Health Alerts - December 2005

Dorel Juvenile Group USA, of Columbus, Ind., is recalling 141,000 battery-powered ride-on vehicles because an electronic malfunction can occur in the circuit board and/or battery connector, resulting in smoking and melting of components. This poses a vehicle fire hazard and a burn hazard to consumers if components are touched while malfunctioning.

The recalled vehicles include the Pink Corvette (model 50503/50503A), Torch Red Cor vette (model 50504/50504A), Yellow Race Car Corvette (model 50505/50505A), Red Electroplate Corvette (50521/50521A), Fire Engine (model 50506/50506A) and Batmobile (model 50527). The ride-on vehicles were manufactured between January 2004 and August 2005. The manufacture date and model number are located on the underside of the unit.

The vehicles were sold at major toy stores and mass merchandise outlets nationwide under the brands Safety 1st and Kid Trax by Safety 1st from January 2004 through August 2005 for $300.

Consumers should take the recalled ride-on vehicles away from children and contact the company toll-free at (866) 611-3022 for a free repair. For more information, visit www.djgusa.com.

Target Corp., of Minneapolis, is recalling 176,000 jumbo pencils with sharpeners because the sharpener's razor blade is exposed when the cover is removed, and the pencil sharpener hole is large enough to allow a finger to fit inside. This poses a laceration hazard to children and adults.

Target has received 12 reports of children and adults who cut their fingers on the sharpener's razor blade.

The jumbo pencils are blue, red or striped and have a red eraser on the end. The sharpeners are pink or blue and come in a clear plastic pouch. Model number 70505 is printed on the pouch.

The pencils and sharpeners were sold at Target stores nationwide from July through August 2005 for $1.

Consumers should take the recalled jumbo pencil with sharpeners away from children and return the items to Target for a $1 gift card plus applicable state tax.

For more information, call Target at (800) 440-0680 or visit www.target.com.

Hewlett-Packard Co., of Palo Alto, Calif., is recalling 135,000 HP and Compaq notebook computer battery packs because an internal short can cause the battery cells to overheat and melt or char the plastic case, posing a burn and fire hazard.

The recalled lithium ion rechargeable batter y packs are used with various HP and Compaq notebook computers. For a list of computer models that may contain a recalled battery, visit www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06007.html. The recalled battery packs have a bar code label starting with GC, IA, L0 or L1.

The computers were sold at national and regional computer and electronics stores, online stores, hp.com and hpshopping.comfrom March 2004 through May 2005 for $1,000 to $3,000. The battery packs also were sold separately for $100 to $130.

Consumers should stop using the recalled batteries and contact HP to arrange for a free replacement batter y by visiting www.hp.com/support/BatteryReplacementor by calling (888) 404-7398. Consumers should plug in the AC adapter to power the notebook until a replacement battery arrives.

Adjmi Apparel Group, of New York, is recalling 61,000 Reebok children's fleece quarter-zip pullover/pant sets because the zipper slider and pull on the fleece pullovers can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Only Reebok fleece pullover/pant sets with navy blue quarter-zip zippers are being recalled.

The fleece pullover/pant sets were sold in navy blue/red and navy blue/pink in sizes up to children's size 7. “Reebok” is printed across the front of the pullover, which has a hood that can be folded under the collar. Some of the recalled pullovers were sold with matching mittens. The style numbers were printed on the store tag only and end in 1816, 2816, 3816, 1816N,2816N, 1814, 2814, 4814 and 5814.

The sets were sold at Gordmans, Mervyns, JC Penney, Kohl's, The Bon, Fred Meyer, Ross, DD's, Edisons, Macy's, AJ Wright and Reebok corporate headquarters retail store in Canton, Mass., from September 2004 through February 2005 for $17 to $36.

Consumers should take the recalled product away from young children and contact Adjmi at (800) 873-5570 or www.reebok.comto receive a replacement product.

Omron Healthcare Inc. is recalling certain Omron 3-Way Instant Thermometers because the tip of the device may overheat, causing redness or a blister on the skin.

The recalled battery-operated digital thermometers have model numbers MC-600 and MC-600CAN and lot numbers beginning with 01-32, 01-36, 01-37 and 01-38. (Lot numbers are inside the battery compartments.)

The thermometers were sold in the United States and Canada between Sept. 19, 2001, and Oct. 21, 2005, at drugstores, the pharmacy sections of food stores and mass merchandise chains, and Internet retailers.

Consumers should stop using the thermometers and call (800) 634-4350 for information on how to return the thermometers and receive a refund or exchange for a different model. For more information, visit www.omronhealthcare.com.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark., is recalling 48,000 Holiday Time candle gift sets manufactured by Dan Dee International Ltd., of Jersey City, N.J., because the decorative covering on the candles can ignite, posing a fire and burn hazard.

Wal-Mart has received six reports of the candles catching fire, including two incidents that resulted in $6,200 in property damage.

One recalled candle gift set includes three birch bark-covered candles that are displayed on a stand with pine cones, cinnamon sticks and red berries. The second recalled gift set includes a display stand with three pyramid-shaped candles. The candles are blue with a silver glitter criss-cross pattern or red with a gold glitter criss-cross pattern.

The Holiday Time brand candles were sold at Wal-Mart stores nationwide from September 2004 through January 2005 for $10.

Consumers should stop using the candles and return them to Wal-Mart for a refund. For more information, contact Dan Dee International at (800) 477-8697 or visit www.walmartstores.com.

Far East Brokers and Consultants Inc., of Jacksonville, Fla., is warning consumers about jack'o lantern buckets containing eight tea lights. Consumers are urged to use only a single candle at a time because the unit can generate too much heat and pose a fire hazard if all eight candles included with the unit are lit at the same time.

The firm has received three reports of fires when consumers lit the eight candles in the bottom of the bucket decoration.

The 48,500 jack'o lantern buckets were sold in orange, cream and black. Item number 14609-00 or 14609-02 is on a sticker on the bottom of the buckets.

Grocery and discount stores nationwide sold these Halloween decorations beginning in July 2005 for $2 to $3. Consumers also are urged to ensure the wick of the tea light is trimmed according to the instructions on the bottom of the bucket. For more information, call (877) 332-9006.

Polaris Industries Inc., of Medina, Minn., is recalling 16,640 Polaris snowmobiles because the fuel tank filler neck can crack, posing a fire hazard.

The recall involves all model year 2005 900 Fusion, 900 RMK, 900 Switchback snowmobiles, and select model year 2006 600HO Fusion/RMK/Switchback, 900 Fusion/RMK/Switchback, FS Classic/Touring and FST Classic/Touring/Switchback snowmobiles.

Polaris dealers sold these snowmobiles nationwide from August 2004 through September 2005 for $7,899 to $11,599. For a list of model numbers being recalled, visit www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06503.html.

Consumers should stop using these vehicles and contact a Polaris snowmobile dealer to schedule an appointment for the fuel neck reinforcement kit installation.

For more information, call Polaris at (800) 765-2747 or visit www.polarisindustries.com.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, of Lebanon, Tenn., is recalling 3,700 Miniature Musical Bells Christmas Trees because they can overheat and melt,posing a fire hazard.

These battery-operated Christmas trees have the item number 233010 and were sold at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations nationwide from August through September 2005 for $19.99.

Consumers should stop using these trees and call (888) 296-2721 for instructions on receiving a refund. For more information, visit www.crackerbarrel.com.

Design Ideas Ltd., of Springfield, Ill., is recalling 1,100 Lily chair and ottoman bean bag sets because they do not have locking zippers or warning labels. Children have died from suffocation when they unzipped, inhaled and ingested small pellets in similar bean bag furniture.

The recalled stroller has an aluminum frame and a cloth seat, with a sun canopy. The recalled stroller has model number 20050016 and serial numbers S1000001D0504 through S1000800D0504 and S1000001D0506 through S1000200D0506. Two yellow handle-locking clips, one on each side of the stroller frame,secure the handle from movement.

The jogging strollers were sold at juvenile baby product stores, sporting good stores and Web retailers from May through July 2005 for $250.

Consumers should stop using the strollers and call (800) 535-3589 to arrange return of strollers to Kelty.

Child Craft Industries Inc., of New Salisbury, Ind., is recalling 155 cribs because a wooden strip added to the end assemblies to correct a spacing problem could come loose, posing a risk of entrapment. In addition, the three pin nails used to hold the strip in place pose a laceration hazard if the wooden strip detaches.

The recalled cribs are model number 37001 or 27601 and were sold at juvenile furniture stores nationwide from April through October 2005 for $350 to $500.

Consumers should stop using the cribs and call (800) 725-8625 for free replacement ends.