If This Is in Your Garage, It Could Cause Serious Injury, Officials Warn
A new product recall underscores a potential danger lurking in your garage right now.
Many homeowners enthusiastically greet the warmer weather as an opportunity for methodical spring cleaning. But if you've undertaken a household organization project involving getting your garage in order (or plan to do so), you'll want to know about the latest product recall that could pose a risk that looms over your best intentions. Read on to learn about the potential hazard in your garage and what you should do about it right now to safeguard your loved ones.
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Household injuries send millions to the emergency room each year.
Everyday household products can potentially present life-threatening risks to people of any age, but research shows that seniors are especially vulnerable. According to a recent report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), nearly three million older adults visit the emergency room annually due to injuries related to household products, which are also associated with approximately 3,800 reports of older adult deaths every year. So, it's important to take proactive measures to safeguard your home and mind any relevant recalls, such as this latest warning regarding garage storage.
The new recall involves garage storage racks.
The latest home product recall posted on the website for the CPSC involves SafeRacks/Monsterrax overhead garage storage racks. The products were manufactured in Vietnam and imported by the Rancho Santa Margarita, California-based Eagle Industrial Group Inc. The recall notice is dated April 21 and affects about 12,800 units in all. The company is conducting the recall voluntarily, under CPSC's Fast Track Recall process, under which companies commit to working with the agency to quickly announce the recall and remedy to protect consumers.
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The garage storage racks could fall from the ceiling, injuring anyone underneath.
The hex bolts in the overhead garage storage racks can be defective, and this issue can cause the rack to collapse from the ceiling, posing an impact injury hazard.
Unfortunately, SafeRacks/Monsterrax has already received 55 reports of the racks falling, including one report when a person received facial bruises and injuries after the corners of a ceiling-mounted rack fell.
Here's how to know if you have one of the recalled overhead storage units in your garage.
The recalled garage storage units were sold online at Costco.com, Amazon.com, Saferacks.com, Monsterrax.com, and other websites between Sep. 2021 and Dec. 2021. The retail price was approximately $140.
These are industrial-strength steel racks that attach to the ceiling and are height-adjustable. The racks are available in seven sizes including 4 by 4 ft.; 4 by 8 ft.; 2 by 6 ft.; 3 by 6 ft.; 4 by 6 ft.; 3 by 8 ft.; and 2 by 8 ft.. The storage racks also were sold in two colors, including grey and white.
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Here's what to do if you have a recalled garage storage rack at home right now.
If you have one of the recalled overhead garage storage racks at home, the recall notice urges you to remove all the items you're storing in it immediately and contact SafeRacks/Monsterrax. The company will then send out free replacement bolts to remedy the problem and mitigate the potential risk. SafeRacks/Monsterrax has contacted all known purchasers to let them know about the recall and provide the free replacement bolts for safety.
If you have any questions about the recall, you can contact SafeRacks toll-free at 877-927-2168 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT., Monday through Friday, or by email at [email protected]. You can also go online to Saferacks.com or Monsterrax.com and click on the "recalls" button for more information.
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