It was probably ingrained in you from a young age that knives are dangerous and must always be used with caution. Whether you're using a blade to open a package or slice a piece of fruit, you take care to keep your fingers out of the way and avoid accidentally injuring yourself. But the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just issued a recall notice for over 36,000 knives sold at Target, because they pose a threat before you even take them out of the packaging. Read on to find out about the latest consumer recall.
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Recalled knives were sold exclusively at Target through February.
francesco de marco / ShutterstockPer the May 11 recall notice, North Carolina-based company Positec is recalling the Blue Ridge Utility Knife with a six-inch retractable blade. Approximately 36,250 knives were sold exclusively at Target stores nationwide and on Target.com between Aug. 2022 and Feb. 2023, retailing for roughly $5.
Recalled knives have the model number BR922OU, which is printed on the back of the blue and teal packaging. The Blue Ridge logo is also printed in orange and white in the top left-hand corner. The knife itself is silver and has the Blue Ridge logo printed in black on the handle.
Two consumers reported "laceration injuries."
Shutterstock / JPC-PRODAccording to the CPSC, the knife only poses a threat while it's still in its original packaging. The blade can become unlocked and protrude through the plastic, "posing a laceration hazard," the notice states.
So far, Positec has received two reports of the blade poking through the plastic, and in both situations, consumers experienced "laceration injuries."
You can use the utility knife once it is safely removed from the packaging.
U.S. CSPCIf you purchased one of these knives, take a look at the packaging and check to see if the blade tip has poked through. If it has, carefully remove the knife from the packaging, while avoiding the blade, the CPSC notice advises.
From there, you can throw the packaging away and "secure the knife by retracting and locking the knife in the closed position," officials say. Once the knife is free from the packaging and retracted, it can be used as normal.
If you have specific questions about the recall, call Positec at 855-516-3557 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday. You can also send an email to utilitykniferecall@blueridgetools.com.
You may have other recalled products at home.
U.S. CPSCThe utility knives aren't the only household items subject to recall recently. Last month, Stanley Black & Decker pulled about 2.2 million DeWalt, Stanley, and Craftsman fiberglass sledgehammers sold at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Amazon.
According to the recall notice from the CPSC, the heads of the sledgehammers can loosen and detach during use, creating an "impact injury hazard." Consumers who purchased the sledgehammers were instructed to stop using them immediately and contact Stanley Black & Decker for a full refund.
And just last week, the CPSC announced that Walker Edison Furniture had recalled 121,000 twin-over-twin bunk beds, as the slats can break while in use. The company received 14 reports of breaking slats, one of which resulted in "minor injuries," as of May 4.
Consumers who purchased the bunk beds were instructed to stop using them, and to contact Walker Edison for a free repair kit.
