Halogen Torchiere Floor Lamps
CPSC Recall #97-173 — August 20, 1997
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 97-173 |
| Recall Date | August 20, 1997 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | 40 million |
Where It Was Sold
| These lamps first became available in the United States in 1983 and sales have grown significantly in the 1990s. |
Product
Halogen Torchiere Floor Lamps
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the halogen lamp industry are cooperatively recalling for in-home consumer repair some 40 million halogen torchiere floor lamps. According to CPSC, the halogen bulbs in these lamps can cause fires. CPSC is aware of at least 189 fires and 11 deaths since 1992 involving halogen torchiere floor lamps. The industry is making free wire guards available to consumers through a cooperative effort with many retail stores. Installing the wire guard over the glass bulb shield will reduce the potential fire hazard by making it harder for flammable materials to touch the lamp's halogen bulb. For the guard to be effective, consumers must use only halogen bulbs of 300 watts or less in the lamp. Halogen torchiere floor lamps are free-standing lamps with a shallow bowl-shaped light fixture mounted on top of a 6-foot pole and illuminated by a tubular halogen bulb. These lamps first became available in the United States in 1983 and sales have grown significantly in the 1990s. The tubular halogen bulbs operate at temperatures much hotter than regular bulbs, and can pose a fire risk if curtains, clothing, or other flammable materials contact the bulb. A revised Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standard for halogen torchiere floor lamps manufactured after February 5, 1997, offers an improved level of safety. Most halogen torchiere floor lamps meeting the revised UL standard already are equipped with a glass or wire guard over the glass bulb shield to help prevent flammable materials from touching the bulb. Consumers who own halogen torchiere floor lamps without a glass or wire guard over the glass bulb shield can receive a free wire guard with installation instructions by calling (800) 523-5702 extension 592 or sending postcard to Attention Consumer Services, 18191 NW 68th Avenue, Miami, FL 33015. This program only applies to torchiere floor lamps using halogen bulbs. Remember, for the guard to be effective, consumers must use only halogen bulbs of 300 watts or less in the lamp. "Although the use of the wire guard with a 300-watt bulb will reduce the potential fire hazard, it is important for consumers to understand that these lamps still must be treated with care," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. Brown offered the following safety tips for halogen torchiere floor lamps: - Never place the lamp near curtains or other cloth window treatments. - Never drape clothes over the lamp. - Keep the lamp away from bedding. - Never leave the lamp on when you leave a room or are not at home. - To reduce the likelihood of tipover, keep children and pets away from the lamp. - Only use a halogen bulb of 300 watts or less in the lamp. In 1996, CPSC initiated an assessment of the current UL safety standard for portable lamps, including lamps equipped with tubular halogen bulbs. Tests carried out as part of this assessment showed that tubular halogen bulbs of 250 watts, 300 watts, and 500 watts installed in torchiere lamps could start a fire if they come in contact with flammable materials. In July 1996, CPSC announced its findings and issued a warning to consumers about the potential fire hazard associated with using torchiere floor lamps illuminated by tubular halogen bulbs. In the same month, CPSC urged UL to toughen its performance standard for portable lamps. In February 1997, UL adopted a revised performance standard for halogen torchiere floor lamps.
Hazard
The halogen bulbs in these lamps can cause fires.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC is aware of at least 189 fires and 11 deaths since 1992 involving halogen torchiere floor lamps.
Remedy Instructions
The industry is making free wire guards available to consumers through a cooperative effort with many retail stores. Installing the wire guard over the glass bulb shield will reduce the potential fire hazard by making it harder for flammable materials to touch the lamp's halogen bulb. For the guard to be effective, consumers must use only halogen bulbs of 300 watts or less in the lamp.
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.
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.