Wet/Dry Vacuums Recalled by Emerson Tool Company

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2003
Release # 04-053

Company Phone Number: (800) 359-0179
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

CPSC, Emerson Tool Company Announce Recall of Wet/Dry Vacuums

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Wet/Dry Vacuums

Manufacturer: Emerson Tool Company, a division of Emerson Electric Co., of St. Louis, Mo.

Hazard: The exhaust blower ports on the wet/dry vacuums are large enough for a small child to reach inside and touch the spinning blower wheel. This poses a laceration hazard to small children.

Incidents/Injuries: Emerson Tool Company has received 10 reports of children inserting their arms into the ports and receiving minor cuts and abrasions to their fingertips.

Description: The recall involves Craftsman 16-gallon and RIDGID 12- and 16-gallon wet/dry vacuums. The vacuums are used to pick up wet and dry debris. Another feature of the vacuum is the blower, which provides additional cleaning functions.

Sold at: Home Depot stores and RIDGE Tool distributors nationwide from March 1999 through October 2002 and Sears Roebuck & Co. stores nationwide from September 1998 through October 2002 for between $70 and $300.

Manufactured in: United States.

Remedy: Consumers should contact Emerson toll-free number to request a free insert. The insert is installed inside the blower port to eliminate the hazard.

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers should call Emerson Tool Company toll-free at (800) 359-0179 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.wetdryvacrecall.com.

Product Description Retail Price* Model Number Serial Number**

RIDGID 12 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac $74.00 WD12450 01310-02193

RIDGID 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac $94.00
$119.00
$119.00
$139.00
$139.00 WD16350
WD16600
WD16650
WD17350
WD17351 01309-02168
99168-02155
01311-02162
01313-02045
02043-02178

Craftsman 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac $139.00
$139.00
$119.00
$293.00
$293.00 113.170250
113.170260
113.17033
113.292670C
113.295670C 02049-02210
98240-00236
02156-02219
99281C-00319C
00227C-02122C

*	Retail price listed in U.S. Dollars.
**	Serial Number Range provides the first five characters of the serial number/date code listed on the product's data plate.