Hedstrom "Big T" swing sets, Blazon Flexible Flyer "T-Type Play Centers", and Sears brand T-style...
CPSC Recall #92117 - August 8, 1992
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 92117 |
| Recall Date | August 8, 1992 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose |
Product
Hedstrom "Big T" swing sets, Blazon Flexible Flyer "T-Type Play Centers", and Sears brand T-style gym sets.
Description
WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Hedstrom Corporation of Bedford, PA provided consumers with guards to prevent entanglement of strings on children's clothing in the handrail attachment area of certain slides. The plastic guards offered by the companies fill in the handrail-to-slide area where a child's clothing may catch and possibly result in strangulation. The slides involved are on the "Hedstrom Big T" swing sets and on Sears brand T-style gym sets manufactured by Hedstrom. Guards are not available for any of these slides since all of these firms are out of business. If you own any of these products, stop using and discard them immediately. The Hedstrom Corporation received a report that a three year- old-girl strangled when her mitten strings, which were strung through her coat, caught at the point where the handrail attaches to the Big T slide. In addition, the Commission is aware of a hood string of a child's jacket that became entangled in the handrail attachment area of an older, similarly-designed slide whose brand could not be identified. While Blazon-Flexible Flyer, Inc. and Turco are unaware of any reports of entanglement, their products are considered by the CPSC to be functionally identical to that of the Hedstrom Big T slide involved in the incidents. Hedstrom Big T and Blazon-Flexible Flyer T-Type Play Center swing sets with slides were sold nationally in retail stores from 1986 through 1991. They sold for approximately $100-200 each. Turco swing sets were sold from 1973 to 1987. Hedstrom, Blazon-Flexible Flyer and Turco also sold their T-style swing sets under the Sears labels with various model numbers. Hedstrom, Blazon-Flexible Flyer, Inc. and Turco are out of business. The remedy is no longer available. Consumers should discard or destroy these products immediately. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced this modification program as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The commissions's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.
Hazard
Strings from children's clothing may become entangled in the area where the handrail attaches to the slide. This presents a strangulation hazard.
Incidents & Injuries
The Hedstrom Corporation received a report that a three year- old-girl strangled when her mitten strings, which were strung through her coat, caught at the point where the handrail attaches to the Big T slide. In addition, the Commission is aware of a hood string of a child's jacket that became entangled in the handrail attachment area of an older, similarly-designed slide whose brand could not be identified. While Blazon-Flexible Flyer, Inc. and Turco are unaware of any reports of entanglement, their products are considered by the CPSC to be functionally identical to that of the Hedstrom Big T slide involved in the incidents.
Remedy Instructions
Hedstrom, Blazon-Flexible Flyer, Inc. and Turco are out of business. Consumers should discard or destroy these products immediately. The remedy is no longer available. Consumers should discard or destroy these products immediately.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose 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) 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.