Safety recalls include black pepper

#MiddleburyCT #SafetyRecalls

Oh, my goodness! Safety recalls warn us about things like an electric stove that turns itself on, with the heating elements spontaneously getting hot – or the oven temperature changing all by itself!
And there is a garden tiller that, due to a faulty instruction manual, can come apart so the tines pose a laceration hazard when the machine is used. And there is a vinegar cleaning solution that’s so caustic there is a risk of chemical burns in consumers.

These warnings come courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov/recalls). In the case of the stove, the manufacturer is stepping up with a free inspection and repair. The manufacturer of the tiller is sending out new assembly instructions.

The remedy for the caustic vinegar cleaning solution, however, is less than satisfactory. The response is to stop using it and send away for a new warning label to paste on the bottle.

Other recent recalls on the CPSC website include defective crib bumpers that can obstruct breathing, a pool drain cover that can entrap swimmers, a smoke and carbon monoxide detector that doesn’t work, kids’ pajamas that are a burn hazard and eyelid wipes for dogs that are full of bacteria.

So many defective products! And without product safety alerts we might never know, until someone we know gets hurt.

A few hints:

Before you buy a product, check online for any safety alerts.

Save your receipts when you buy products, especially those that are complicated enough to come with a user manual. Tape the receipt inside the front cover of the manual or keep a folder of receipts for products you purchase.

To stay safe, sign up for product recall alerts. Besides the CPSC website, check www.recalls.gov for an even wider selection of product types, and check foodsafety.gov for food alerts. Right now they have a salmonella alert for black pepper.

Black pepper? Who would have suspected something was wrong with pepper?

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.