Kidde Takes Action on Recall of Industrial Fire Extinguisher
Company utilizes its website to educate service professionals and consumers on replacement procedures
July 22, 2005, Mebane, NC- Kidde, one of the world's leading manufacturers of fire safety products, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing an alert on its 10 lb. Industrial dry chemical fire extinguisher. Kidde is dedicating a portion of its website to inform all professional fire extinguisher inspection, service and recharge organizations and any consumers who might own the product on the appropriate procedures for replacement of the units.
The CPSC alert involves the Kidde 10 lb. industrial dry chemical fire extinguisher manufactured with a black plastic Zytel® nylon valve assembly, welded steel neck collar cylinder, is 19-21 inches high, and was manufactured from 1991 and 2000. These units were subject of Kidde Service Bulletin 007 issued on July 21, 2004.
The Zytel® plastic valve assemblies in these units may degrade over time, resulting in the valve spontaneously separating from the cylinder. This situation has occurred most often during the professional servicing of these units.
These fire extinguishers are primarily found in commercial buildings and other commercial locations, and all units require professional service by a fire extinguisher service company every six years and have not been available for sale since 2000. Based on this information and the end of manufacture date, Kidde estimated at the time of Service Bulletin 007 that there were 100,000 fire extinguishers in the marketplace. Since that time Kidde has removed from service more than 50,000 of those units through its voluntary replacement program.
A very limited number of these units may still be in residential settings, although, there have been no consumer injuries reported from residential use. However, Kidde has received five reports of valve separation during either technical service of the units or shortly afterwards, resulting in three reports of injuries to professional servicing personnel.
Only professional Fire Extinguisher Distributors and Service Organizations should remove the affected units. If you are a Fire Extinguisher Distributor or Service Organization and did not receive a copy of the Replacement Program as outlined in the Kidde Service Bulletin 007, please contact Kidde at 1-877-777-8170 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log onto www.kidde.com and reference Kidde Service Bulletin 007. By following the guide, the professional fire extinguisher service provider will be able to eliminate the risk associated with the potential valve separations.
Consumers who suspect that they may possess one of the units covered by this alert should not attempt to rotate, handle, service, maintain or transport the extinguisher, but should contact Kidde at 855-271-0773 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log onto www.kidde.com and reference "Recall Alert". The website will help consumers differentiate between the recalled unit and Kidde's other models. The recall does not apply to Kidde's 2 lb. and 5 lb residential fire extinguishers.
Units should not be returned to place of purchase.
About Kidde
As the world's largest manufacturer of fire safety products, Kidde's mission is to provide solutions that protect people and property from the effects of fire and its related hazards. For more than 80 years industry leaders, the military, airlines and firefighters have relied on Kidde to deliver superior fire detection and suppression. Consumers will find that same advanced fire safety technology in Kidde's residential and commercial smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and other life safety products. Based in Mebane, NC, Kidde is part of UTC Fire & Security, a leading global supplier of fire safety and security services serving government, industrial, commercial and retail industries with brand names such as Kidde, Chubb and others. UTC Fire & Security is a division of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) a diversified company that provides high technology products and services to the aerospace and commercial building industries worldwide.
