Safety regulator, Lifetime Products Inc. and Escalade Sports Announce Recall to Repair Portable Basketball Hoops
Recall 02129 · Mar 28, 2002 · Lifetime Products Inc.
1,700,000
units affected
1,700,000
units affected
Facts
- Recall number
- 02129
- Date
- Mar 28, 2002
- Company
- Lifetime Products Inc.
- Units affected
- 1,700,000
- Product
- Portable basketball hoops
- Product type
- Basketball
- Hazard
- Cuts
The product
All Lifetime portable basketball system models, except the "Quick Court" are included in the recall. The Escalade Sports basketball hoop models included in the recall are the Harvard, The Big Easy, B3100, B3301, B3302, B3303, B3304, B3305, B3306, B3403, B3500, Spalding, The Big Easy B3402 and Apex B9995, Mini Court, Alley Court. These portable basketball hoops come unassembled with a flat plastic base that is weighted down by either sand or water that is added during assembly. The basketball poles are made of black metal. The brand names or model names may appear on the backboard, main pole or the flat plastic base of the basketball hoops.
What can happen
The basketball hoops may have a sharp protruding bolt on the players' side of the pole, that can cause serious leg or body lacerations to consumers, when the bolt is exposed.
The fix
Consumers should stop using the basketball hoops immediately and contact Lifetime Products or Escalade Sports to receive free cap nuts to cover the bolts. Consumers should call and get a cap nut, regardless of whether their bolt protrudes or not.
Incidents and where it was sold
- Incidents
- have received 27 reports of injuries and Escalade Sports has received one report of injury from the basketball hoop bolt. Injuries include scrapes, deep lacerations and bruises. Several consumers required stitches for their injuries. Players have been cut when they bump into the pole as they drive toward the basket.
- Sold at
- Sporting goods, department and toy stores, including Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and Toys R Us nationwide sold the Lifetime basketball hoops, between January 1994 and July 2000, and the Escalade Sports basketball hoops, between March 1994 and December 2001, for between $80 and $500.
Related pages
Questions and answers
What should I do with the recalled portable basketball hoops?
Consumers should stop using the basketball hoops immediately and contact Lifetime Products or Escalade Sports to receive free cap nuts to cover the bolts. Consumers should call and get a cap nut, regardless of whether their bolt protrudes or not.
What is the hazard?
The basketball hoops may have a sharp protruding bolt on the players' side of the pole, that can cause serious leg or body lacerations to consumers, when the bolt is exposed.
A recall means the maker found a safety problem and offers a free fix; it does not mean every unit has the problem. Units affected are as reported by the company. Popular models sell more and so have more recalls and complaints. Official public data; texts are shortened. Contact the company named above for the remedy.