Swimming Pool Dive Sticks
CPSC Recall #99-127 — June 23, 1999
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 99-127 |
| Recall Date | June 23, 1999 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, Refund, Replace |
| Units Affected | More than 19 million |
Where It Was Sold
| These dive sticks have been sold at grocery |
| drug |
| pool and discount department stores nationwide for about $4 to $7 per set under numerous brand names |
| most of which do not appear on the dive stick itself. |
Product
Swimming Pool Dive Sticks
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and 15 firms are announcing the recall of more than 19 million dive sticks used in swimming pools. In shallow water, children can fall or land on a dive stick and suffer rectal or vaginal impalement. Facial and eye injuries also are possible when children attempt to retrieve the sticks under water. According to CPSC Chairman Ann Brown, these dives sticks are dangerous and should not be used. CPSC knows of six impalement injuries and one facial injury to children 6 to 9 years old. Although the number of reported incidents is relatively low, the severity of the injuries that have occurred is very significant. Three of the children suffered rectal and three suffered vaginal impalements from dive sticks placed in backyard pools or, in one case, a hot tub. In four of the six incidents, the injuries that occurred required surgery and hospitalization. The facial injury occurred when a child bobbed down to retrieve a dive stick and lacerated her face just below her eye, requiring stitches. The dive sticks being recalled are hard plastic and are either cylinder-shaped or shark-shaped. When dropped into water, the dive sticks sink to the bottom of a pool and stand upright so that children can swim or dive down and retrieve them. The cylinder-shaped plastic sticks measure about 4 to 8 inches long and about 1 inch or less in diameter. The shark-shaped plastic sticks measure about 7 inches long and have an egg-shaped bottom. The sticks come in a variety of colors. Most are packaged in kits of three to six sticks, and some are packaged with other pool diving games. These dive sticks have been sold at grocery, drug, pool and discount department stores nationwide for about $4 to $7 per set under numerous brand names, most of which do not appear on the dive stick itself. Consumers should stop using dive sticks immediately and throw them out. Depending on the sticks owned, consumers can receive a refund, replacement or repair. Company Quantity Recalled How to ID Throw out or... Florida Pool 9 million Sold primarily at Wal-Mart Get repair kit at Wal-Mart. Poolmaster 2 million "Poolmaster" imprinted on stick Call (800) 854-1492 for a replacement. J&M Industries 897,000 "Made in USA" imprinted on stick Get a replacement stick at the store where purchased. All others N/A All others Return to store where purchased for a refund or repair. CPSC urges anyone who is aware of injuries with dive sticks or who has questions about the recall to call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772. The CPSC staff is recommending to the Commission that it ban the future production and importation of these products.
Hazard
In shallow water, children can fall or land on a dive stick and suffer rectal or vaginal impalement. Facial and eye injuries also are possible when children attempt to retrieve the sticks under water.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC knows of six impalement injuries and one facial injury to children 6 to 9 years old. Although the number of reported incidents is relatively low, the severity of the injuries that have occurred is very significant. Three of the children suffered rectal and three suffered vaginal impalements from dive sticks placed in backyard pools or, in one case, a hot tub. In four of the six incidents, the injuries that occurred required surgery and hospitalization. The facial injury occurred when a child bobbed down to retrieve a dive stick and lacerated her face just below her eye, requiring stitches.
Remedy Instructions
Depending on the sticks owned, consumers can receive a refund, replacement or repair. Florida Pool: Get repair kit at Wal-Mart. Poolmaster: Call (800) 854-1492 for a replacement. J&M Industries: Get a replacement stick at the store where purchased. All Others: Return to store where purchased for a refund or repair.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, Refund, Replace 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 (Dispose, Refund, Replace) 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.