Health Alerts - September 2002

Jakks Pacific Inc., of Malibu, Calif., is recalling 296,000 cans of its aerosol “Smatter” spray foam. If the pressurized can is left in a hot automobile, it can forcefully break apart and cause injury.

Jakks Pacific has received eight reports of aerosol containers breaking apart. One child reportedly suffered a minor bump on the head when a can of spray foam broke apart after being in a hot car. In two cases, car windshields were cracked.

Only spray foam with the date codes 0492PT to 0952PT stamped on the bottom of the can are being recalled.

Smatter is an aerosol product that sprays a soft foam material from the can when the nozzle is pushed. The product generally is used at parties, celebrations or sporting events. The spray foam is sold in three different varieties: Original Smatter, Spit Smatter and Fatter Smatter. “Smatter” appears in large print on the can and on the cardboard packaging. “Nickelodeon” is written on the orange handle.

Discount department and toy stores sold the recalled Smatter products nationwide from February through June 5, 2002, for about $10. Contact Jakks Pacific Inc. at (800) 554-5516, or visit www.jakkspacific.com for information on receiving a free replacement Smatter product.

Hilton Hotels Corp., of Beverly Hills, Calif., is recalling 27,000 Vacation Station children’s cooler/chairs. When the chair collapses, the folding mechanism can crush, cut or sever a person’s fingers.

A 2-year-old boy’s fingertip was severed when the chair collapsed.

The recalled product can be used as a child’s chair or a food/beverage storage cooler. The cooler/chairs were given to hotel guests as a welcoming gift at participating Hilton, Doubletree and Hilton Garden Inn hotels and resorts. The chairs have either a purple aluminum frame with a purple fabric seat and green cooler bag or a green aluminum frame with a green fabric seat and a blue cooler bag. “Vacation Station” is printed on the front of the cooler bag.

Participating hotels and resorts nationwide distributed the cooler chairs between May and June 2002 to hotel guests with children. For information on returning the cooler/chair and receiving a free replacement item, contact Hilton Hotels toll-free at (877) 221-2424, or visit www.hilton.com/families or www.hiltongardeninn.com/families.

Cane Creek Cycling Components (Cane Creek), of Fletcher, N.C., is recalling 7,700 bicycle suspension seat posts. The seat post’s cradle, which attaches to the bicycle seat, can break, posing a risk of falling or serious injury to riders.

Though no injuries have been reported, Cane Creek has received 18 reports of cradles breaking. The recalled Thudbuster suspension seat posts are black and silver, with a serial number ranging between 10894 and 18710. The serial number can be found inside the seat post’s tube toward the bottom of the post. The words “Cane Creek” and “Thudbuster” also are printed on the seat post.

Independent bicycle dealers nationwide sold these seat posts between November 2000 and June 2002 for about $140.

Return the seat post to the company for a free repair. Contact Cane Creek Cycling Components at (800) 234-2725.

Young’s J.K. Inc., of Portland, Ore., is recalling 1,800 novelty cigarette lighters. These lighters do not have child-resistant mechanisms, as required by federal law. Young children could ignite the lighters, posing fire and burn hazards.

No injuries or incidents have been reported.

Shaped like beverage cans, these refillable, gas-fueled, piezo-electric lighters are attached to key rings. Lighters are labeled “Coca-Cola” or “Budweiser King of Beer.”

Grocery, gift and liquor stores, as well as smoke shops and gas station food marts in Oregon and southwest Washington sold these lighters from October 2001 through February 2002 for about $3.

Return the lighter to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call Young’s J.K. Inc. collect at (503) 252-3022.

Radio Flyer Inc., of Chicago, is recalling 59,000 Model 8 Roadsters manufactured before January 2002 to replace the steering wheel. A child can pull the horn from the steering wheel, uncovering a small part inside that poses a choking hazard.

Radio Flyer has received 19 reports of horns detaching from the steering wheel, but no injuries have been reported.

The Model 8 Roadster is about 26 inches long with a red steel body and a red rubber horn on a black steering wheel. The words “Radio Flyer” and the number “8” appear on both sides of the riding toy. Roadsters included in this recall have a date of manufacture of 12/2001 or earlier and have a horn symbol embossed on the red rubber horn. A label with the date of manufacture is located on the bottom of the Roadster. The label has the letters “MD” followed by a date code that represents the month and year of manufacture.

Toy stores, discount stores, catalogs and Web retailers sold the Model 8 Roadsters nationwide between January 2001 and July 2002 for about $70.

Model 8 Roadsters manufactured after January 2002 are not involved in this recall. Model 8 Roadsters with a star embossed on the horn, even if manufactured in 2001, have been redesigned and are not included in this recall.

Contact Redwagons at (800) 708-9246, or visit Radio Flyer’s Web site at www.radioflyer.com to order a free replacement steering wheel.

Brio Corp., of Germantown, Wis., is recalling 3,000 Plan Toys pull-along snails. The eyes on the pull toy can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

No incidents or injuries involving the pull toy have been reported.

The recalled Plan Toys pull-along snail is a bright green, yellow and red wooden pull toy. The snail measures 10 inches long and 4 inches high and is pulled by a nylon string attached to the underside of the toy. On the snail head are two yellow protruding pegs that extend about 1 inch from the body. The pegs are painted black and white to depict eyeballs.

Specialty toy stores, Internet retailers and mail order catalogs sold the recalled pull-along snails nationwide from June 2001 through June 2002 for about $15.

Call Brio at (888) 274-6869 for a refund. Consumers should return the recalled pull toys to Brio Corp., Safety Recall – Snail, N120 W18485 Freistadt Road, Germantown, WI 53022.

Lauri Inc., of Phillips-Avon, Maine, is recalling 110,000 Toddler Tote toddler activity sets and about 11,000 Familiar Things toddler puzzles. The dog puzzle included with both of these products and the rubber handle on the box of the activity set can tear apart into small pieces and pose a choking hazard to young children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Lauri Inc. have received no reports of injuries from these puzzles or handles.

The Toddler Tote travel activity sets have three animal puzzles, seven stacker pegs of various colors, a geometric shapes puzzle and four basic shape mini-puzzles. All the contents are packaged in a blue box with a rubber handle that acts as a carrying tote. The 9-inch square box has “Lauri” and “LR-2116” on it.

The puzzle set called Familiar Things is a boxed set of 12 two-piece puzzles. The puzzles include cut-outs of fish, planes, boats and cars. “First Puzzles for Little Ones” and “LR-2113” are printed on the purple box.

Specialty toy stores, Web retailers and school supply catalogs sold the recalled puzzle and activity sets from January 1999 to July 2002. Toddler Totes were sold for about $15 and Familiar Things were sold for about $20.

Call Lauri toll-free at (800) 451-0520 for free replacement pieces.

Small World Toys of Culver City, Calif., is recalling about 880 sorter toys. The plastic windows on the “see-inside” sorting blocks can break and the beads inside can present a choking hazard to children.

Small World has received one report of a sorter block breaking, but no injuries have been reported.

The recalled “Sort & See” sorting box is made of hardwood and comes with eight shaped blocks of various colors. Each block is filled with beads that are visible through plastic windows. The wooden box has a clear plastic top and cutouts on two sides that correspond with the shapes of the blocks. “Ryan’s Room” is printed on one side of the sorter box.

Toy stores sold the sorters nationwide from May through June 2002 for about $20.

Return the toy to the store where purchased for a refund. For information, contact Small World Toys toll-free at (800) 421-4153.