Do You Have These Recalled Cold-Weather Products?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has established a website, www.SaferProducts.gov, that allows you to check on products that were recalled earlier in the year so that you can check on your winter items before using them.  It is very important if you have any recalled winter items that you return them for repair or replacement and do not continue to use them.

Check Your Home for Winter Products Recalled Last Summer

Last summer, the CPSC recalled several products designed primarily for use in cold weather.  Because many consumers may not have been aware of these recalls at the time, the CPSC has set up a website where consumers can instantly find details about existing recalls and check their winter products for potential hazards.

What Winter Products Have Been Recalled?

Currently, there are several winter product recalls by the CPSC, including:

• ECHO Bear Cat log splitters–120 units—The end cap of the hydraulic splitter has been known to become detached from the splitter, posing a risk of injury to users
• Big Lots Portable Ceramic Space Heaters–70,500 units—The heaters have overheated and melted, posing a fire hazard
• Harbor Breeze Bath Fans with Heater and Light–68,000 units—The fan’s heater blades may fail to rotate, posing a fire hazard
• Snowpulse Avalanche Airbags–1,200 units in the United States and 2,600 in Canada—The airbags have developed leaks that may cause them to fail during an avalanche

Serial number information as well as pictures of the recalled items are available on the website.

The CPSC is seeking further information about these and other recalled items.  In additional to receiving information on recalled products, consumers who have experienced problems can report their experiences on SaferProducts.gov.

What Should I Do If I Find That I Have A Recalled Product?

It is against federal law to resell a product under recall.  If you find that one of your items is affected by a recall, immediately cease using the product and follow the instructions on the CPSC website to have the item repaired or replaced.

If you are having trouble getting an item repaired or replaced, you can contact the CPSC through their website for further instructions.  Recall notices also have direct contact information for the company that manufactures the products under recall.

What If I Have Been Injured By A Recalled Product?

If you have suffered any type of injury while using a recalled product, it is very important that you contact a product liability attorney immediately.  The statute of limitations is very short for product liability in most cases, so you must file a claim for damages quickly.

Further, if the product has been under recall for some time, the company may try to deny liability for your injuries.  Even though a recall does not relieve the company of liability for injuries, it does tend to complicate matters if a recall has been in place for a long time and you are still using the product.  Check with an attorney to determine your rights and how to collect damages for recalled product injuries.