Mini-Hammocks
CPSC Recall #96-125 — May 15, 1996
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 96-125 |
| Recall Date | May 15, 1996 |
| Remedy Type | Refund, Replace |
| Manufacturer | Academy Broadway, Smithtown, N.Y. Nelson/Weather-Rite, Lenexa, Kan. Algoma Net Company, Algoma, Wisc. Rothco, Smithtown, N.Y. Avid Outdoor, Olathe, Kan. Schwarzman Export Import Co., Brooklyn, N.Y. Coghlan's, Minneapolis, Minn. Standard Sales, Los Angeles, Calif. E-Z Sales, Gardena, Calif. Texsport, Houston, Tex. |
Where It Was Sold
| Sporting goods stores |
| outdoor equipment stores |
| Army and Air Force Exchange Service stores ("PX/BX") |
| department stores |
| and even drug stores have sold the hammocks since the early 1970s for about $4 to $10. |
Product
Mini-Hammocks
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - CPSC, 10 mini-hammock manufacturers and importers are recalling over three million light-weight, net mini-hammocks that do not have spreader bars. Without spreader bars to hold the mini-hammock bed open, the mini-hammocks can twist around children's necks as they are getting into or out of the mini-hammock, resulting in strangulation and death. When a net mini-hammock is attached to trees, decks, porches, or other areas, 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 5 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 twenty feet long. Sporting goods stores, outdoor equipment stores, Army and Air Force Exchange Service stores ("PX/BX"), department stores, and even drug stores have sold the hammocks since the early 1970s for about $4 to $10. The following manufacturers and importers are participating in this voluntary recall of net mini-hammocks: Academy Broadway, Smithtown, N.Y. Nelson/Weather-Rite, Lenexa, Kan. Algoma Net Company, Algoma, Wisc. Rothco, Smithtown, N.Y. Avid Outdoor, Olathe, Kan. Schwarzman Export Import Co., Brooklyn, N.Y. Coghlan's, Minneapolis, Minn. Standard Sales, Los Angeles, Calif. E-Z Sales, Gardena, Calif. Texsport, Houston, Tex. E-Z Sales, the major producer of these thin, net mini-hammocks, is offering consumers replacement mini-hammocks with spreader bars or larger hammocks for returning their MiniPak Hammocks and Superhammocks. The nine other manufacturers participating in this recall are offering a full refund for returning their mini-hammocks to the store where purchased. Recall notices offering consumers refunds or replacement hammocks are posted in stores that sold the recalled mini-hammocks. Consumers should immediately remove 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, consumers should destroy the mini-hammock immediately to prevent a strangulation death or injury.
Hazard
The mini-hammocks do not have spreader bars. Without spreader bars to hold the mini-hammock bed open, the mini-hammocks can twist around children's necks as they are 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 5 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 remove 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.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a 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 (Refund, Replace) 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.