The Electrical Safety Authority, Health Canada and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Warn Consumers About Possible Laceration Hazard Associated With Dishwashers

News provided by

Underwriters Laboratories

Apr 21, 2010, 02:23 ET

NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), Health Canada and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) have received two separate reports of very young children being injured while playing adjacent to a dishwasher in the family kitchen. In each case, the children sustained cuts to the foot and ankle on a sharp metal edge located under the dishwasher door that required stitches at a hospital emergency department.

The applicable appliance manufacturers were alerted of the reported incidents.

ESA, Health Canada and UL are urging consumers with dishwashers to be aware of the potential laceration hazard and to consider the following safeguards:

  • Do not let children sit, stand, crawl, lie or play on or around a dishwasher.
  • Take care to anticipate and avoid sharp edges while performing cleaning / wiping or other types of cosmetic maintenance in the identified area shown in the attached picture.
  • Also take precautions when servicing dishwashers, as this often requires removal of an access panel that can expose additional hazards. Always ensure the access panel is securely put back into position to avoid the possibility of a child or animal having access to hot or moving parts.
  • Read and follow the owner's manual, user's guide and other product information pertaining to your dishwasher as they may contain additional safety information. These documents can typically be requested from the retailer / manufacturer or in some cases, be downloaded from the Internet.

Electric appliances, including dishwashers, are regulated by provincial and territorial electrical safety authorities. In Ontario, this authority is the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). To report similar incidents or other concerns with these appliances contact ESA at www.esasafe.com or contact 1-877-ESA-SAFE (1-877-372-7233).

Photo of product: A photo of the product is available at: http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/corporate/newsroom/publicnotices/.

About Underwriters Laboratories

UL is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for more than a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems for more than 66,000 manufacturers yearly. In total, there are more than 20 billion UL Marks appearing on products worldwide each year. UL's global family of companies and network of service providers includes 68 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 102 countries. For more information, visit: http://www.ul.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Underwriters Laboratories

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