In the 1960s, the first recalls of defective or assumed-defective automobiles began, and we’ve been recalling consumer products ever since. Surprisingly, there have been a number of extension-cord recalls, although they don’t get quite the same publicity as, say, recalling the family minivan because the wheels have a tendency to fall off. The following is a list of recent recalls, courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- Approximately 230,000 extension cords manufactured in China and distributed by a Texas firm were recalled due to undersized wires and improper plugs, according to a September 20, 1994, announcement.
- In a May 29, 1997, press release, the General Cable Corp. announced the recall of 2,700 outdoor extension cords sold under the Carol and Ace brand names due to an exposed wire near the receptacle. No injuries had been reported from the use of these cords.
- A Miami, Florida, firm recalled almost 6,600 extension cords and power strips in 1998 due to undersized wires that could not carry the advertised load, improperly polarized plugs, and no overcurrent protection in the surge protectors.
- A February 24, 1999, press release warned consumers about two million faulty extension cords, power strips, and surge protectors involved in 25 recalls since 1994. An ongoing investigation started in 1997 found that most of the faulty cords were made in China, were sold at discount stores, and in some cases, had counterfeit UL certification labels.
This doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, but it’s useful because it provides the motivation to inspect and check your extension cords on a regular basis. On large construction sites, monthly testing of extension cords for grounding is mandatory, as is recording the test results. Cords that pass inspection are marked with a piece of colored tape. (The color changes monthly.)
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