On October 31, 2013, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with LaRose Industries of Randolph, New Jersey, announced the voluntary recall of three production batches of Snoopy Sno-Cone Machines due to a risk of injury to the mouth or teeth. The risk of injury is due to a faulty brass rivet that can fall out of the machine’s ice-shaving cylinder and into a sno-cone during operation. The manufacturer has received over 60 reports of brass rivets failing out of the machine’s ice shaving cylinder.
The recall involves three production batches of Snoopy Sno-Cone Machines. The production batch numbers affected by the recall include: BCH003005A28-0812, BCHTRU001A17-0812 and BCHTRU004A16-0712. Consumers can locate the batch number on the back of the white plastic doghouse and on the side of the box.
These Snoopy Sno-Cone machines were sold at Barnes & Noble, Target, and Toys R Us stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com from September 2012 through July 2013 for $15. Consumers should stop using the machines immediately and contact LaRose Industries for a free repair kit, which includes a new ice-shaving cylinder. Consumers can contact LaRose Industries at (855) 345-4693 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, by emailing recall@laroseindustries.com, or online at laroseindustries.com and click on the Recall tab.
As a parent, child safety advocate, and trial lawyer, I am continually troubled by the fact that manufacturers and retailers continue to sell dangerous products. Manufacturers, in their zeal to get products on the market, often cut corners and overlook safety when designing and manufacturing products. Manufacturers have an obligation and opportunity to thoroughly assess product safety before the launch of a product. It should not take reports of a child getting injured for a manufacturer to make a product safe.
