Mainstays Garden Folding Lawn Chairs

CPSC Recall #05-027 — October 25, 2004

Recall Summary

Recall Number05-027
Recall DateOctober 25, 2004
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 20,700
ManufacturerRio Brands, of Philadelphia, Pa.
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2004 through March 2004 for about $8.

Product

Mainstays Garden Folding Lawn Chairs

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Rio Brands, of Philadelphia, Pa. is voluntarily recalling about 20,700 Mainstays Garden folding lawn chairs. The chair arms can break, posing a fall hazard to consumers.Name of product: Mainstays Garden Folding Lawn ChairUnits: About 20,700Manufacturer: Rio Brands, of Philadelphia, Pa.Hazard: The chair arms can break, posing a fall hazard to consumers.Incidents/Injuries: Wal-Mart has received 26 incident reports involving broken plastic arms. In 17 of these incidents, consumers have reported injuries such as a fractured wrist, torn ligament, minor back injuries, bruises, and abrasions.Description: The recalled folding lawn chairs have green plastic arms with green steel folding frames or blue plastic arms with blue folding steel frames. They are constructed of matching vinyl webbing. The chairs measure 31 inches high and 22.5 inches wide. The left-hand arm of the chairs has the word "RIO" on it. Only the chairs with green or blue plastic arms are included in this recall.Sold exclusively at: Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2004 through March 2004 for about $8.Manufactured in: ChinaRemedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product and return the chairs to Wal-Mart for a refund.Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Rio Brands customer service at (800) 866-8520 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit their website at www.riobrands.com or visit Wal-Mart's website at www.walmartstores.com.

Hazard

The chair arms can break, posing a fall hazard to consumers.

Incidents & Injuries

Wal-Mart has received 26 incident reports involving broken plastic arms. In 17 of these incidents, consumers have reported injuries such as a fractured wrist, torn ligament, minor back injuries, bruises, and abrasions.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately stop using the product and return the chairs to Wal-Mart for a refund.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund 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 (Refund) at no cost to you.

Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.

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.