Health Alerts - May 2002

The following car seats are being recalled in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Graco Children’s Products, of Elverson, Pa., is recalling 918,930 SnugRide infant car seats because the carrier may detach from the base in a sudden stop or crash, possibly resulting in serious injury.

The recalled seats may be missing the metal hooks and retainer pins on the bases as well as the mating U-shaped bars on the carrier shell used to attach the carrier to the base.

Graco infant car seats manufactured between August 1999 and February 2002 are affected. Car seats used without the base are not recalled.

The affected models are (may be preceded by the letter A): 7493G9, 7493RS, 7497HL, 7497SY, 7499LK, 7499N2, 841101, 841102, 841103, 841203, 412T02, 8457D5, 8457DBV, 8457F3, 8457GP, 8457IND, 8457MA, 8457MV, 8457RG, 8457TMJ, 8457TMP, 8457YL, 8458A5, 8458AE, 8458B7, 8458D8, 8458FKB, 8458HE, 8458HH, 8458KY, 8458N5, 8459VL, 8460LV, 8462HAV, 8462JAM, 8471UVB, 8472BLW, 8472BRN, 8472CYP, 8472GMP, 8472MAD, 8472YL, 8474HAB, 8474MEL, 8476VIN, 8477HAV, 8477JAM, 8477NGS and 8478SAR. The model name, model number and date of manufacture are on a label adhered to the car seat or base.

Inspect these car seats immediately. If the hooks, U bars and pins are present and secure, the seat can be used with the base. If anything is missing, stop using the base and contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 to receive a free replacement seat or base.

• Evenflo Co. Inc., of Vandalia, Ohio, is recalling 28,312 Triumph convertible child restraints because the slide loop connectors, part of the internal harness system, may not be strong enough to secure a child in a crash, possibly resulting in serious injury.

Restraints with model numbers beginning with 264 and manufactured between October 2001 and January 2002 are being recalled. The model number and manufacture date are on a white label on the back of the seat.

Contact Evenflo at (800) 425-1967 or www.triumphcarseat.com for a free upgrade kit with an installation instruction manual.

• Peg Perego, of Fort Wayne, Ind., is recalling 55,162 infant seats because the harness restraints may not secure a child properly if the vehicle crashes, possibly resulting in serious injury.

The recalled models are Martinelli Primo Viaggio with base, Pliko Travel System, Primo Viaggio System, Atlantico System and Atlantico Trek System SNG. The seats were manufactured from May 2001 through February 2002.

Peg Perego will provide instructions to customers on removing the plastic cover to allow the harness restraints to function properly; customers will receive new plastic covers in four to six weeks. For more information, contact Peg Perego at (877) 737-3468 or visit www.perego.com.

Intercon Merchandising Source Inc., of City Of Industry, Calif., is recalling 100,000 Time Out folding mini beach chairs because the chairs can collapse, posing the risk of serious injury.

Intercon has received one report of a 3-year-old’s finger being severed when her chair collapsed.

Sears stores nationwide distributed the mini beach chairs with the purchase of $20 worth of Time Out cosmetics from June through August 2000. The chairs are white aluminum with a blue canvas seat and back. Stop using these mini beach chairs and contact Intercon at (800) 634-0469 for free repair.

Lifetime Products Inc., of Clearfield, Utah, and Escalade Sports, of Evansville, Ind., are recalling 1.7 million portable basketball hoops and 16,000 Escalade Sports basketball hoops because they may have a sharp protruding bolt that can cut players.

Lifetime Products Inc. has received 27 reports of injuries, and Escalade Sports has received one report of injury, including scrapes, bruises and deep cuts.

The portable basketball hoops came unassembled with a flat plastic base that is weighted down by sand or water added during assembly.

All Lifetime portable basketball system models except the Quick Court are included in the recall. The Escalade Sports basketball hoop models recalled are the Harvard, The Big Easy, B3100, B3301, B3302, B3303, B3304, B3305, B3306, B3403, B3500, Spalding, The Big Easy B3402 and Apex B9995, Mini Court, Alley Court.

Sporting good, department and toy stores including Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and Toys R Us nationwide sold the Lifetime basketball hoops from January 1994 to July 2000 and the Escalade Sports basketball hoops from March 1994 to December 2001 for $80 to $500.

Stop using the basketball hoops and contact Lifetime Products at (800) 225-3865 or Escalade Sports at (800) 467-1397 to receive free cap nuts to cover the bolts.

Rose Art Industries Inc., of Livingston, N.J., is recalling 124,000 Soap Making Kits because the soap may get too hot when heated in the microwave oven and leak from the plastic container, posing a burn hazard to children.

Rose Art has received 10 reports of children being burned by hot soap while removing the container from the oven.

The soap-making kit was sold in a cardboard box with model number 4054 or a plastic case with model number 4121. Each kit includes bars of soap, molds and a plastic cup to melt soap chunks.

Toy and discount stores, including Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Kaybee Toys, Target and Value City, sold these kits nationwide from August 1997 through December 2001 for $10.

Stop using these kits and contact Rose Art at (800) 272-9667 for a refund and an additional Rose Art product.

Federated Merchandising Group of New York, N.Y., is recalling 1,000 Greendog girls’ capri pants and shirt sets because the buttons in the center of the embroidered flowers on the shirt can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

The two-piece set includes a yellow or white ruffled top with flowers embroidered along the bottom and denim capri pants with buttons on the bottom. The $26 capri sets, with style number 8088, were sold in sizes 12, 18 and 24 months at Macy’s, Burdines, The Bon Marche, Rich’s, Lazarus and Goldsmith’s from January to February 2002.

Return garments to the store where purchased for a refund or store credit. For more information, contact Federated Merchandising Group at (877) 874-2812 or www.fds.com/cpsc.

Leiner Health Products, of Carson, Calif., is recalling 14,000 bottles of dietary supplements containing iron because they are not in child-resistant packaging and could cause serious injury or death if ingested by children.

No injuries have been reported.

The Nature’s Valley Women’s Formula Multivitamin supplements were sold in a brown plastic bottle with a light yellow label and the UPC code 41163 27006 on the back of the bottle. Each bottle contains 60 tablets and has a green screw-on cap. Lot numbers IFA2750 and IFA2751 are affected.

Albertson’s, Jewel, Osco, Sav-on and Acme sold these bottles nationwide from July 2001 through February 2002 for $8 to $9.

Remove the bottles from the reach of young children and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, contact Leiner Health Products at (800) 421-1168.

Fisher-Price, of East Aurora, N.Y., is recalling 42,000 Smart Response Swings because the seats can be improperly assembled and appear secure when they are not.

Fisher-Price has received seven reports of seats flipping forward, including four reports of babies hitting their heads on the floor.

The Smart Response Swing is an indoor infant swing for use from birth until the baby can sit up unassisted. The swing operates in response to a sound sensor and plays music. Product numbers 79644, 79645 or 79647 are molded onto the back of the seat.

Discount department and juvenile product stores nationwide sold these swings from December 2001 through March 2002 for $70.

Stop using the swings and call Fisher-Price at (800) 942-5912 for help inspecting the seat to make sure it is properly attached. If the seat is not properly attached, a free seat and revised instructions will be provided.

For more information, contact Fisher-Price at www.fisher-price.com.

Wenzel Co., of St. Louis, is recalling 290,000 propane-fueled camping lanterns because an insufficient connection between the lantern and the propane cylinder can allow gas to escape and ignite unexpectedly, posing a risk of fire and injury.

Wenzel has received 12 reports of propane gas escaping from the lanterns and igniting. Two consumers were burned on their arms and hands, and one suffered burns to the eye.

The recall affects Ozark Trail models 824827 and 824928 and Wenzel models 824208, 824226, 824227 and 824401. The propane cylinder, which is not being recalled, was sold separately.

Wal-Mart sold the lanterns nationwide under the Ozark Trail label from March 1999 through August 2001 for $18. Sporting goods, camping equipment and other retail stores nationwide sold lanterns under the Wenzel label from January 1999 through August 2001 for $18 to $28.

Detach the lantern from the propane cylinder and return it to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, contact Wenzel at (800) 325-8368 or www.wenzelco.com.

Mead Johnson Nutritionals, of Evansville, Ind., in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is recalling one batch of Portagen powder, a nutritional product for infants, toddlers and adults with rare digestive diseases that prevent them from digesting or absorbing fats, because it may have been contaminated with the bacteria Enterobacter sakazakii.

Mead Johnson Nutritionals received a report that a premature infant died from Enterobacter sakazakaii meningitis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that the infection was associated with the presence of the organism in commercial powdered formula fed to the infant.

The batch, coded BMC17, with an expiration date of January 2003, is in national distribution and first shipped to distributors and hospitals in February 2001. Any cans from this shipment should not be used. No other batches of Portagen products are involved.

Stop using Portagen from this batch code and return the product to the place of purchase. For more information, call (888) 587-7275.

The following riding mowers are being recalled:

• Exmark Manufacturing, of Beatrice, Neb., is recalling 21,000 Exmark brand commercial-grade riding mowers because the exhaust system can ignite fuel vapors from spilled fuel if the engine backfires.

Exmark has received 15 reports of fires. One serious burn injury and two minor burns were reported.

The recall includes the Exmark-brand Lazer Z HP series riding mowers. Exmark dealers nationwide sold the riding mowers from January 1998 to December 2001 for $6,000 to $7,300.

Stop using the riding mowers and contact Exmark at (800) 479-8379 or e-mail [email protected]. Exmark will schedule repairs to the riding mower.

• Toro Co., of Bloomington, Minn., is recalling 13,000 Toro brand commercial-grade riding mowers because the exhaust system can ignite fuel vapors from spilled fuel if the engine backfires.

Toro has received 10 reports of fires, and one serious burn injury was reported.

The recall includes Toro-brand Zmaster Z100 series riding mowers. The model and serial number are on right side of the operating console below the seat.

Toro dealers nationwide sold these riding mowers from January 1998 to December 2001 for $6,000 to $7,300.

Stop using these mowers and contact Toro at (800) 225-0578 or www.toro.com.

The dealer will schedule a repair of the riding mower’s exhaust system.

• Dixon Industries Inc., of Coffeyville, Kan., is recalling 28,000 riding lawn mowers because the fuel tanks can crack and leak fuel, posing a fire hazard and risk of burn injuries to consumers.

Dixon has received 532 reports of fuel leaking from mowers. No injuries have been reported.

The recall includes model Dixon ZTR riding mowers, with the serial numbers in the following ranges: model 2301, 2555-3100; models 3303 and 3304, 54241-66276; model 3014, 14116-23741; model 4421, 88987-89316; models 5020, 5022, 5023 and 5503, 2118-6575; models 5017, 5423, 5424 and 5425, 4580-5835; model 5502, 8484-8547; model 5601, 2103-2116; and Classic Series, 97579-97798 or 97844-97883. The model numbers are on the body of the mower near the bottom of the seat or on both sides of the front of the body above the wheels. The serial numbers are behind the engine.

Dixon dealers sold these mowers nationwide from July 1997 through March 2002 for $2,500 to $7,400.

Stop using these mowers and contact a Dixon dealer for free installation of a replacement fuel tank. For more information, contact Dixon at (877) 288-6673 or www.dixon-ztr.com.