Vehicle Safety
Recalls Search 320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Complaints 2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs 4.7M technical service bulletins VIN Lookup Decode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes 12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel Economy EPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings 11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations 5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations Statistics Recall trends & safety analysis
Consumer Safety
Product Safety 9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety 28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety 1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety 17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety 38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety 102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand History Cross-category recall lookup by company
Infrastructure
Bridge Safety 624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety 30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety 92,600 dam safety records Water Safety 433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety 438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety 8,800+ pipeline incidents State Safety Dashboards Safety grades for all 50 U.S. states ZIP Safety Report Check any 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets
Public Health
Nursing Homes 14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental 80,000+ hazardous sites & releases
Blog

Vehicle Safety

Vehicle Recalls320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Browse VehiclesEvery make, model and year Complaints2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs4.7M technical service bulletins VIN LookupDecode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel EconomyEPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations StatisticsRecall trends & safety analysis Compare VehiclesTwo vehicles side by side

Consumer Safety

Product Safety9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand HistoryRecall lookup by company

Infrastructure

Bridge Safety624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety92,600 dam safety records Water Safety433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety8,800+ pipeline incidents State DashboardsSafety grades for all 50 states ZIP ReportAny 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets

Public Health

Nursing Homes14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental80,000+ hazardous sites & releases BlogGuides, news & safety insights

Dotline swimming pool ladders,models SPL-4, SBL-4, and SPL-4000

CPSC Recall #87-038 - July 6, 1987

Recall Summary

Recall Number87-038
Recall DateJuly 6, 1987
Remedy TypeReplace

Product

Dotline swimming pool ladders,models SPL-4, SBL-4, and SPL-4000

Description

WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Mengo Industries, Inc., announced a voluntary replacement program for the plastic steps used on some of its swimming pool ladders sold under the DOTLINE brand between 1976 and 1982 because the steps on those ladders may break during use.These removable ladders are used for home above ground pools. Involved are about 80,000 DOTLINE models SPL-4, SBL-4, and SPL-4000. The model number may be found on the assembly instruction sheet accompanying the ladder. Beginning in 1978, the year of manufacture is designated by a series of numbers located on the bottom of each step near the 1-1/2 inch hole which accommodates the ladder side rail. The last two digits indicate the year of manufacture.There have been 9 reported incidents of steps breaking during use and some consumers have claimed resulting laceration and sprain-type injuries. The steps have a useful life of about two years. After two years the steps may begin to show signs of deterioration evidenced by small hairline cracks in the plastic.Mengo will replace the steps on all affected ladder models sold between 1976 and 1982 free of charge to the consumer. Consumers are urged to examine their pool ladder steps for cracks immediately. If cracks are discovered, consumers should discontinue using the ladder immediately until the replacement steps are installed.Consumers should send their steps, along with their name and address, directly to Mengo Dotline Industries, Inc., 4611 Green Bay Road, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53141, via collect United Parcel Service or Parcel Post.Persons needing further information may call Mengo Industries, Inc. collect at 414-652-3070. Further information may also be obtained by calling the CPSC toll-free hotline number at 800-638-CPSC. A teletypewriter number for the hearing impaired is (800) 638-8270. Consumer Product SAFETY ALERTFROM THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20207July 1987Under laws administered by CPSC, an estimated 325 million potentially hazardous products have been called back from the marketplace and consumers since 1973 (when CPSC was created). Most of these were voluntarily recalled by manufacturers who established programs to repair or rep/ace the products, or to refund the purchase price.

Hazard

The plastic steps used in some of the swimming pool ladders may break during use.

Incidents & Injuries

There have been 9 reported incidents of steps breaking during use and some consumers have claimed resulting laceration and sprain-type injuries.

Remedy Instructions

Mengo will replace the steps on all affected ladder models sold between 1976 and 1982 free of charge to the consumer. Consumers are urged to examine their pool ladder steps for cracks immediately. If cracks are discovered, consumers should discontinue using the ladder immediately until the replacement steps are installed.Consumers should send their steps, along with their name and address, directly to Mengo Dotline Industries, Inc., 4611 Green Bay Road, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53141, via collect United Parcel Service or Parcel Post.

What Should You Do?

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

Browse All Product Recalls Recalls by Manufacturer Recalls by Retailer Browse by Hazard Type

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 (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.

Back to All Product Recalls