Graco Issues Recall For Strollers

Graco Children's Products Inc. issued a safety advisory Wednesday about its products sold under the brand names Graco Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers and Travel Systems.

The warning involves models manufactured in China between October 2004 and February 2008; almost 30,000 of the strollers were sold by Canadian retailers from October 2004 through January 2010, the company said in a release.

Graco has received seven reports of children placing their fingers in a stroller's canopy hinge as the canopy was being opened or closed. Five children had their fingertips severed and two received cuts on their fingertips.

The strollers were sold with two different hinge mechanisms. Only strollers or travel systems containing a plastic, jointed hinge mechanism with indented canopy-positioning notches are affected by the advisory.

The company is offering consumers a free protective cover repair kit.

Recall From The Makers Of Tylenol

Johnson & Johnson issued a massive recall Friday of over-the-counter drugs including Tylenol, Motrin, and St. Joseph's aspirin because of a moldy smell that has made people sick.


It was the second such recall in less than a month because of the smell, which regulators said was first reported to McNeil in 2008. Federal regulators criticized the company, saying it didn't respond to the complaints quickly enough, wasn't thorough in how it handled the problem, and didn't inform the Food and Drug Administration quickly.


The recall includes some batches of regular and extra-strength Tylenol, children's Tylenol, eight-hour Tylenol, Tylenol arthritis, Tylenol PM, children's Motrin, Motrin IB, Benadryl, Rolaids, Simply Sleep, and St. Joseph's aspirin.


The FDA and Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare Products said they did not know the number of bottles recalled. It included caplet and geltab products sold in the Americas, the United Arab Emirates, and Fiji. Consumers should check the full list at http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com to identify the recalled batches.


The FDA said about 70 people have been either sickened by the odor—including nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea—or noticed it. The smell is caused by small amounts of a chemical associated with the treatment of wooden pallets, Johnson & Johnson said. The FDA said the chemical can leach into the air, and traced it to a facility in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico.


The New Brunswick, N.J., company said it is investigating the issue and will stop shipping products with the same materials on wooden pallets. It has asked suppliers to do so as well. The FDA said McNeil knew of the problem in early 2008 but made only a limited investigation.

In November, McNeil recalled some Tylenol Arthritis Caplets due to the smell. Almost three weeks ago, the company expanded its recall to include more batches of Tylenol Arthritis Caplets.

Kellogg's Products Recalled

Kellogg Co. said Monday it is recalling some Keebler Cookies and Special K Meal Bars and expand some previous product recalls amid the growing scope of a national salmonella outbreak linked to a Georgia peanut butter plant.

The Keebler cookies included in the voluntary recall include Soft Batch Homestyle Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in 2.5-ounce packages, with a "Best If Used Before" date before June 30. The cookies have UPC codes 3010032708 and 3010037899.

The Special K Protein Meal Bar recall includes only the Honey Almond flavor in 6-count and 8-count packages with a "Best If Used Before" date before Feb 1 2010. The bars have UPC codes 3800039778, 3800039935 and 3800039931.

No other Special K products are part of this recall. No illnesses have been reported.

The cookies and bars do not contain any peanut ingredients from Peanut Corp. - the company at the center of the investigation. But they were produced at another company's facility on the same line as products that were made for other companies using potentially contaminated Peanut Corp. ingredients.

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday it has asked the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation into Peanut Corp., which authorities say shipped products that initially tested positive for salmonella after retesting and getting a negative result.

And as a result of the expanded recall, Kellogg is now recalling more Austin and Keebler Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies to include all code dates.

Retailers had previously been advised to remove all of these products from store shelves, regardless of code date, so the vast majority of these recalled products are no longer in stores, Kellogg said. But the company urged consumers to destroy any of these products they have in their homes.

Avoid Fire Danger Over The Holidays

U.S. safety and health experts advise, "Hang your stockings with care, but not if the fireplace is lit."

Experts at the American Industrial Hygiene Association, headquartered in Fairfax, Va., suggest avoiding the danger of fire by taking the following precautions:

-- Have chimney and fireplaces inspected and cleaned as necessary and always make sure the flu is open before lighting a fire.

-- Burning only dry wood or manufactured fireplace logs. Do not burn evergreens, wreaths or wrapping paper in the fireplace.

-- Ensure electrical outlets are not overloaded and smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are in good working order.

-- Never leave the stove unattended while cooking.

-- Follow manufacturers' recommendations for safe operation of kerosene and propane heaters.

-- Practice fire exit drills with the family.

-- Keep fireplace "fire salts," which can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation if eaten, need to be kept away from children and pets.

-- Never leave candles unattended.

Fall Through Fence In Oregon

This scary situation happened at Cannon Beach, Oregon, but could be just as applicable at any seaside cliff. Click on this link to read about the family who almost lost their 3 year old girl when she fell through a fence. Viedo will available at the link here.

Wireless Headset Batteries Recalled by GN Netcom Due to Fire Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: GN9120 Wireless Headsets

Units: About 525,000 (an additional 675,000 were sold outside the U.S.)

Manufacturer: GN Netcom Inc., of Nashua, New Hampshire

Manufacturer (battery): Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), of Hong Kong

Hazard: An internal short circuit can cause the lithium-ion polymer batteries to overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: GN Netcom has received 10 reports of incidents involving overheating, including three reports of open flames and property damage to furniture on which the headsets were resting. An additional 37 reports of overheating, three reports of open flames and one report of second degree burns, requiring medical attention, was received outside the U.S.

Description: This recall involves GN9120 wireless headsets with ATL lithium-ion polymer batteries. The headsets are intended primarily for professional use in offices and call centers. The product is sold with three components: a base station, headset and power adapter. "GN Netcom" or "GN9120" is printed on the base station and headset. The affected batteries have part number 603028 and have a white plastic enclosure. The batteries are labeled "Made by ATL (Amperex Technology Ltd.)" and "(ATL P/N 603028)." Batteries sold as a replacement part are labeled "GN9120 battery replacement kit."

Sold through: GN Netcom, authorized distributors and resellers nationwide from January 2005 through September 2008 for between $150 and $350 as part of the GN9120 headset and about $20 as a replacement part.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using and unplug the recalled headsets. Consumers should contact GN Netcom to receive a replacement battery.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact GN Netcom at (877) 803-6467 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday ET, or visit the firm's Web site at www.jabra.com .

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including a picture of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09010.html

Tips For Pet Safety On Halloween

Masked young intruders lurk on the doorstep, making demands and threatening mayhem. You know it's all in fun, but Halloween can be anything but a treat for dogs and other pets. Here are some tips to keep them safe:

1. Shelter: Provide a safe place indoors away from commotion and mischief. Run a fan or radio to drown out the doorbell.

2. Exercise: Take the dog out for a brisk walk to burn off some energy before it gets dark and the trick-or-treaters start knocking on your door.

3. Tags: Make sure your pet is wearing ID tags and is microchipped. Both can increase the chances of a pet being returned if it should dart out the door.

4. Decorations: Wagging tails and curious noses can easily topple pumpkins, candles and other decorations. Secure items that may be tipped or pulled down. Provide clear walkways for both pets and people. Don't let pets chew on decorations.

5. Food: Keep candy and other non-pet foods out of reach. Bags and wrappers also should be kept away from pets. All can be a hazard if ingested.

6. Costumes: If you dress up your pet, do it for just a short time and take a photo. The longer a pet is in costume, the more likely it can become stressed or injured in the outfit. Make sure the costume doesn't restrict breathing, vision, hearing or movement.