Vehicle Safety
Recalls Search 320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Complaints 2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs 4.7M technical service bulletins VIN Lookup Decode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes 12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel Economy EPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings 11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations 5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations Statistics Recall trends & safety analysis
Consumer Safety
Product Safety 9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety 28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety 1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety 17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety 38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety 102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand History Cross-category recall lookup by company
Infrastructure
Bridge Safety 624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety 30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety 92,600 dam safety records Water Safety 433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety 438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety 8,800+ pipeline incidents State Safety Dashboards Safety grades for all 50 U.S. states ZIP Safety Report Check any 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets
Public Health
Nursing Homes 14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental 80,000+ hazardous sites & releases
Blog

Vehicle Safety

Vehicle Recalls320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Browse VehiclesEvery make, model and year Complaints2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs4.7M technical service bulletins VIN LookupDecode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel EconomyEPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations StatisticsRecall trends & safety analysis Compare VehiclesTwo vehicles side by side

Consumer Safety

Product Safety9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand HistoryRecall lookup by company

Infrastructure

Bridge Safety624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety92,600 dam safety records Water Safety433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety8,800+ pipeline incidents State DashboardsSafety grades for all 50 states ZIP ReportAny 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets

Public Health

Nursing Homes14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental80,000+ hazardous sites & releases BlogGuides, news & safety insights

Davidson Ladder attic stairway

CPSC Recall #98-132 — June 23, 1998

Recall Summary

Recall Number98-132
Recall DateJune 23, 1998
Remedy TypeReplace
Units AffectedAbout 1,150
ManufacturerDavidson Ladder Inc. of Smyrna, Tenn.

Where It Was Sold

Builders Square
Home Depot
Stein Lumber
Holston Building Products and small independent stores nationwide sold the stairways from January 1995 through March 1997 for about $150 to $200.

Product

Davidson Ladder attic stairway

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Davidson Ladder Inc. of Smyrna, Tenn., is recalling about 1,150 attic stairways. A hinge can fail, causing the opened stairways to collapse. Consumers climbing the stairs can fall and be injured. CPSC and Davidson Ladder Inc. have received 5 reports of ladders collapsing, resulting in two injuries. One consumer fractured his arm and another strained his knee. The attic stairways are made with aluminum steps and rails with a wooden door and frame surrounding the stairway. The recalled stairways display the following model numbers on a white sticker on the bottom step: AS224P, AL224P, AS254P and AL254P. The wooden door displays four labels, three of which provide safety information and a fourth that reads in part, "DAVIDSON MANUFACTURING." Builders Square, Home Depot, Stein Lumber, Holston Building Products and small independent stores nationwide sold the stairways from January 1995 through March 1997 for about $150 to $200. Consumers should stop using the stairways immediately and contact the store where purchased. Stores will install the consumer's choice of either a new aluminum or wooden attic stairway free of charge. For more information about this recall, consumers should call Davidson Ladder Inc. at (800) 666-2811 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CDT Monday through Friday, or write to the company at 728 Straub Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017-7948.

Hazard

A hinge can fail, causing the opened stairways to collapse. Consumers climbing the stairs can fall and be injured.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC and Davidson Ladder Inc. have received 5 reports of ladders collapsing, resulting in two injuries. One consumer fractured his arm and another strained his knee.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using the stairways immediately and contact the store where purchased. Stores will install the consumer's choice of either a new aluminum or wooden attic stairway free of charge.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Browse All Product Recalls Recalls by Manufacturer Recalls by Retailer Browse by Hazard Type

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 (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.

Back to All Product Recalls