Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog

1. Oil-Filled Electric Heaters: The Holmes Group of Milford, Massachusetts is voluntarily recalling about 300,000 Holmes Oil-Filled Electric Heaters. A poor electrical connection within the heater can lead to overheating, posing fire and thermal burn hazards. For more information.

2. Gas Grills: Winmax is voluntarily recalling about 600 Char-Broil Two-Burner Gas Grills Model 463720407. The recalled grills could have an incorrect heat shield that does not fit the grills. Without the correct heat shield, the parts could overheat and present a risk of fire and burn. For more information.

1. Children’s footed pajamas: Disney Stores North America has recalled about 200 Baby Einstein Caterpillar Sleepwear and Baby Einstein Sleepwear. The sleepwear fails to meet the children’s flammability standard, posing a risk of burn injury to children. For more information.
2. Floor electrical outlets: Lamson & Sessions has voluntarily recalled about 100,000 Carlon Drop-In Floor Boxes. The recalled boxes are wired incorrectly resulting in reverse polarity, posing a shock or electrocution hazard. For more information.
3. Gel candles: McCormick Distilling Co. has voluntarily recalled about 60,000 Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream candle sets. The martini glass containing the gel candle can break while the candle is burning, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. For more information.

1. Ford Escape SUV: Ford Motor Co. said it was recalling more than 500,000 Ford Escape SUVs after receiving reports of engine fires linked to corrosion on anti-lock brake connections. The recall involves 444,880 Escapes from the 2001-04 model years in the U.S. and about 75,000 in Canada, Mexico, and Europe. The recall does not affect hybrid versions. For more information.

2. Chanukah Candles: Aviv Judaica Imports Ltd. of Brooklyn, NY and Ahron’s Judaica is voluntarily recalling about 9000 Chanukah Oil Candles. The candles can become engulfed in flames, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. For more information.

3. Hot Water Boilers: NY Thermal Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 4800 NTI Trinity Gas-Fired Hot Water Boilers. Acidic liquid in a drain line can cause a fitting in the boiler to leak, posing a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to consumers. For more information.

Venmar Ventilation, Inc. of Quebec is voluntarily recalling about 75,000 Heat Recovery Ventilators. The motors in the units can overheat and pose a fire hazard. For more information.

1. Remote controls: Best Buy Co. Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 10,000 remote control sold with Insignia 100W DVD Compact Shelf System. If the batteries are placed in the remotes backwards, overheating can occur and present a burn hazard. For more information.
2. M&A Global Technologies Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 1700 gel candles. The candles can have excessive flame height, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. For more information.

1. Remote controls: Best Buy Co. Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 10,000 remote control sold with Insignia 100W DVD Compact Shelf System. If the batteries are placed in the remotes backwards, overheating can occur and present a burn hazard. For more information.
2. M&A Global Technologies Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 1700 gel candles. The candles can have excessive flame height, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. For more information.

1. Sake warmers: Tap Machine Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 2,000 Sake warmers. They can unexpectedly spray hot sake on consumers, posing a serious burn risk. For more information.
2. Tankless water heaters: The Water Heating Division of Rheem Sales Company Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 42,200 Power Vent tankless water heaters. If the switch fails and the air filter door is out of place, the water heater could continue to operate and dust and lint could build up, posing a carbon monoxide poisoning hazard. For more information. For more information.

1. Electric Oil Lamps: Hong Teng Trading Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 3,900 Electric Oil Lamps because the power court is not correctly secured. Additionally, the switch housing is not flame retardant. As a result of these issues, the lamps pose a fire hazard. For more information.

2. Dishwashers: Maytag is voluntarily recalling about 2.3 million Maytag and Jenn-Air brand dishwashers. Liquid can leak and come into contact with the dishwasher’s internal wiring which can short-circuit and ignite, posing a fire hazard. For more information.

3. Easy-Bake Ovens: Easy-Bake, a division of Hasbro, Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 985,000 Easy-Bake Ovens. Young children can insert their hands into the oven’s opening, posing an entrapment and burn hazard. For more information.

4. Curling irons: Conair Corp. is voluntarily recalling about 322,000 Curling Irons. The handle of the curling iron can come apart exposing its line cord, posing a shock or electrocution hazard to consumers. For more information.

An Iowa family that fell ill at a Florida hotel only a week before a man who stayd in the same room died of carbon monoxide poisoning has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the hotel. The family was treated at a local hospital less than a week before the subsequent resident died from inhaling carbon monoxide fumes that came from a boiler adjacent to his room.

For the full article.

Family Dollar Stores has voluntarily recalled about 35,000 Oscillating Ceramic Heaters. The heaters can overheat and smoke, posing a fire hazard to consumers. For more information.

1. Cordless Reciprocating Saws: DEWALT Industrial Tool Co. has voluntarily recalled about 44,000 DEWALT DC305 Model Reciprocating Saws. The switch on the saws can cause a short circuit, posing a fire hazard. For more information.

2. Christmas Light Sets: Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 2.3 million sets of Hobby Lobby Christmas Light Sets. The lights have undersized wires which can separate from the plugs and/or the light sockets, posing an electric shock and fire hazard. For more information.

1. Boilers: Crown Boiler Co. has voluntarily recalled about 400 Bermuda BSI and Cayman CWI Series Gas Boilers. The boilers can generate excessive levels of carbon monoxide in the flue gases, posing a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. For more information.
2. Remote-control helicopter toys: ThinkGeek Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 1600 remote-control dragonfly king HX-242 helicopters. The battery can overheat and catch fire, posing a burn hazard. For more information.
3. Vehicle navigation and entertainment system batteries.: The Clarion Corporation of America has voluntarily recalled about 2500 Batteries in Clarion N.I.C.E. P200 Navigation and Entertainment Systems. The lithium-ion batteries in these units can melt or overheat posing burn and fire hazards. For more information.
4. Christmas light sets: Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 2.3 million sets of Hobby Lobby Christmas Light Sets. The lights have undersized wires which can separate from the plugs and/or the light sockets, posing an electric shock and fire hazard to consumers. For more information.

Pressure cookers: Innova, Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 1,450 Ultrex-brand Pressure Cookers. The pressure cooker’s lid can open while its contents are under pressure, allowing the hot contents to be expelled and causing burn injuries to bystanders. For more information.

Air conditioners: The Trane Co. has voluntarily recalled about 10,580 PTEE and PTHE Series Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTACs). Wiring problems can cause the units to overheat and smoke. For more information.

ATV Winch kits: Warn Industries Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 218,000 Warn ATV and Utility Vehicle Winch Kits. A component of the Kit can continue to pull current while in the “off” position which poses a fire hazard. For more information.

1. Espresso Makers: Atico International USA, Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 54,000 Espresso Makers because its heating instrument can forcefully separate from its base during the brewing cycle. This poses a burn injury hazard to consumers.
2. Costumes: Family Dollar Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 20,000 “Creepy Cape” Halloween Costumes because the capes fail to meet the standard for the flammability of vinyl plastic film. This poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
3. Boilers: Well-McLain has voluntarily recalled about 16,000 Gas Boilers. The boilers were intended for use with natural gas, but could have the incorrect tag on them. The incorrect tag would say that the boilers are intended for use with propane gas. If a consumer connects the boiler to propane gas without installing a conversion kit, carbon monoxide can build. This poses a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
4. Charcoal Grills: Cobb America Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 2,000 Cobb Premier Charcoal Grills. The grill emits carbon monoxide gas, which can poison consumers if used in doors. The promotional materials accompanying the grills created the impression that they could be used indoors. This creates consumer confusion and poses a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

1. Fire Suppression System Pumps: ITT Water Technology has voluntarily recalled about 3,000 Goulds Pumps, Bell & Gossett and Red Jacket Water Products Brand Pumps for Fire Suppression Systems. A mechanical part on these pumps was not fully secured, which can lead to the pump failing during use and an increased risk of fire damage. For more information.
2. Notebook Computer Batteries: Sony Energy Devices Corp has voluntarily recalled about 340,000 batteries. These lithium ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard. For more information.
3. Mattress Covers: Dux Interiors, Inc. has voluntarily recalled about 37,000 Protective Mattress Covers. The terry cloth covers, which were made to fit over the Dux top pads, do not meet federal standards for flammability under the Flammable Fabrics Act. For more information.

1. Bicycle Light Batteries: Light & Motion of Monterey, California has voluntarily recalled about 1,700 ARC Lithium Ion Bicycle Light Batteries. The battery may overheat, posing a fire or burn hazard. For more information.
2. Coffee Brewers: Starbucks Coffee has voluntarily recalled about 73,000 Starbucks Barista Aroma Stainless Steel 8-cup coffee brewers. The brewer has defective electrical wiring that can result in overheating, smoking, burning, and a possible fire hazard. For more information.
3. Tents & Canopies: Decathlon USA has voluntarily recalled about 22,000 2006 Quechua Brand Tents and Canopies. The tents may fail to meet the industry’s flame resistant standard, posing a fire hazard. For more information.

In an effort to create awareness about smoke detector safety, the Chicago Fire Department began a program this week to hand out smoke detectors at the Mexican Consulate. The Department’s goal, to educate the city’s largest immigrant population about fire safety comes quickly after September’s tragic Roger’s Park fire that killed six children of Mexican immigrants.

Not only will fire detectors be available at the Mexican Consulate, but the Fire Department will begin holding weekly classes to instruct people how to use the smoke detectors.

For the full article.
For more information on smoke detector safety.

Based upon our experience in a recent case involving the tragic death of six children in an apartment fire, we have decided to provide an informational series on smoke detector safety.

- 1 in every 3 smoke alarms in the United States is outdated!
- In 2 out of every 3 home fires, a child was injured or killed because a smoke alarm was not working properly.
- More than 800 children age 14 or younger die in home fires each year.
- A home fire doubles in size every 30 seconds.
- One a house fire has started, you have less than five minutes to get everyone in the house to safety.
- Most deadly fires in the United States occur during the night: between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
- Every year, home fires kill more Americans than all natural disasters combined.
- 1 in 5 alarms do not work because of dead or missing batteries.
- 1 in 3 fires occurred in homes with alarms that do not work because of dead or missing batteries.
- A home fire starts every 83 seconds.

Studies have shown that overall fire deaths are significantly reduced by the use of early warning fire and smoke detection systems. The sooner a fire is detected, the better the chances are for the survival of lives in danger. The National Electrical Manufacturing Association (NEMA) has released a Guide for Proper Use of System Smoke Detectors. Proper use can help reduce the risk of a fire-related death or injury.

To access the Guide.

First Alert suggests that consumers conduct a safety audit tour of their homes. The tour outline provides a checklist for the safety audit and safety recommendations for entries; living, dining, and family rooms; kitchens; baths; furnace rooms; bedrooms; and garages.

To conduct a room-by-room safety audit.

Smoke alarms are subject to random failures. According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 10 years there is roughly a 30% probability of failure before replacement. After 15 years, there is more than a 50/50 chance that your alarm has failed. Replacing your alarm after 10 years protects against that high likelihood of alarm failure. Additionally, you must still test your alarm monthly to ensure that it is still working.

For more information on smoke alarm safety.