NuTone paddle fans

CPSC Recall #84-052 - August 20, 1984

Recall Summary

Recall Number84-052
Recall DateAugust 20, 1984
Remedy TypeRepair
Units AffectedApproximately 250,000

Product

NuTone paddle fans

Description

Washington, D.C. -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, NuTone of Cincinnati, Ohio today announced a voluntary corrective action plan for approximately 250,000 "NuTone" brand fans manufactured since May, 1983. The Company has received reports of several incidents of fans falling, including 4 incidents involving personal injury.The paddle fans involved have a ball and socket ceiling mounting device. Under certain conditions, the ball may pull through the socket allowing the fan to fall. Only those NuTone paddle fans manufactured and sold after May 1, 1983, are involved in the corrective action plan. MuTone fans can be identified by the name "NuTone" stamped on each of the 4 blade irons which connect the fan blades to the paddle fan.The plan calls for the addition of a retaining ring which will be installed free of charge to all installations containing ball and socket mounting device made on or after May 1, 1983. This ring will prevent the ball from pulling through the socket and will help ensure that the fan will not fall.Consumers in the continental United States with NuTone Paddle Fans installed on or after May 1, 1983, should call 1-800-543-8687; consumers in Ohio should call 1-800-582-2030. All others should write NuTone, Madison and Red Banks Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45227, Attention: Paddle Fans. Give name, address and telephone number plus a simple statement "Paddle Fan Inspection Desired". NuTone will arrange for a service representative to inspect the fan and install the retaining ring.The paddle fans were sold nationwide between May 1983 and July 1984, through NuTone electrical distributors.Information concerning this corrective action plan is also available to consumers by calling CPSC's toll-free Hotline at 800-638-CPSC. The teletypewriter number for the hearing-impaired is (800) 638-8270.

Hazard

The paddle fans involved have a ball and socket ceiling mounting device. Under certain conditions, the ball may pull through the socket allowing the fan to fall. 

Incidents & Injuries

The Company has received reports of several incidents of fans falling, including 4 incidents involving personal injury.

Remedy Instructions

The corrective action plan calls for the addition of a retaining ring which will be installed free of charge to all installations containing ball and socket mounting device made on or after May 1, 1983. This ring will prevent the ball from pulling through the socket and will help ensure that the fan will not fall.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair 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 (Repair) at no cost to you.

Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.

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.