Electric arc welders
CPSC Recall #76-035 - June 1, 1976
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 76-035 |
| Recall Date | June 1, 1976 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | 250,000 |
Product
Electric arc welders
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 16) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced the recall of 250,000 electric arc welders made by Western Manufacturing and Supply Company of Kearny, Nebraska, since 1950. The welders, sold by mail order for from $9.95 to $14.95 each, may pose a substantial hazard in the form of electric shock and skin burns. The recall is a requirement of an order issued pursuant to a consent agreement accepted by the Commission under Section 15 of the Consumer Product Safety Act. Western Manufacturing and Supply Company, also known a Midway Sales, Inc., has discontinued production of the welders and has stopped all sale of the units, known as Midway Electric Arc Welders, that were made without electrical isolation. The CPSC found that the construction of the unit allowed the power supply voltage to reach the electrodes directly in a way that could result in a shock for anyone coming in contact with the electrodes or a piece of metal in contact with the electrodes. In addition, the welder's metal housing lacked thermal insulation, posing a threat of severe skin burns. The welder instructions also stated that fuses with a 30 ampere capacity should be substituted for 15 or 20 ampere household fuses in circuit to which the welder was attached. The welder unit was sold with an assortment of electrodes, an eye shield and printed materials. The name Midway appears on the face plate. Model numbers include DD, D, E, F, DS, and K. Consumers who have these welders should mail them directly to Western Manufacturing and Supply Company, 1400 West 22nd Street, Kearny, Nebraska 68847, Attention : Mr. P. Beshore, with a note indicating the consumer's return address and cost for postage. A full refund for the welder will be returned to the consumer along with the cost of postage.
Hazard
The welders may pose a substantial hazard in the form of electric shock and skin burns.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers who have these welders should mail them directly to Western Manufacturing and Supply Company, 1400 West 22nd Street, Kearny, Nebraska 68847, Attention : Mr. P. Beshore, with a note indicating the consumer's return address and cost for postage. A full refund for the welder will be returned to the consumer along with the cost of postage.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund 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) 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.