Increasing Injuries Prompt Black & Decker to Reannounce Recall of Trimmers/Edgers Due to Laceration and Burn Hazards
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation withย the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of theย following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalledย products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Black and Decker Recalls 200,000 GH1000 Trimmers
Name of Product: Black andย Decker GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmer/Edgers
Units: About 200,000
Manufacturer: Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., of Towson, Md.
Hazard: Theย trimmer/edgerโs spool, spool cap and pieces of trimmer string can comeย loose during use and become airborne projectiles, posing a seriousย laceration hazard to the user, as well as bystanders. Theย trimmer/edgers can also overheat, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: At the time of the original announcement in July 2007,ย Black & Decker had received more than 700 reports of incidents,ย including 58 reports of injuries. The firm has received over 100ย additional injury reports; ten that required medical attention andย minor injuries such as bruises and lacerations. There were also reportsย of minor property damage, including broken windows.
Description: Theย Black & Decker GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmers/Edgers areย electric-powered. Trimmer/edgers with date codes 200546 through 200645ย (representing manufacture dates of November 14, 2005 through Novemberย 6, 2006) are included in this recall. The date code is located on theย underside of the trimmer/edgerโs handle. Only trimmers with black spoolย caps are included in the recall. Those with orange spool caps are notย included in the recall.
Sold at: Major home center and hardware stores nationwide from November 2005 through January 2007 for about $70.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the string trimmers/edgers immediately and contact Black & Decker for a free repair kit.
Consumer Contact: Forย additional information, contact Black & Decker toll-free at (888)ย 742-9158 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visitย the firmโs website at blackanddecker.com
