Perhaps the saddest recalls pertain to items whose defects cause them to have the exact opposite effect of what was originally intended.
Take this latest recall for example. It has been reported that 900,000 cabinet locks, designed specifically to keep children out of cabinets that could contain hazardous materials, have been recalled because they can easily be disengaged by youngsters, thus not providing the very function they were designed for in the first place.
Dorel Juvenile Group, importer of the Safety 1st Push ‘N Snap locks in question, has received 200 reports in which the locks failed to secure the cabinets. 140 instances were reported where children up to five years old gained access, and three of those occurrences resulted in trips to the emergency room so the children could be treated for ingesting household cleaner products.
The locks, which have model numbers 48391 and 48442, were sold between January 2004 to February 2012. They were available for purchase at Bed Bath & Beyond and online at Amazon, but they also made their way into other retail stores across the country.
Consumers have been advised to remove the locks and contact Dorel for a free replacement. Be sure to also keep the dangerous products out of a child’s reach.
As a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, I’m sad to see that children had to be hurt before a recall could be issued on this defective product. It’s my hope as a Fresno personal injury lawyer that incidents like this don’t happen again.