Frigidaire, of Cleveland, Ohio just issued a recall for about 35,000 Crosley®, Frigidaire®, Kelvinator®, Kenmore®, Wascomat®, and White-Westinghouse® clothes washers the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced. The recall was initiated because an internal defect in the washer’s drain pump can cause heat to build up, posing a fire hazard to the consumer. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported.

The Frigidaire recall involves the Crosley®, Frigidaire®, Kelvinator®, Kenmore®, Wascomat®, and White-Westinghouse® in top load washers, 3.1 cubic foot front load washers, and laundry centers in the following model and serial numbers. Note: Not all serial numbers within these ranges are affected: (more…)

Domestications, of Weehawken, New Jersey just issued a recall for about 780 of its Domestications Bed Steps, which were manufactured in China and imported by Hanover Direct Inc., of Weehawken, New Jersey, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced.

The Domestications Bed Steps were recalled because the bed steps can break during use, posing a fall hazard to consumers. To date, Domestications received 14 reports of the bed steps breaking or cracking during use. Four of those reports involve injuries from falls. (more…)

About 76,000 Purdy 2 ½” 4-Edge Scrapers have been recalled by the Sherwin-Williams Co., of Cleveland, Ohio. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the recalled scrapers pose a laceration hazard to consumers.

The recalled scraper is a 2 ½” wide steel tool with a four-sided edge. The handle has a soft black grip with “Purdy” printed in red letters on the side of the handle. The scrapers were sold at Sherwin-Williams Paint stores, Duron Paint stores, MA Bruder Paint stores, United Paint Stores, Norfolk Paint Stores, Mercury Paint Stores, Old Quaker Paint Stores, Flex Bon Paint Stores and Columbia Paint Stores nationwide from February 2009 through June 2009 for about $9. (more…)

Over 20 people have been sickened by the dangerous, sometimes fatal, Salmonella pathogen after eating food at or from a Tennessee barbeque restaurant that is operated by state Senator Reginald Tate (Democrat-Memphis), reports the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Preliminary tests indicate Salmonella poisoning, according to the local Health Department.

The A&R Barbecue at 3721 Hickory Hill is operated by Senator Tate and his wife, Lashun Pollard-Tate, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Pollard-Tate is Andrew Pollard’s daughter. The senior Pollard owns all four A&R Barbeque restaurants in the Memphis area, said the Memphis Commercial Appeal, which noted that the three other A&R Barbeque locations have not been closed, citing store managers. (more…)

Just one day after the U.S. House shot down a bill meant to toughen the federal food safety system, the legislation passed the House under a rule that only required a minority vote. The originally proposed food safety bill failed earlier this week over fears its passage would overwhelm America’s small farmers.

The country has been hammered with dangerous, and often deadly, food pathogen contamination outbreaks such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. Food safety concerns were particularly heightened following the massive salmonella outbreak that was linked to horrendous conditions at the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). (more…)

Chinese drywall complaints to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) have now surpassed 800. According to an update on the CPSC’s website, Chinese drywall problems have cropped up in at least 23 states.

For months now, we have reported on homeowner complaints regarding Chinese drywall. Earlier this year, tests conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that Chinese-manufactured drywall contained elevated levels of strontium sulfide, as well as several organic compounds associated with the production of acrylic paint which were not present in samples of U.S.-made drywall. (more…)

A fire at the El Dorado Chemical plant in Bryan, Texas, while under control, continued to smolder today. At least 1,000 people are still evacuated because of the risk that ammonium nitrate at the plant could spark an explosion.

The fire at the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant broke out around noon yesterday. Right now, it looks like a welding spark ignited the blaze. The fire produced a plume of smoke that extended up to 60 miles from the plant. Because of the toxicity of the chemicals involved, fire crews were forced to allow the blaze to burn itself out. (more…)

We recently wrote that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was roundly criticized at a hearing before a House VA committee for not increasing safeguards and improving procedures at VA health facilities after shoddy colonoscopies and endoscopies were potentially linked to the spread of dangerous, deadly pathogens. Now, an attorney is planning on asking the U.S. Department of VA to pay disability benefits and damages for these mistakes, reported the Associated Press (AP).

We also recently wrote that despite a nationwide scare, media attention, and suspected links to HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, less than half of all VA facilities were operating under appropriate procedures based on surprise investigations spurred by the scandal, which broke months earlier, citing a prior AP report. (more…)

A Class I recall has been issued for four lots of Powersail Coronary Dilatation Catheters made by Abbott Vascular. A Class I recall is the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) most serious type of recall, and is issued when a medical device could predictably cause serious health problems or death.

The recall involves three lots of Powersail Coronary Dilatation Catheters from United States distribution and one lot from international distribution. According to a notice posted on the FDA Website, Abbott has received four complaints (one from each lot) that the distal shaft of the catheter exhibited damage. (more…)

Little Tikes Clubhouse Swing Sets are being recalled today because they did not come with assembly directions for the swing seat harness. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), about 1,950 Little Tikes Clubhouse Swing Sets are included in the recall.

The Little Tikes Clubhouse Swing Set is a plastic molded product that features a climbing wall, rope ladder, slide and two swings with blue and yellow seats. Only the blue seat model is being recalled. The model numbers are 400V and 612398. The swing sets were sold at various retailers including Toys R Us and Walmart from October 2008 through March 2009 for about $450. (more…)