Product Recalls / Where to go, what to do
Ikea Roman Blinds
Name of product: IRIS and ALVINE Roman Blinds.
Units: About 670,000 (an additional 4.8 million were sold outside of the United States).
Distributor: IKEA Home Furnishings, of Conshohocken, Pa.
Hazard: Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck in an exposed inner cord on the backside of the roman blinds.
Incidents/injuries: On April 4, 2008, a 1-year-old girl in Greenwich, Conn., became entangled in the inner cord of an IKEA Roman Blind and strangled. The child was in a portable playpen that was located underneath a fully lowered Roman blind. She was found partially suspended with the inner cord of the blind wrapped twice around her neck.
Description: This recall involves all sizes of IRIS and ALVINE Roman Blinds in white. The blinds have a sewn-in label at the top edge of the blind with the IKEA logotype, article name (IRIS or ALVINE), 5-digit supplier number 19799 or 21369, four digit date stamp (YYWW) and the words “Made in India.”
Sold at: IKEA stores nationwide from July 2005 through June 2008 for between $7 and $30.
Manufactured in: India.
Remedy: Stop using the recalled Roman Blinds and return them to any IKEA store to obtain a full refund.
Consumer contact: Toll-free at (888) 966-4532 anytime or visit the firm’s Web site at www.ikea-usa.com.
Window Blinds
Name of product: Insulated Black-Out Roller Shades and Insulated Roman Shades.
Units: About 7,300.
Manufacturer: Green Mountain Vista Inc. of Williston, Vt.
Hazard: The black-out roller shades and insulated roman shades have a continuous looped bead chain that when not attached to the wall or floor, hangs loosely by the blind, posing a fatal strangulation hazard.
Incidents/injuries: CPSC received a report of a 2-year-old girl from Bristol, Conn., who suffered a near strangulation, June 2008, when she placed a loose bead cord loop around her neck and then slipped off the radiator where she was standing. Her 5-year-old brother lifted his sister, who was gasping for air, from the cord entanglement. She vomited and had deep neck bruising, but has since recovered from her injuries.
Description: This recall includes all insulated black-out roller shades (colors: white, cream, harvest, light sage) and insulated Roman shades sizes 48, 60 and 72 (colors: white, natural, sage, sienna, blue, goldenrod, mahogany, terracotta). The shades have RN number 107875 printed on the care label of the shade and identify the manufacturer on the Installation and Care Instructions.
Sold at: Country Curtains, Plow & Hearth, The Linen Source, Sturbridge Yankee Workshop, Ann & Hope, The Sportsman’s Guide, Target. com, The Curtain Shop of Maine, and Solutions Catalog. Sold nationwide from June 2005 through September 2008 for between $60 and $200.
Manufactured in: China.
Remedy: Check window coverings to see if the tension device is attached. If not attached, immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Green Mountain Vista Inc. to receive a free repair kit. If the consumer is not able to install the tensioning device, contact Green Mountain Vista for further instructions.
Consumer contact: Toll-free at (800) 639-1728 from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m. Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.gmvista.com.
Bead Maze Toys
Name of product: Bead Maze Toys.
Units: About 500.
Importer: ImagiPLAY, of Boulder, Colo.
Hazard: The trees on the toys can detach, exposing a metal screw. This poses a laceration hazard to young children.
Incidents/injuries: None reported.
Description: The recalled products are painted wooden toys with beads that slide on a curved metal track. The product was sold in three styles: the Apple Tree Bead Maze, the Cactus Tree Bead Maze and the Palm Tree Bead Maze.
Sold by: Toy retailers nationwide from August 2008 through October 2008 for about $13.
Manufactured in: United States.
Remedy: Take the recalled toys away from children and return them to the retail store where purchased for a full refund.
Consumer contact: Toll-free at (800) 882-0217 from 11 a. m. to 8 p. m. weekdays or visit www.Imagi-PLAY.com.
From the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: To find a list of recalled products, visit www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. All pictures courtesy of the CPSC.
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