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EZ Sales Hammocks

CPSC Recall #96-183 - August 7, 1996

Recall Summary

Recall Number96-183
Recall DateAugust 7, 1996
Remedy TypeDispose, Refund
Units Affected75,000

Where It Was Sold

Sporting goods stores
such as Herman's World of Sports
sold the EZ Sales "Hang Ten" mini-hammocks nationwide from 1979 to 1991 for $6 to $16. Small outdoor equipment stores sold the Twin Oaks mini-hammocks nationwide since the early 1980s for $8 to $14. The Twin Oaks mini-hammocks were also sold through catalogues. Surplus and sporting goods stores sold the Safesport mini-hammocks nationwide from 1994 through 1996 for about $8.

Product

EZ Sales Hammocks

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - CPSC, EZ Sales of Gardena, Calif., Twin Oaks Hammock Company of Louisa, Va., and Safesport Manufacturing Company of Chapin, S.C., are recalling 75,000 light-weight, net mini-hammocks that do not have spreader bars. Some EZ Sales hammocks were marketed using the "Hang Ten" label and trademark. These manufacturers join 10 other manufacturers and importers of mini-hammocks without spreader bars who are recalling 3 million of the potentially dangerous products this year. Without spreader bars to hold the mini-hammock bed open, the mini-hammock can twist around a child's neck as he/she is getting into or out of the mini-hammock, resulting in strangulation and death. When a net mini-hammock is attached to an indoor or outdoor location such as trees, decks, porches, or recreation rooms, it hangs like a thin rope. The mini-hammock can suddenly become twisted around a child's neck and strangle him. This can happen when children are attempting to climb into or out of, are playing on, or are swinging on mini-hammocks like swings. Between 1984 and 1995, CPSC received reports of 12 children between the ages of five and 17 years old who became entangled and died when using net mini-hammocks without spreader bars. CPSC is also aware of an injury to a seven-year-old girl who suffered permanent brain damage from a near-strangulation in a mini-hammock. Another near-fatal incident involved a five-year-old boy who was found entangled in a mini-hammock but was resuscitated by his mother. Mini-hammocks are light-weight, portable, thin net hammocks that are made without spreader bars. They measure between five to seven feet wide and seven to 20 feet long. This recall affects the EZ Sales "Hang Ten" mini-hammock, Twin Oaks Backpacker mini-hammock, and the Safesport Portable Hammock. Sporting goods stores, such as Herman's World of Sports, sold the EZ Sales "Hang Ten" mini-hammocks nationwide from 1979 to 1991 for $6 to $16. Small outdoor equipment stores sold the Twin Oaks mini-hammocks nationwide since the early 1980s for $8 to $14. The Twin Oaks mini-hammocks were also sold through catalogues. Surplus and sporting goods stores sold the Safesport mini-hammocks nationwide from 1994 through 1996 for about $8. Consumers should immediately take down mini-hammocks from porches, decks, trees, recreation rooms and other locations. Consumers should return the mini-hammocks to the store where they were purchased for a full refund or a replacement hammock. If consumers do not know the retailer or manufacturer of their net mini-hammock, they should destroy the mini-hammock immediately to prevent strangulation death or injury.

Hazard

Some hammocks do not have spreader bars. Without spreader bars to hold the mini-hammock bed open, the mini-hammock can twist around a child's neck as he/she is getting into or out of the mini-hammock, resulting in strangulation and death.

Incidents & Injuries

Between 1984 and 1995, CPSC received reports of 12 children between the ages of five and 17 years old who became entangled and died when using net mini-hammocks without spreader bars. CPSC is also aware of an injury to a seven-year-old girl who suffered permanent brain damage from a near-strangulation in a mini-hammock. Another near-fatal incident involved a five-year-old boy who was found entangled in a mini-hammock but was resuscitated by his mother.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately take down mini-hammocks from porches, decks, trees, recreation rooms and other locations. Consumers should return the mini-hammocks to the store where they were purchased for a full refund or a replacement hammock. If consumers do not know the retailer or manufacturer of their net mini-hammock, they should destroy the mini-hammock immediately to prevent strangulation death or injury.

What Should You Do?

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

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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) 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.

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