Author: Marianne Halterman

Please see foodsafetysews.com article by Coral Beach on March 1, 2024

Release Date: February 26, 2024

Release Number: 24-131

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As cold weather continues to impact much of the country, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about deadly hazards from home heating equipment, including space heaters, furnaces and fireplaces, based on the findings in a recent report.

A new CPSC report shows that the upward trend in non-fire carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning deaths from consumer products, including portable generators and heating appliances, continued for the 11-year period from 2010 to 2020. The estimated number of non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated with consumer products under CPSC’s jurisdiction rose to an all-time high of 254 in 2019. Although there were fewer estimated deaths, 211, in 2020, that number otherwise exceeds all earlier years in the period.

In 2020, the highest number of CO deaths associated with any single product category, 92, were associated with generators, which are often used to heat homes when the power goes out. The second highest number, 33, were associated with portable heaters.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and poisonous gas known as the “invisible killer.” Most CO deaths in the U.S. occur in the colder months of the year, with more than half occurring in November, December, January, and February.

CPSC urges consumers to take safety precautions while keeping their home warm this winter.

Generators

A gasoline-powered generator used during weather-related power outages can produce as much CO as hundreds of cars. Since 2010, portable generators have been associated with an estimated 796 non-fire CO poisoning deaths, accounting for 40 percent of all non-fire CO deaths related to consumer products under CPSC’s jurisdiction.

• NEVER operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed or other enclosed space. Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO. 
• Always operate portable generators outside, at least 20 feet away from the house. Don’t operate a generator on a porch or in a carport. It may be convenient, but it’s too close to home and puts your family at risk of CO poisoning. Direct the generator’s exhaust away from your home and other buildings where someone can enter. Close windows and seal off vent openings that are near the generator or in the path of its exhaust.
• Regularly check and maintain your portable generator to ensure it will work properly when needed. Read and follow all labels, instructions and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.
• Look for portable generators that have a CO shut-off safety feature. This safety feature automatically shuts off the generator when high levels of CO are present around the generator. CPSC estimates that models that are certified to the latest PGMA G300-2018 and UL 2201 safety standards reduce deaths from CO poisoning by 87% and 100%, respectively. UL 2201 certified models have reduced CO emissions in addition to the CO shut-off feature.

Heating Systems

Fuel-burning heating systems, including furnaces and fireplaces, can be a source of fatal or hazardous CO levels. Heating systems can cause CO poisoning if they are improperly installed, poorly maintained, have defective or blocked venting systems or are misused.

• Have a professional inspect all fuel-burning heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues and vents each year.
• Clear snow away from the outside vents for fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces so that dangerous carbon monoxide does not build up in the house.

Portable Heaters

CPSC estimates that fuel-burning portable heaters were involved in an estimated 33 unintentional, non-fire CO poisoning deaths in 2020. Portable heaters can also cause fires.

• Never leave portable heaters on while sleeping.
• NEVER leave running unattended in a confined space to reduce hyperthermia hazards.
• Place the heater on a stable, level surface, located where it will not be knocked over. 
• Keep all sides of the portable heater at least 3 feet from beds, clothes, curtains, papers, sofas and other items that can catch fire.
• Fuel-burning portable heaters should never be refueled while in use; turn the heater off and allow it to cool down before refueling.
• When using electric portable heaters, ALWAYS use a wall outlet; NEVER a power strip and NEVER run the heater’s cord under rugs or carpeting. 
• Be mindful of children and pets around portable heaters.

CO Alarms

Working CO alarms save lives!

• Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup on each level and outside separate sleeping areas at home. Interconnected CO alarms are best; when one sounds, they all sound.
• Test CO and alarms monthly to make sure they are working properly, and replace batteries, if needed. Never ignore an alarm when it sounds. Get outside immediately. Then call 911.

Check for recalled products

Check to see if your home heating equipment has been recalled at www.cpsc.gov/recalls. If a product has been recalled, stop using it immediately and contact the recalling company for the remedy–a refund, repair or replacement.

Read more safety tips in our Carbon Monoxide Safety Center.

Pictures available here:

Report any incidents involving injury or product defect to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic.  Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

CPSC has heard heartbreaking stories from parents whose children ingested water beads and suffered severe consequences, including grave internal injuries, lifelong health impacts and death.

What are Water Beads? 

Water beads look harmless – almost like candy – but can be deadly to babies and small children if ingested; and can lead to choking, internal injuries and even death if left undetected. 

Water beads, often sold as toys, in craft kits, as sensory tools for children with developmental disabilities or for agricultural use, are small, water-absorbing, often colorful balls of super absorbent polymer and can grow 100X their original size when exposed to water!

How do Water Beads work?

Dry water beads can be the size of a pinhead, making them nearly undetectable if dropped on the floor or spilled in a playroom.

Ingested water beads can continue to grow inside the body. This can cause severe discomfort, vomiting, dehydration, intestinal blockages and life-threatening injuries, and surgery may be required to remove the water beads.

Water beads inserted into ears can damage ear structures, causing hearing loss and require surgery.

Water beads are associated with thousands of emergency-department visits every year. [From 2016-2022, there were an estimated 7,800 Emergency Room (ER) visits associated with water beads and CPSC is aware of at least one death.]

What is the warning?

CPSC urges parents and caregivers to remove these products from any environment with small children (3 years old and younger). CPSC also urges childcare centers, camps, and schools to avoid these products entirely. If you suspect your child has swallowed a water bead or inserted a water bead into their ear or nose, seek medical treatment right away.

Safety Tips:

• Do not allow children to play with water beads unsupervised.
• Store water beads in a secure container and location where young children cannot easily access them.
• Water beads can easily scatter, roll, and become lost in the home and can be ingested in the dehydrated state. The only way to mitigate the hazard is to remove them from the home.

In Case of Emergency:

• Call National Poison Help Line at 800-222-1222, 24 hours a day.

Pictures available here: https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Water-Beads-Information-Center

Report any dangerous product or a product-related injury & experiences with water beads on SaferProducts.gov.

Safety Education Resources: SafetyAlert_5101_WaterBeads_122023.pdf (468.02 KB)

Release Date: February 8, 2024

Release Number: 24-115

New CPSC Report Shows Children, Older Adults Remain at Most Risk for Tip-Over Incidents; Disparities Remain Among Certain Demographics

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As many Americans prepare to purchase new TVs ahead of the big game on Sunday, February 11, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released new data today that show tip-over incidents land thousands of children in emergency rooms every year; with children also representing 71 percent of fatalities associated with this hazard.

The report, which focuses on injuries and fatalities that result from furniture, TV, and appliance tip-over incidents, shows that 17,800 people annually are injured in these incidents. Of that number, children under age 18 suffered 44 percent of injuries, amounting to a child being treated in an emergency department (ED-treated) every 53 minutes.

Incident disparities among certain demographics, particularly Black non-Hispanics, persist where race/ethnicity is known. Among the 137 reported child fatalities from January 2013 through July 2023, Black non-Hispanic children accounted for 32 percent of those deaths while only comprising about 14 percent of the U.S. population of children. And from 2020 to 2022, among the ED-treated injuries to adults ages 18 years to 59 years, Black non-Hispanic adults accounted for 32 percent of those injuries despite making up only 13 percent of the U.S. population.

In addition, the number of tip-over injuries impacting older adults (those aged 60+) has been on the rise, as the estimated number of ED-treated injuries involving furniture-only tip-overs has steadily grown over the past decade from 1,800 in 2013 to 4,300 in 2022.

Other key findings include: 

• Of the 217 reported tip-over fatalities from 2013 through July 2023 to all ages, 47 percent involved a television, and 55 percent involved children between 1 and 3 years old;
• Of the estimated annual average 17,800 ED-treated injuries from 2020-2022 to all ages, 82 percent involved furniture, and 22 percent involved children between 1 and 3 years old.

“Furniture and TV tip-overs remain a significant safety hazard in American households,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric. “The data show that tip-overs pose a specific risk to children, and that African American communities are disproportionately injured and die as a result of this hazard. While CPSC adopted a new mandatory rule under the STURDY Act last year to hold furniture manufacturers to a higher safety standard, I want to remind consumers that they should still take action in their own homes by installing anti-tip-over kits — especially as they look ahead to the big game on Sunday, which is a popular time for large family gatherings that can include children.”

As of September 1, 2023 and beyond, all newly manufactured clothing storage furniture must meet updated safety criteria; however CPSC recommends that all clothing storage furniture, regardless of when manufactured or purchased, should be anchored and secured to prevent tragedy.

CPSC took further action to prevent tip-overs on January 12, 2024 by announcing the recall of millions of anti-tip-over kits manufactured by New Age Furniture, because the plastic zip ties could become brittle or weak over time. CPSC advises people who secured clothing storage units (manufactured in November 2019 or later) with a potentially affected kit to contact Alliance4Safety for a free replacement.

CPSC urges all adults to take essential steps to protect their families from dangerous tip-over risks:

•   Anchor TVs and furniture, such as bookcases and dressers, securely to the wall.  

•   When anchoring is not possible, always place TVs on a sturdy, low base, push the TV back as far as possible, and keep cable cords out of reach.

•   Avoid storing appealing items such as toys and remotes where kids may be tempted to climb to reach for them; store heavier items on lower shelves.

For consumers’ peace of mind, the CPSC’s Anchor It! campaign website outlines three simple steps to installing an anchoring kit correctly. Learn how to anchor furniture safely here.

CPSC’s Anchor It! Campaign’s PSA safety video includes real-life footage of children and falling furniture. Media can download the video: “Even When You’re Watching.”

Report any incidents involving injury or product defect to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic.  Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

Release Date: February 01, 2024

Release Number: 24-089

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using and dispose of Magnetic Fidget Balls’ Magnetic Ball Sets because the loose, hazardous magnets pose a risk of serious injury or death if ingested by children.

CPSC testing determined the magnetic ball sets do not comply with the requirements of the mandatory federal toy regulation because they contain one or more magnets that fit within 

CPSC’s small parts cylinder and the magnets are stronger than permitted. When high-powered magnets are swallowed, the ingested magnets can attract to each other, or to another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death. 

CPSC estimates 2,400 magnet ingestions were treated in hospital emergency departments from 2017 through 2021. CPSC is aware of seven deaths since 2005 involving the ingestion of hazardous magnets, including two outside of the United States.

CPSC issued a Notice of Violation to the seller, Magnetic Fidget Balls, but the firm has not agreed to recall these magnetic ball sets or offer a remedy to consumers. 

The magnetic ball sets were sold online at MagneticFidgetBalls.com for about $10. They were sold in a set of colored magnetic balls encased in clear plastic wrapping.

CPSC urges consumers to stop using the magnetic ball sets immediately, take them away from children, and dispose of them. 

Pictures available here: https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2024/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Immediately-Stop-Using-Magnetic-Fidget-Balls-High-Powered-Magnetic-Ball-Sets-Due-to-Ingestion-Hazard-Violation-of-the-Federal-Safety-Regulation-for-Toy-Magnet-Sets-Sold-Exclusively-at

Report any incidents involving injury or product defect to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic.  Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.