Recalls: Activity Centers, Water Heaters [Chinese Imports Ping]

Breitbart/AP ^ | 4/3/08 | n/a

[kiriath_jearim]

The following recalls have been announced: —About 16,400 Imaginarium multisided activity centers and Jungle activity centers, made in China and imported by Toys "R" Us Inc., because small parts on the toys can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. The company has received 12 reports of small parts detaching from the activity centers. No injuries have been reported. The multisided activity center, with the item No. 69042, has moveable block letters, a clock face, sliding shapes and gears. The Jungle activity center, with the item No. 69083, has peg jumping monkeys, sliding fish, abacus beads and bead mazes. The activity centers, made by Taizhou Orient Toys Company Ltd. and Shanghai Cosmos Gift Industry Company Ltd., were sold at Toys "R" Us stores nationwide and through its Web site from August 2007 through February this year. Details: by phone at 800-869-7787; by Web at http://www.toysrus.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

—About 1,500 natural and propane gas water heaters, made in the U.S. by A.O. Smith Water Products Co., because the water heater's flue gas temperatures can exceed safe limits and cause excessive temperatures in the venting unit, posing a fire hazard. Also, the water heater's exhaust can leak, posing a carbon monoxide hazard. No injuries or incidents have been reported. The recalled products are 75-gallon natural and propane gas water heaters that have "A.O. Smith" or "State" printed on the sides. They were sold by independent contractors and plumbers nationwide from November 2007 through January this year. Details: by phone at 866-880-4661; by Web at http://www.hotwater.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

—About 144,000 children's sunglasses, made in China and imported by StyleMark Inc., because surface paint on the sunglasses contains high levels of lead, which is toxic if ingested by children. No incidents or injuries have been reported. The style No. DI25K7116 and "Main Street Drag" are printed on the sunglasses. They were sold at Payless, Walgreens, Academy Sports and CVS stores nationwide from October 2007 through last month. Details: by phone at 866-928-1913; by Web at http://www.stylemark.net or http://www.cpsc.gov.

—About 61,000 Holiday Times candle holders, made in China and imported by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., because the candle holders could tip over, posing a fire hazard, and the glass holder could break, posing a laceration hazard to consumers. No incidents or injuries have been reported. The recalled Holiday Times candle holders are shaped as a Santa Claus, a snowman or a goblet. They were sold at Wal-Mart stores nationwide from September 2007 through February this year. For more information, visit http://www.walmartstores.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

[donna]

Headline: Obama elected president! Win credited to voter brain damage from lead poisoning.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Who designed these products? What were the specs? Were they ever tested?
I wouldn’t trust the Chinese to design anything. But,,, if the Chinese just built the products to someone else’s specs, there’s more people to take the blame.
And, I certainly wouldn’t sell a Chinese designed and built product without having it tested here! With all the problems? You’d have to be either crazy, or incredibly lazy to take such a chance!

[PugetSoundSoldier]

I agree... Parts coming off, or flue temperatures too high from too small of flue clearances is a design issue, not a production issue.

As I tell all my clients, getting anything built overseas - China, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Mexico, even Canada - you have to own the design and QC. Let the factory do what it does best - build stuff. But tell them exactly what to build (down to the last detail), and exactly how to test.

When you have defective parts, 99 times out of 100 it’s because of bad design, not incompetence of the factory. That’s true worldwide, including the US. Toyota and Chrysler both use the same suppliers, yet Toyotas are much more reliable. It’s how the parts are designed that matters.