Safe Step Walk-In Tubs
CPSC Recall #15-721 — February 24, 2015
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 15-721 |
| Recall Date | February 24, 2015 |
| Remedy Type | Label, New Instructions |
| Units Affected | About 6,400 |
| Manufacturer | Oliver Fiberglass Products, of Hohenwald, Tenn. (tub shell) and NuWhirl Systems Corp., of Corona, Calif. (heated seating equipment). |
| Manufactured In | United States |
Where It Was Sold
| CKH Industries |
| New Windsor |
| N.Y.; Galkos Construction |
| Huntington Beach |
| Calif.; Gulf Atlantic Home Solutions |
| Clermont |
| Fla.; Home Smart Industries |
| Aston |
| Penn.; IPS |
| Hohenwald |
| Tenn.; New Bath |
| Jefferson |
| La.; Remodel USA |
| Capitol Heights |
| Md.; Safe Step of Minnesota |
| Burnsville |
| Minn.; Safe Step of Nevada |
| Las Vegas |
| Nev.; Safe Step Tubs Northwest |
| Tukwila |
| Wash. |
| and Safe Step Walk-In Tub Co. |
| Nashville |
| Tenn. from January 2014 through September 2014 for between $12 |
| 000 and $15 |
| 000. |
Product
Safe Step Walk-In Tubs
Description
A towel or other item covering the seat of an empty tub can cause the seat to overheat.
Hazard
The tub's heated seat can get stuck in the "on" position. If a towel or other item is covering the seat of an empty tub, the seat can overheat, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
There have been 11 reports of the empty tub's heated seat getting stuck in the "on" position, including one report of the seat overheating and becoming hot to the touch. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should not put a towel or other item on the seat and contact Oliver Fiberglass for new instructions and warning stickers to place on the tubs. Oliver Fiberglass is contacting tub owners directly.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Label, New Instructions at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Label, New Instructions) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.