Carpet and/or rugs
CPSC Recall #76-026 - April 21, 1976
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 76-026 |
| Recall Date | April 21, 1976 |
| Remedy Type | - |
Product
Carpet and/or rugs
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Apr. 22) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced it has provisionally accepted a consent agreement prohibiting Galaxy Carpet Mills, Inc., from marketing carpets or rugs that fail to meet standards under the Flammable Fabrics Act. The agreement stated that Galaxy of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, had produced between late 1972 and early 1973 carpet and rugs with foam backing in two styles, Polara and Laredo, that had failed tests under the Standard for Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs (DOC FF l-70). The Laredo carpet included 12,178 square yards in '"mist green" and "autumn leaves" color and included rolls numbered 25607 and 23763; and 5,735 yards of "exotic red" dyelot 30118, including roll number 70366. The Polara carpet included colors "oriental red" dyelot 33976, involving about 3,000 square yards, including roll number 40858, and "peacock" dyelot 37687, involving 3,288 yards including roll number 45863. A consent agreement does not constitute an admission that the company had violated a law but provides for a settlement. Any violation of the agreement by the corporation could result in the assessment of substantial civil penalties. Under the consent agreement, the manufacturer is required to notify its customers that samples of the carpets and rugs involved in the order did not pass flammability tests and to recall it for correction or destruction. Under the terms of the order, the company also agrees to stop marketing goods that do not comply with the flammability standards. The complaint and consent agreement will be subject to public review for 60 days through June 21, 1976, during which time any interested person may submit comments to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207. After considering any comments, the Commission may accept the agreement or withdraw its provisional acceptance. For additional information about the order, contact the Bureau of Compliance, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 5401 Westbard Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland 20207.
Hazard
These carpets and rugs fail to meet standards under the Flammable Fabrics Act.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a remedy 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, replacement, or repair) 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.