Millions of Fisher-Price tricycles, toy cars, high chairs and inflatable ball toys were voluntarily recalled Thursday by the company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, because of reported injuries – including genital bleeding — and potential hazards associated the toys.
Some of the toys have been available on shelves for 10 years.
Fisher-Price has recalled numerous toys over the years, and has also received civil penalties from the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the past for failing to report hazards to the agency in a timely manner, said CPSC public affairs director Scott Wolfson.
However, for many of the recalls announced today, the company did report injuries as it is supposed to, he said.
Fisher-Price "did step up to agree to provide free remedies, which is the right thing to do," Wolfson said.
"Although we strive for perfection, if problems come to our attention, we are committed to addressing them quickly and responsibly," said Fisher-Price spokeswoman Juliette Reashor.
It took several years for recalls to be announced, Reashor said, because it's important for the company to find repetition in injury reports, to determine if incidents are isolated or if there's a pattern related to the toy.
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Families can contact Fisher-Price at 800-432-5437 or www.service.mattel.com for free replacements or fixes for the recalled toys. The company recommends all families to remove all recalled items from their children's reach.
Recalled tricycles
About 7 million Fisher-Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles were recalled in the United States, as well as some in Canada, because of a protruding, plastic "ignition" key that could result in injury and even genital bleeding if a child fell on it.
So far, 10 injuries in 2- to 3-year-old girls have been reported to Fisher-Price and the CPSC, and six of those required medical attention. The girls were injured by falling on the disc-shaped or D-shaped plastic key that protrudes from the seat by at least 5/8 of an inch, and is located 3 inches in front of the seat.
The tricycles, intended for children ages 2 to 5, were sold across the United States between January 1997 and September 2010 for about $25 each. They have a manufacture run number higher than 1670Q2; the run number can be found under the seat below the model number.
Trikes manufactured after June 16 of this year are not included in the recall.
Recalled toy cars are a choking hazard
Fisher-Price also recalled 100,000 of its Little People Wheelies Stand 'n Play Rampway toys in the United States and Canada. The toy is sold with small cars that children can push down winding ramps.
Two cars included in the set — the purple and green cars that are marked with the word "MEXICO" and don't have a yellow dot on the bottom — are the only ones considered to be hazardous. Their wheels can detach and pose a choking hazard.
No injuries from the cars have been reported.
The toy was manufactured between April and September of this year and sold for about $45 each.
Recalled high chairs
Nearly 1 million Fisher-Price Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs were recalled in the United States and Canada, because children can fall on the rear pegs, used for high-chair storage, and suffer injury or laceration.
The high chairs were sold from September 2001 to September 2010 for $70 to $115 each.
All three high chairs have a folding frame and reclining seat. All Easy Clean and Close To Me High Chairs have been recalled, but only the Healthy Care High Chairs manufactured before December 2006 are included in the recall. Families can find the manufacture date by looking at the date code on the back of the seat — if the fourth digit in the date code is 6 or less, it's included in the recall.
Inflatable balls are choking hazard
Lastly, nearly 3 million Fisher-Price infant toys with inflatable balls were recalled, because the valve of the inflatable ball can detach and pose a choking hazard.
Forty-six incidents in which the valve came off the ball were reported, and in 14 reports, children put the valves in their mouths. In three reports, a child had begun to choke.
All Baby Playzone Crawl & Cruise Playground, Baby Playzone Crawl & Slide Arcade, Baby Gymtastics Play Wall and Bat & Score Goal toys are included in the recall, because they include these balls.
Ocean Wonders Kick & Crawl Aquarium and 1-2-3 Tetherball toys manufactured before 2008 are included in the recall. The date code for the Ocean Wonders toy is located on the back of the fabric tag on the quilt, and the date code for the Tetherball toy is located on the bottom of the base. If the fourth digit of the date code is 7 or lower, the product has been recalled.
The products ranged in price from $20 to $68 each, and were sold from 2001 to 2007.