Realspace™ PRO 3000 Series Desk Chairs
CPSC Recall #11-309 — August 17, 2011
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 11-309 |
| Recall Date | August 17, 2011 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 34,000 in the United States and 425 in Canada. |
| Manufacturer | Huichang Furniture Co. Ltd., of China |
| Importer | Office Depot Inc., of Boca Raton, Fla. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Office Depot retail stores nationwide and online at www.OfficeDepot.com from May 2009 through June 2011 for about $170. |
Product
Realspace™ PRO 3000 Series Desk Chairs
Description
This recall involves all Realspace™ PRO 3000 Series Custom Fit desk chairs. The mid-back fabric chairs were sold in black and have SKU number 996-190. The date of manufacture, P.O. number and ""Made in China"" are printed on labels located on the underside of the seat bottom. Affected chairs have a manufacture date between March 2009 and May 2011, listed in Year/Month/Date format (e.g. date code 20100812 represents August 12, 2010).
Hazard
A consumer's finger can get caught in an opening in the chair's tilt mechanism, posing a pinch hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
Office Depot has received one report of a consumer who was injured when his finger was pinched by the chair's tilt mechanism.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the chairs and contact Office Depot's recall hotline to receive a free repair kit with a cover for the tilt mechanism. Consumers should write down the P.O. number found on the underside of the chair for reference when contacting Office Depot.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair 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 (Repair) at no cost to you.
Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.
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.