speed crash that can result in serious injury or death, if used by young children.

The ATVs were sold online and at dealerships.  The online locations included www.Amazon.com, www.Walmart.com, www.Familygocarts.com, www.Youthmotorsports.com, www.Killermotorsports.com, and www.Superiorpowersports.com.  The dealerships included ABC Bikes & Toys & Motorcycles, Affordable Excitement, All Star Scooters, ATV Wholesale Outlet, Dallas Power Sports, Dirt Cheap Motorsports, Mooney Motorsports, Mopeds & More, Rebel Racing, Rock City Cycles, Sooner Cycles and Upstate Cycle.

Maxtrade distributed the ATV-3050-B from 2007 and the ATV-3050-C from 2008, until January 2021.  The model numbers of these youth ATVs are ATV-3050-C and ATV-3050-B.  Approximately 58,000 ATV-3050-C and 4,000 ATV-3050-B ATVs were sold since January 2016.

Maxtrade informed the CPSC it is working to provide a remedy to consumers.

CPSC and Maxtrade urge consumers to stop using the ATV 3050-C and 3050-B products immediately and to report any incidents to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.  

Washington, D.C. –  The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the way U.S. consumers live, work and go to school.  A new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released during National Consumer Protection week now shows an impact on hospital emergency room (ER)-treated injuries from consumer products, as well.  The “Effect of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic on Preliminary NEISS Estimates,” suggests that although consumers may have avoided the ER for some product-related injuries, they did go at nearly the same rate as the previous year for more severe injuries.  The types of products causing injury displayed some marked increases and decreases, as well, highlighting new patterns of risk that may have arisen during the pandemic.

Among the key findings of the report, which examined hospital emergency room data from March through September 2020:

• ER treatment* for product-related injuries overall decreased by 24%, but for severe product-related injuries, by only 1%.
• The largest increases in ER-treated injuries across all age ranges occurred with fireworks and flares (56%), skateboards, scooters, and hoverboards (39%), and severe injuries for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), mopeds and minibikes (39%).
• ER-treated injuries related to button batteries rose by 93% among young children (ages 5-9).
• Sports-related injuries dropped significantly, including those that normally occur at schools (as much as 81%).
• ER treatment rose sharply for injuries related to cleaning agents (84%) and soaps and detergents (60%).
• Although bicycles had a slight increase (1%) in overall injuries, the increase jumped to 21% for users age 40 and above, and 39% for adults older than 70.

Read other highlights from the report here.

“These data begin to tell a story of how consumers were injured by products during the pandemic,” notes Acting Chairman Robert Adler.  “But the ending of the story has yet to be written.  With more data and more resources, CPSC can help make sure that consumers are safer, whether they are quarantining at home, or back at work and school.”

Among the smallest of the federal health and safety regulatory agencies, CPSC has broad jurisdiction over thousands of types of consumer products.  In recent months, Acting Chairman Adler has repeatedly pressed for additional resources for the agency to tackle the nation’s product safety concerns.

Today’s report is the first glimpse into injury patterns from the first seven months of the pandemic.  It is an overview of changes observed in reports from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), and it compares preliminary March 2020 through September 2020 estimates to the March 2019 through September 2019 period.  About one in fifty hospitals nationally participate in NEISS as part of a scientifically selected sample of hospitals nationwide. 

Throughout the pandemic, CPSC has provided consumers with safety tips at the agency’s COVID-19 Safety Education Center.  Data from the new report highlight areas of special concern for consumers:

• Poisons: Keep cleaning products in their original bottles.  Lock them up and away from younger children.
• Micromobility Devices: Gear up with a helmet before riding a scooter, skateboard or hoverboard, and stay out of the street.
• Fireworks: Never allow young children to play with, or ignite, fireworks, including sparklers.
• Batteries: Keep products with small batteries, including TV remotes, away from kids, and make sure that the battery compartments on children’s toys are secured properly.
• Bicycles: Wear a helmet.  When buying a helmet look for the label that reads “Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standards for Bicycle Helmets.

*Note: Emergency room-(ER) treated injuries include patients who are treated and released, as well as more severe injuries that require subsequent hospitalization or other more advanced treatment. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In recognition of National Poison Prevention Week (March 21-27, 2021), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) encourages consumers to “Prepare, Prevent, and Protect” their families from poisonings at home.

Nearly nine out of 10 unintentional poisonings occur in the home. This year, with families spending more time indoors due to COVID-19 restrictions, children, as well as isolated seniors, are at increased risk of injury or death from poisoning.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted daily routines, increasing the need for consumers to take stock of common poison dangers lurking at home and take preventive action to protect their families, especially children, from unintentional poisonings,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler.

Unintentional poisoning is one of the leading causes of injury among children. Even though these incidents can be prevented, thousands of children in the United States visit emergency rooms each year after consuming poisonous substances. In 2019, approximately 67,500 children under the age of five years ended up in emergency rooms due to unintended poisoning. About 85 percent of these incidents occurred in the home. The known sources most often include blood pressure medications, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, antidepressants, Attention Deficit Disorder medications, dietary supplements, diphenhydramine, bleach, and laundry packets. 

CPSC’s preliminary data from March through September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic found that hospital emergency room (ER) treatment rose sharply for severe injuries related to cleaning agents (84%) and soaps and detergents (60%) compared to the previous year.

The good news is child poisoning deaths have decreased by more than 80% since the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) went into effect in 1970. The PPPA requires manufacturers to secure certain medicines and hazardous household chemicals in child-resistant packaging. Under the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015 (CNPAA) liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes is also required to be in child-resistant packaging. Often sold in sweet flavors and bright colors that appeal to children, liquid nicotine is highly toxic if ingested or absorbed through the skin or eyes. In fact, ingestion of just small amounts of liquid nicotine can be extremely hazardous and even deadly to children. That is why, in accordance with the CNPPA, CPSC has warned vape shops and other retailers that selling liquid nicotine without proper packaging violates federal law.

National Poison Prevention Week is the perfect time to prepare, prevent and protect against unintentional poisonings at home. Here are some tips and resources to help keep your family safe from poison dangers:

Medicines

• Do not store medications for convenience in unsecured containers. This presents a danger to children. Keep medicines closed tightly in their original bottles with child-resistant caps. Keep them stored securely away from children. The elderly also are at risk of mistaking medications.
• Unfinished or unused medicines should be discarded properly. Ask your local pharmacy or police department if they have a disposal kiosk for medications. 
• Never call medicine “candy.”

Liquid Nicotine

• To avoid potential poisonings, always store liquid nicotine in its child-resistant packaging, tightly seal the container after each use, and keep it stored securely away from children.

Household Cleaning Products

• Keep household cleaning products, hand sanitizers, and other products that are sold in child-resistant packaging in their original packaging and stored securely away from children. The elderly also are at risk of ingesting household products.
• Single-load liquid laundry packets are highly concentrated, often colorful, and can look appetizing to children. Store laundry products securely away from children, and keep them sealed in their original packaging.

Batteries

• Coin-size button batteries, used in all sorts of electronics--from remotes and gaming controllers to musical greeting cards--are a danger, if ingested. Do not leave products with accessible button batteries within reach of children. If the battery compartment does not have a screw closure or is damaged, keep the product out of reach; use a strong, secure tape (e.g., duct tape) to help secure a battery compartment.  

Carbon Monoxide

• Fuel-burning products, such as portable generators, furnaces, and cars, produce carbon monoxide (CO), a deadly, colorless, and odorless gas. Always operate portable generators outside and away from open doors, windows and vents. Keep generators at least 20 feet away from the house.

Poison Help Line

• Always keep the National Poison Help Line Number, 800-222-1222, handy in case of a poison emergency.

To learn more about how you can reduce the risk of unintentional poisoning, check out CPSC’s Poison Prevention Safety Education Center.  There, you can learn how to identify potential poison risks and take simple steps to prevent child exposure.

During National Poison Prevention Week, think #PreparePreventProtect!

Presidential Proclamation: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/03/19/a-proclamation-on-national-poison-prevention-week-2021/

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers not to buy or use loose 18650 lithium-ion battery cells. These cells are manufactured as industrial component parts of battery packs and are not intended for individual sale to consumers.  However, they are being separated, rewrapped and sold as new consumer batteries, typically on the Internet.

The Dangers of Loose 18650 Battery Cells

Rechargeable lithium cells without proper protection that are not installed in a device or as part of an integral battery (“loose cells”) are potentially hazardous to consumers when handled, transported, stored, charged, or used to power devices.  Specifically, these battery cells may have exposed metal positive and negative terminals that can short-circuit when they come into contact with metal objects, such as keys or loose change in a pocket.  Once shorted, loose cells can overheat and experience thermal runaway, igniting the cell’s internal materials and forcibly expelling burning contents, resulting in fires, explosions, serious injuries and even death.

In addition, thermal runaway can occur in loose cells if consumers use them in inappropriate chargers that allow for charging beyond the cell’s specifications.  Unfortunately, a growing number of small consumer products, such as vaping devices, personal fans, headlamps, and some toys, are using loose 18650s as a power source.  CPSC is working with e-commerce sites, including eBay, to remove listings selling these loose cells. 

Do not use loose 18650 lithium ion cells that are separated from battery packs.  They are often misused as a stand-alone consumer battery, but do not have protection circuits.  For additional information on high-energy battery safety, please visit: https://www.cpsc.gov/Regulations-Laws--Standards/Voluntary-Standards/Topics/Batteries/

CPSC urges consumers to report problems with lithium-ion batteries to CPSC at: www.SaferProducts.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In recognition of National Poison Prevention Week (March 21-27, 2021), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) encourages consumers to “Prepare, Prevent, and Protect” their families from poisonings at home.

Nearly nine out of 10 unintentional poisonings occur in the home. This year, with families spending more time indoors due to COVID-19 restrictions, children, as well as isolated seniors, are at increased risk of injury or death from poisoning.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted daily routines, increasing the need for consumers to take stock of common poison dangers lurking at home and take preventive action to protect their families, especially children, from unintentional poisonings,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler.

Unintentional poisoning is one of the leading causes of injury among children. Even though these incidents can be prevented, thousands of children in the United States visit emergency rooms each year after consuming poisonous substances. In 2019, approximately 67,500 children under the age of five years ended up in emergency rooms due to unintended poisoning. About 85 percent of these incidents occurred in the home. The known sources most often include blood pressure medications, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, antidepressants, Attention Deficit Disorder medications, dietary supplements, diphenhydramine, bleach, and laundry packets. 

CPSC’s preliminary data from March through September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic found that hospital emergency room (ER) treatment rose sharply for severe injuries related to cleaning agents (84%) and soaps and detergents (60%) compared to the previous year.

The good news is child poisoning deaths have decreased by more than 80% since the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) went into effect in 1970. The PPPA requires manufacturers to secure certain medicines and hazardous household chemicals in child-resistant packaging. Under the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015 (CNPAA) liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes is also required to be in child-resistant packaging. Often sold in sweet flavors and bright colors that appeal to children, liquid nicotine is highly toxic if ingested or absorbed through the skin or eyes. In fact, ingestion of just small amounts of liquid nicotine can be extremely hazardous and even deadly to children. That is why, in accordance with the CNPPA, CPSC has warned vape shops and other retailers that selling liquid nicotine without proper packaging violates federal law.

National Poison Prevention Week is the perfect time to prepare, prevent and protect against unintentional poisonings at home. Here are some tips and resources to help keep your family safe from poison dangers:

Medicines

• Do not store medications for convenience in unsecured containers. This presents a danger to children. Keep medicines closed tightly in their original bottles with child-resistant caps. Keep them stored securely away from children. The elderly also are at risk of mistaking medications.
• Unfinished or unused medicines should be discarded properly. Ask your local pharmacy or police department if they have a disposal kiosk for medications. 
• Never call medicine “candy.”

Liquid Nicotine

• To avoid potential poisonings, always store liquid nicotine in its child-resistant packaging, tightly seal the container after each use, and keep it stored securely away from children.

Household Cleaning Products

• Keep household cleaning products, hand sanitizers, and other products that are sold in child-resistant packaging in their original packaging and stored securely away from children. The elderly also are at risk of ingesting household products.
• Single-load liquid laundry packets are highly concentrated, often colorful, and can look appetizing to children. Store laundry products securely away from children, and keep them sealed in their original packaging.

Batteries

• Coin-size button batteries, used in all sorts of electronics--from remotes and gaming controllers to musical greeting cards--are a danger, if ingested. Do not leave products with accessible button batteries within reach of children. If the battery compartment does not have a screw closure or is damaged, keep the product out of reach; use a strong, secure tape (e.g., duct tape) to help secure a battery compartment.  

Carbon Monoxide

• Fuel-burning products, such as portable generators, furnaces, and cars, produce carbon monoxide (CO), a deadly, colorless, and odorless gas. Always operate portable generators outside and away from open doors, windows and vents. Keep generators at least 20 feet away from the house.

Poison Help Line

• Always keep the National Poison Help Line Number, 800-222-1222, handy in case of a poison emergency.

To learn more about how you can reduce the risk of unintentional poisoning, check out CPSC’s Poison Prevention Safety Education Center.  There, you can learn how to identify potential poison risks and take simple steps to prevent child exposure.

During National Poison Prevention Week, think #PreparePreventProtect!

Presidential Proclamation: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/03/19/a-proclamation-on-national-poison-prevention-week-2021/

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As dangerous winter weather moves across the United States, including blizzards in Western states, tornadoes in Southern states and severe weather in Gulf states, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to protect themselves against carbon monoxide poisoning and fires.

Consumers need to be especially careful during a loss of electrical power.  Many use portable generators and other devices for sources of power and heat, exposing themselves to increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire.  Poisonous carbon monoxide from a portable generator can kill you and your family in minutes.  CO is called the invisible killer because it is colorless and odorless.  According to the CDC, more than 400 people die each year in the United States from CO poisoning.  CPSC estimates there were 78 deaths on average each year between 2015 and 2017 from CO poisoning caused by portable generators.  Follow CPSC’s safety tips below to help keep your family safe:

PORTABLE GENERATORS:

• Check that your generator has had proper maintenance, and read and follow the labels, instructions and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.
• Operate portable generators OUTSIDE ONLY, at least 20 feet away from the house; and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter.  
• NEVER operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed or on the porch.  Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO.
• CO poisoning from portable generators can happen so quickly that exposed persons may become unconscious before recognizing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness or weakness.

SMOKE AND CO ALARMS:

• Press the test button to make sure CO and smoke alarms in your home are working properly, and replace batteries, if needed.         
• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup in your home, outside separate sleeping areas and on each floor of your home.
• Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside sleeping areas.    
• Never ignore carbon monoxide and smoke alarms when they sound.  Get outside immediately.  Then call 911. 

CHARCOAL DANGER:

•  Never use charcoal indoors.  Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.  Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.

CANDLES:

• 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 and before sleeping.

Remember, as you deal with the storm’s havoc, stay informed, take action and be safe!

Washington, D.C. – Sunday, March 14, marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time when consumers will turn their clocks one hour forward. As consumers welcome the new season, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants you to add safety to your spring routine by changing the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.

Smoke and CO alarms need fresh batteries installed each year, unless they have sealed 10-year batteries.  Alarms also need to be tested every month to make sure they are working properly. Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside sleeping areas. CO alarms should be placed on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height. If either the smoke or CO alarm sounds, go to a safe location outside your home and call the fire department.

“Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Working alarms with fresh batteries buy your family valuable time to escape from a fire or a lethal buildup of carbon monoxide in your home.”

According to a recent CPSC report, there was an annual average of nearly 362,000 unintentional residential structure fires, 2,300 deaths, more than 10,400 injuries, and $6.69 billion in property losses from 2015 through 2017.  According to CDC, about 400 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning in the U.S.

Carbon monoxide:

• • Known as the silent killer, because you cannot see it or smell it, this poisonous gas can come from many sources, such as portable generators.
  • If you choose a plug-in type CO alarm, make sure that it also has battery backup.
  • Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed, or on the porch close to the house.

Fire:

• • Prevent fires by having your fuel-burning appliances, like your furnace and fireplace, inspected by a professional each year. 
  • Keep space heaters away from curtains, beds, and anything combustible. 
  • Make sure fire sprinklers water supply is open.

Create a fire escape plan:

• • Make sure there are two ways out from each room, usually a door and a window, and a clear path to outside from each exit.
  • Ensure that everyone in the home knows the plan, and practice the escape plan twice yearly.

For more tips to keep you and your family safe, visit CPSC.gov.  Share our Neighborhood Safety Network (NSN) poster.

Washington, D.C. – Sunday, March 14, marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time when consumers will turn their clocks one hour forward. As consumers welcome the new season, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants you to add safety to your spring routine by changing the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.

Smoke and CO alarms need fresh batteries installed each year, unless they have sealed 10-year batteries.  Alarms also need to be tested every month to make sure they are working properly. Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside sleeping areas. CO alarms should be placed on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height. If either the smoke or CO alarm sounds, go to a safe location outside your home and call the fire department.

“Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Working alarms with fresh batteries buy your family valuable time to escape from a fire or a lethal buildup of carbon monoxide in your home.”

According to a recent CPSC report, there was an annual average of nearly 362,000 unintentional residential structure fires, 2,300 deaths, more than 10,400 injuries, and $6.69 billion in property losses from 2015 through 2017.  According to CDC, about 400 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning in the U.S.

Carbon monoxide:

• • Known as the silent killer, because you cannot see it or smell it, this poisonous gas can come from many sources, such as portable generators.
  • If you choose a plug-in type CO alarm, make sure that it also has battery backup.
  • Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed, or on the porch close to the house.

Fire:

• • Prevent fires by having your fuel-burning appliances, like your furnace and fireplace, inspected by a professional each year. 
  • Keep space heaters away from curtains, beds, and anything combustible. 
  • Make sure fire sprinklers water supply is open.

Create a fire escape plan:

• • Make sure there are two ways out from each room, usually a door and a window, and a clear path to outside from each exit.
  • Ensure that everyone in the home knows the plan, and practice the escape plan twice yearly.

For more tips to keep you and your family safe, visit CPSC.gov.  Share our Neighborhood Safety Network (NSN) poster.

Washington, D.C. –  The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the way U.S. consumers live, work and go to school.  A new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released during National Consumer Protection week now shows an impact on hospital emergency room (ER)-treated injuries from consumer products, as well.  The “Effect of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic on Preliminary NEISS Estimates,” suggests that although consumers may have avoided the ER for some product-related injuries, they did go at nearly the same rate as the previous year for more severe injuries.  The types of products causing injury displayed some marked increases and decreases, as well, highlighting new patterns of risk that may have arisen during the pandemic.

Among the key findings of the report, which examined hospital emergency room data from March through September 2020:

• ER treatment* for product-related injuries overall decreased by 24%, but for severe product-related injuries, by only 1%.
• The largest increases in ER-treated injuries across all age ranges occurred with fireworks and flares (56%), skateboards, scooters, and hoverboards (39%), and severe injuries for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), mopeds and minibikes (39%).
• ER-treated injuries related to button batteries rose by 93% among young children (ages 5-9).
• Sports-related injuries dropped significantly, including those that normally occur at schools (as much as 81%).
• ER treatment rose sharply for injuries related to cleaning agents (84%) and soaps and detergents (60%).
• Although bicycles had a slight increase (1%) in overall injuries, the increase jumped to 21% for users age 40 and above, and 39% for adults older than 70.

Read other highlights from the report here.

“These data begin to tell a story of how consumers were injured by products during the pandemic,” notes Acting Chairman Robert Adler.  “But the ending of the story has yet to be written.  With more data and more resources, CPSC can help make sure that consumers are safer, whether they are quarantining at home, or back at work and school.”

Among the smallest of the federal health and safety regulatory agencies, CPSC has broad jurisdiction over thousands of types of consumer products.  In recent months, Acting Chairman Adler has repeatedly pressed for additional resources for the agency to tackle the nation’s product safety concerns.

Today’s report is the first glimpse into injury patterns from the first seven months of the pandemic.  It is an overview of changes observed in reports from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), and it compares preliminary March 2020 through September 2020 estimates to the March 2019 through September 2019 period.  About one in fifty hospitals nationally participate in NEISS as part of a scientifically selected sample of hospitals nationwide. 

Throughout the pandemic, CPSC has provided consumers with safety tips at the agency’s COVID-19 Safety Education Center.  Data from the new report highlight areas of special concern for consumers:

• Poisons: Keep cleaning products in their original bottles.  Lock them up and away from younger children.
• Micromobility Devices: Gear up with a helmet before riding a scooter, skateboard or hoverboard, and stay out of the street.
• Fireworks: Never allow young children to play with, or ignite, fireworks, including sparklers.
• Batteries: Keep products with small batteries, including TV remotes, away from kids, and make sure that the battery compartments on children’s toys are secured properly.
• Bicycles: Wear a helmet.  When buying a helmet look for the label that reads “Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standards for Bicycle Helmets.

*Note: Emergency room-(ER) treated injuries include patients who are treated and released, as well as more severe injuries that require subsequent hospitalization or other more advanced treatment. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As catastrophic winter storms continue to rage across the United States, millions of consumers are without power in dangerously low temperatures.  If you use portable generators or other combustion devices for sources of power and heat, you are at increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire.  Dozens of storm-related fatalities have been reported, including deaths from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, after consumers operated generators or charcoal grills inside their homes, or ran cars inside their garages trying to stay warm.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to protect themselves against carbon monoxide poisoning and fires.  Poisonous carbon monoxide from a portable generator can kill you and your family in minutes.  CO is an invisible killer.  It’s colorless and odorless.  According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 400 people die each year in the United States from CO poisoning.  CPSC estimates about 70 consumers die each year from CO poisoning caused by portable generators.

Follow CPSC’s safety tips below to help keep your family safe:

PORTABLE GENERATORS:

• Operate portable generators OUTSIDE ONLY, at least 20 feet away from the house; and direct the generator’s exhaust away from the home and any other buildings that someone could enter.  
   
• NEVER operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed, or on the porch.  Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO.
   
• CO poisoning from portable generators can happen so quickly that exposed persons may become unconscious before recognizing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness or weakness.

SMOKE AND CO ALARMS:

• Press the test button to make sure CO and smoke alarms in your home are working properly, and replace batteries, if needed.   
        
• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup in your home, outside separate sleeping areas, and on each floor of your home.
   
• Never ignore carbon monoxide and smoke alarms when they sound.  Get outside immediately.  Then call 911. 

CHARCOAL DANGER:

•  Never use charcoal indoors.  Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.  Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.

CANDLES:

• 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 and before sleeping.

Remember, as you deal with the storm’s havoc, stay informed, take action and be safe!

CPSC resources:

Neighborhood Safety Network (NSN) poster

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Cybex International, Inc., a New York corporation, has agreed to pay a $7.95 million civil penalty.  The settlement resolves CPSC’s charges that Cybex failed to immediately report to CPSC, as required by law, that its Arm Curl and Smith Press Machines contained a defect or created an unreasonable risk of serious injury.

CPSC charged that Cybex had information that a weld on its Arm Curl Machines can fatigue and fail, causing the handle to separate unexpectedly and strike the user in the face.  Cybex received 85 reports of broken handles, including reports of serious injuries and one report of permanent vision loss, but the fitness equipment manufacturer did not notify the CPSC immediately of the defect or risk.

CPSC also charged that Cybex had information that the weight bar on its Smith Press Machines can fall, posing serious impact injury hazards to the user.  Cybex received 27 reports of injuries associated with the Smith Press Machine, including reports of paralysis and spinal fracture, but the company did not notify the CPSC immediately of the defect or risk.

Cybex recalled the Arm Curl Machines on August 25, 2015, and subsequently recalled the Smith Press Machines on August 29, 2018.

In addition to paying the $7.95 million civil penalty, Cybex has agreed to maintain an enhanced compliance program to ensure compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). Cybex will also maintain a related system of internal controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by Cybex to the Commission is recorded, processed and reported in accordance with applicable law. 

Cybex is now under new ownership, and the Firm’s settlement of this matter does not constitute an admission of CPSC staff’s charges.

The penalty agreement has been accepted provisionally by the Commission by a 3-0-1 vote.  Acting Chairman Adler and Commissioners Kaye and Baiocco voted to provisionally accept the settlement agreement and order.  Commissioner Feldman did not vote on this matter and therefore is considered to have abstained.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With families spending more time indoors due to COVID-19 restrictions, children are at an increased risk of injury or death from furniture and TV tip-overs. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) latest report on tip-overs illustrates the ongoing need for parents and caregivers to address this risk, including the use of easy-to-install, affordable anti-tip kits to protect their children and give themselves peace of mind. Millions will watch Super Bowl LV on February 7, and the time is now to anchor all TVs in the home, including new ones bought during holiday sales, or purchased in anticipation of the “Big Game.”

CPSC’s report shows alarming statistics. Between 2000 and 2019, 451 children age 17 and under were killed by furniture and TV tip-over incidents. During the period from 2017 through 2019, an annual average of 11,100 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms for tip-over-related injuries. Seventy-nine (79) percent of all furniture and TV tip-over fatalities involved children younger than six. Seventy-five (75) percent of fatal incidents for children involved a TV. 

“Tip-over injuries and deaths are among the most tragic we see,” said Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Parents and caregivers don’t suspect that the bookcase or dresser in their child’s room can be hazardous—it’s a truly hidden hazard. And these tip-overs happen so fast; it’s literally in the blink of an eye, often with a parent close by.”

According to a 2020 CPSC survey, many parents and caregivers who did not anchor furniture and TVs believed it was not necessary, as long as they were watching the kids. This approach too often proves false, as shown in CPSC’s latest safety video, where real-life footage of falling furniture could have resulted in child deaths. Media can download the video, “Even When You’re Watching.”

To protect children from a tip-over incident, CPSC urges parents and caregivers to follow simple safety steps:

• Anchor TVs and furniture, such as bookcases and dressers, securely to the wall. 
• Always place TVs on a sturdy, low base, and push the TV back as far as possible, particularly if anchoring is not possible.
• Avoid displaying or storing items, such as toys and remotes, in places where kids might be tempted to climb up to reach for them.
• Store heavier items on lower shelves, or in lower drawers.
• If purchasing a new TV for the “Big Game,” consider recycling older ones not currently in use. If moving the older TV to another room, be sure it is anchored to the wall properly.
• Keep TV and cable cords out of reach of children.
• Even in rooms with TVs and furniture anchored, adult supervision is still recommended.

About Anchor It!

• CPSC launched its Anchor It! campaign in 2015, in collaboration with families who have experienced tip-over incidents, to help other families avoid the dangers of falling furniture and TVs.  
• Rates of injury and fatalities from tip-overs are higher than most people could imagine.
• Anchor It! promotes how-to guides for life-saving preventative actions for consumers.
• Anchor It! works with many manufacturers to encourage them to provide anchors with their products, and with home improvement stores and websites to carry affordable anchoring kits.