The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, on July 13 announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/.)
Name of Product: Ryobi Radial Arm Saws
Units: About 145,000
Manufacturer: Ryobi Motor Products Corp. formerly of Anderson, S.C. ("RMP"); Ryobi Electric Tool Manufacturing, Inc. formerly of Chandler, Ariz.; and Ryobi Limited, of Hiroshima, Japan.
Hazard: Cracking of the plastic motor housing can cause the blade assembly to fall during operation, posing a risk of laceration to the operator or bystanders. The detachment may occur unexpectedly and without warning.
Incidents/Injuries: RMP has received five reports of detached blade assemblies, including four reports of lacerated fingers to the saw operators.
Description and Models: The recall involves all RA200 and RA202 radial arm saws. These are bench top models with 8 1/4-inch blades. Each unit has a data plate immediately behind the operator grip for the saw, which says "RYOBI 8 1/4" Radial Arm Saw" and either "RA200" or "RA202."
Sold at: Home and hardware stores nationwide from 1986 through 1997 for between $200 and $300, and higher in some instances.
Manufactured in: The United States and Japan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these radial arm saws and contact Ryobi customer service to arrange to return part of the saw for a payment of $75. No repair is available.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Ryobi Customer Service at (800) 525-2579 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET any day of the week, or visit the following Web site: http://www.ryobi.com/
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at 800-638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at 800-638-8270 or visit CPSC's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/.
