Health Alerts - September 2001

Burger King Corp., of Miami, and Alcone Marketing Group, of Irvine, Calif., are recalling 2.6 million Hourglass Space Sprout and Look for Me Bumblebee toddler toys because young children can choke on the rattling beads or balls if the toy breaks.

Burger King Corp. has received 18 reports of toys breaking, but no injuries have been reported.

The toys were distributed from January through July 2001 in kids’ meals at Burger King restaurants nationwide.

Call (800) 661-9173 or visit www.burgerking.com for information on returning the toy for a free replacement toy.

Fisher-Price, of East Aurora, N.Y., is recalling 569,000 portable bassinets because fingers can be pinched or cut between parts of the folding mechanism.

Fisher-Price has received 24 reports of fingers getting caught or pinched in the bassinet frame, and 10 children have been injured.

The portable bassinet was sold under the names Sit & Soothe Portable Bassinet, Soothing Sounds Bassinet and Soothing Sounds Portable Bassinet. Bassinets manufactured before April 2000 with model numbers 79338, 79334 or 79336 are being recalled.

Toy, mass merchandise and discount stores nationwide sold these portable bassinets from November 1997 through March 2001 for about $50.

Stop using these portable bassinets and contact Fisher-Price at (800) 285-0324 or www.fisher-price.com to order a free repair kit.

Safety 1st of Canton, Mass., is recalling 1.7 million packages of safety latches used to prevent children from opening cabinets and drawers because a small spring could be released if the safety latch breaks. Young children could choke on the small spring or get into a cabinet or drawer where dangerous items are stored.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Safety 1st are aware of 27 incidents in which these latches broke, and two injuries have been reported.

The $7 latches were sold in packages of three or four at toy, hardware and department stores nationwide from January 1993 through December 1999.

Contact Safety 1st at (800) 366-1282 or www.safety1st.com for information on receiving free replacement latches.

Imperial Toy Corp., of Los Angeles, is recalling 100,000 toy feeding sets because the nipple on the toy baby bottle could come off, posing a choking hazard to small children.

No injuries have been reported.

Ben Franklin, Revco and other discount stores nationwide sold the toys from October 1995 through May 2001 for $2.

Return the feeding set to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call Imperial Toy Corp. at (800) 543-6551 or write to the company at 2060 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90021.

Advantage Publishers Group, of San Diego, is recalling 160,000 Let’s Start Numbers and Optical Illusions Lab educational kits because they contain lead, which can present a poisoning risk to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

Lead is contained in the red numbers on the stencil sheet in the Let’s Start kit and in the gold paint on the black pen in the Optical Illusions kit.

Retail stores, book chains, wholesalers and distributors, and membership warehouse clubs nationwide sold the educational kits from February 1999 through May 2001 for $13 to $20.

Discard stencil sheets and pens from the activity kits. To order a replacement piece, call Advantage Publishers Group at (866) 748-3731. For more information, visit www.advantagebooksonline.com.

DSI Toys Inc., of Houston, is recalling 238,000 stuffed toy kittens because the toys contain contaminated water that, if contacted, could make children ill.

No injuries have been reported.

The Kitty Kitty Kittens, which make a purring noise when they are petted, come in six styles: Buttons, Tiger, Calico, Mittens, Tawny and Fluffy. Discount, specialty and toy stores nationwide sold the kitten toys from September 2000 through May 2001 for $10 to $13.

Call DSI Toys at (800) 628-8882 to receive a free replacement toy. For more information, visit www.dsitoys.com.

Raymond Geddes & Co. Inc., of Baltimore, is recalling 55,000 children’s wallets because the zipper pull contains lead, which can present a poisoning risk to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

Toy stores nationwide sold these wallets from August 1998 through April 2001 for $1.

Return the wallets to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call Raymond Geddes & Co. at (800) 533-6273, visit www.raymondgeddes.com or e-mail [email protected].

JT USA Inc., of Chula Vista, Calif., is recalling about 4,000 Proteus masks used for protection during paint ball games because they could crack around the ear cover when hit by a paint ball and expose players to eye injuries.

JT USA has received one report of a mask breaking. No injuries have been reported.

The Proteus mask is made up of a Spectra goggle, visor and face mask, which includes ear covers and a strap. Only masks with clear ear covers are recalled.

Paint ball equipment stores sold these masks nationwide from March through May 2001 for $110 to $150.

Return the masks to JT USA for a free replacement. For shipping instructions, call JT USA at (800) 587-2246, or write to The Recall Dept., JTA USA Inc., 515 Main St., Chula Vista, CA 91911. For more information, visit www.jtusa.com.

Various firms have recalled bicycles and their parts:

• Acetrike Bicycle Co., of Taiwan, is recalling 38,800 children’s sidewalk bicycles because the frames can break, causing the riders to fall and suffer injuries.

Acetrike and the distributor of the bicycles, Huffy Bicycle Co., have received four reports of broken frames. Three children suffered scrapes and bruises.

The recall includes bicycles with date codes of April 2000 and earlier. Date codes are molded on the bicycles’ left rear frame, at the point of attachment of the rear wheel. The following models are involved: Cool Taz, Space Racer, High Gear and MX 1200, 12-inch boy’s styles; Sweet Tweety and Fairy Magic, 12-inch girl’s styles; Mudslinger, Rugrats and MX1800, 16-inch boy’s styles; and Secret Treasures and Best Friends,16-inch girl’s styles.

Discount department, toy, hardware and sporting goods stores, including Ace Hardware, Ames, Blain Supply, Kay Bee Toys, Meijers, Tru*Serv and Wal-Mart, sold these bikes nationwide from October 1999 through March 2001 for $35 to $70.

Call (888) 366-3828 or visit www.huffybikes.com to determine if a bicycle is part of the recall. Consumers with a recalled bicycle will receive a replacement bicycle free of charge.

• RANS Inc., of Hays, Kan., is recalling 4,000 long-wheelbase recumbent bicycles because the front fork steering tube can break, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer injuries.

RANS Inc. has received eight reports of forks breaking on these bicycles. No injuries have been reported.

The models being recalled are the RANS Stratus, Stratus XL, Gliss, Tailwind, Wave, Response and Nimbus. Specialty bicycle shops sold these bikes from June 1993 through July 2001 for $700 to $1,500.

Return the bicycles to the store where purchased or to a qualified bike mechanic for inspection and repair, if necessary. For more information, call RANS Inc. at (877) 990-7267 or visit www.rans.com/recall or www.ransbikes.com/recall.

• Specialized Bicycles Inc., of Morgan Hill, Calif., is recalling 3,500 Specialized-brand bicycles because the bicycle frame can break during use, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injuries.

Specialized Bicycles Inc. has received two reports of these bicycles breaking, resulting in minor injuries.

The bicycles were sold for the 2001 model year only and include 2001 Hemi Pro 12-inch boy’s team red bikes and 2001 Hemi Fastgirl 12-inch girl’s pink bikes. Specialized dealers sold the bicycles nationwide from July 2000 through May 2001 for $110 to $130.

Return the bicycles to the nearest Specialized dealer for a refund. For more information, call Specialized Bicycles Inc. at (800) 214-1468.

• Cannondale Corp., of Bethel, Conn., is recalling 367 “Carbon Lefty” suspension forks because the forks can break, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injury or death.

Cannondale has received six reports of forks breaking. No injuries have been reported.

These single-sided suspension forks were sold on the 2001 model Cannondale F4000 SL, Jekyll 4000 SL, Raven 4000 SL bicycles and separately. All forks made before May 31 are recalled. Cannondale dealers sold the recalled forks on bicycles from December 2000 through June 2001 for $3,500 to $4,300.

Return the bicycles to a Cannondale retailer to arrange to have the fork rebuilt and upgraded at no charge. For more information, call Cannondale at (800) BIKE USA.

• Magura USA, of Olney, Ill., is recalling 360 hydraulic disc brakes because they could fail, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injuries.

Magura has received no reports of incidents or injuries.

The 2001 Gustav M hydraulic disc brakes are the only Gustav brakes with silver brake levers. Bicycle stores sold the brakes nationwide from September 2000 through May 2001 for $260 each. They also were sold with Cannondale MT 4000 tandem bicycles.

Contact a local dealer for repair. For a free Gustav M Brake Upgrade Kit, contact a Magura dealer. For more information, call (800) 448-3876.

• Supergo Corp., of Santa Monica, Calif., is recalling 125 “PAZZAZ” ATB-98 carbon fiber-wrapped aluminum riser mountain bicycle handlebars and 199 pairs of PAZZAZ carbon fiber mountain bicycle “bar ends,” which can be bolted on to the end of most mountain bicycle handlebars to assist in climbing. The handlebars can crack and break, causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle, fall and suffer serious injuries.

Supergo has received three reports of handlebars breaking or cracking and two reports of bar ends detaching. No injuries have been reported.

The $39 handlebars and $25 bar ends were sold in Arizona, California and through mail order from June 2000 through May 2001.

The firm is offering a refund or a free replacement aluminum handlebar, which will be installed at Supergo stores. For bar ends, Supergo is offering a refund. For more information, call Supergo at (800) 326-2453 or visit www.supergo.com.

SunTome Trading Corp., of Los Angeles, is recalling 600 baby walkers because they are not designed to stop at the edge of a step, which could cause serious injuries or death if children fall down stairs in these walkers.

No injuries have been reported.

Independent discount stores in California, Arizona and Texas sold these walkers (model number ST-108ST) from January 1998 through July 2001 for $18 to $22.

For instructions on returning walkers, call SunTome Trading Corp. at (888) SUNTOME (786-8663).

Inca Imports, of Denver, is recalling 2,600 stuffed bears because the noses, bells and eyes can detach, presenting a choking hazard to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

Stores in tourist areas throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas sold the bears from July 1997 through February 2001 for $20 to $50.

Return the bears to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call Inca Imports at (800) 279-4040 or write to Don Donahue, Inca Imports, 451 E. 58th Ave., P.O. Box 132, Denver, CO 80216.

Basic Comfort Inc., of Denver, is recalling 16,000 infant seat pads because they have two shoulder straps that create a v-shaped opening around the head and neck, presenting a strangulation hazard to young children.

Basic Comfort has received one report of an 8-month-old who was caught by the neck in the shoulder straps of the seat pad after falling sideways off a chair. The child was not injured.

The seat pad was sold under The Baby Sitter brand name. Department and juvenile products stores nationwide, including JC Penney and One Step Ahead, sold these infant seat pads from October 1998 through May 2001 for $11.

Call Basic Comfort at (800) 456-8687 to receive a replacement. For more information, visit www.basiccomfort.com.