Siebe actuators
CPSC Recall #03-502 — June 9, 2009
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 03-502 |
| Recall Date | June 9, 2009 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | Up to 560,000 |
| Manufactured In | United States |
Product
Siebe actuators
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Invensys Building Systems, of Love Park, Ill., is recalling up to 560,000 Siebe actuators for testing and replacement, if necessary, which could be found in fire and smoke dampers. Actuators hold open fire and smoke dampers in a building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A spring mechanism, integrated with the damper, is designed to close the damper during a fire to limit the spread of smoke, fire and fumes. The recalled actuators can jam, and prevent the dampers from closing. If dampers fail to close during a fire, serious injury or death can be suffered by building occupants because smoke, fire and fumes can spread through a building's ventilation system.Building owners, damper manufacturers, and fire and safety investigators have reported dampers not closing during testing. The actuators have been identified as IBS or Siebe MA 200 and MA-200-1 series with one of the following model numbers: models MA-220, MA-220-0-1, MA-220-0-2, MA-221, MA-221-0-1, MA-221-0-2, MA-223, MA-223-0-1, MA-223-0-2, MA-230, MA 230-0-1, MA-233, MA-233-0-1, MA-240, MA-240-0-1, MA-240-701, MA-240-701-1, MA-243, MA-243-0-1, MA-243-701, MAH-241-0-1, MAH-241-701, and MAH-241-701-1. The Actuators have manufacture date codes of 9348 through 9947. The Actuators were manufactured in the United States.The MA 200 series Actuators were used in fire/smoke dampers manufactured by the following companies between December 1993 and October 1999: CompanyLocationAccurate Specialty MetalArlan Damper CorpASL (Tomkins) Limited (Air Systems, Ltd.)ASL (Tomkins) Limited (Air Systems, Ltd.)Cesco ProductsGreenheck Fan Corp.Leader IndustriesMetalpress Export Ltd.Nailor IndustriesNCA Manufacturing Limited CanadaNCA ManufacturingPacific Air Balance, Inc.P.C.I. (Pottorff).Prefco ProductsReed National Air Products GroupRuskin ManufacturingBrooklyn, NYBohemia, NYNew Westminster, BC, CanadaBrampton, ON, CanadaMinneapolis, MNSchofield, WINashville, TNBat Yam, IsraelHouston, TXMissaugua, ON CanadaGarland, TXSan Fernando, CAMontebello, CABuckingham, PAHolland, OHGrandview, MOBuilding owners and managers whose buildings have dampers containing Invensys/Siebe actuators should immediately contact Invensys' Program Coordination Office at (877) 481-2372 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. A web site where building owners can obtain a complete copy of the program information has been established at www.regcen.com/MA200. To be eligible for a free actuator replacement, the building owner must test the actuator per program procedures, and report the results to Invensys' Program Coordination Office on the required forms. Invensys will replace those actuators that fail to properly function during testing.Building owners with dampers manufactured by Ruskin Manufacturing Co. may have already participated in a similar Replacement Actuator Program conducted by Ruskin. Those building owners also should review this announcement and participate in this recall, as it provides follow-up on Ruskin's program.
Hazard
he recalled actuators can jam, and prevent the dampers from closing. If dampers fail to close during a fire, serious injury or death can be suffered by building occupants because smoke, fire and fumes can spread through a building's ventilation system.
Remedy Instructions
Building owners and managers whose buildings have dampers containing Invensys/Siebe actuators should immediately contact Invensys' Program Coordination Office at (877) 481-2372 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. A web site where building owners can obtain a complete copy of the program information has been established at www.regcen.com/MA200. To be eligible for a free actuator replacement, the building owner must test the actuator per program procedures, and report the results to Invensys' Program Coordination Office on the required forms. Invensys will replace those actuators that fail to properly function during testing.
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.
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.
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.