Petzl Warns of Burn Hazard from MYO Headlamps

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a safety alert for the following consumer products. Consumers should immediately stop using rechargeable batteries with any of the products listed below.

Name of Product: “MYO” and “MYO Belt” Headlamps

Units: About 322,000

Distributor: Petzl America, of Clearfield, Utah

Manufacturer: Petzl S.A., of Crolles, France

Hazard: If the headlamp is used with rechargeable batteries, the cable connecting the battery pack to the lamp can spark, melt, or catch fire. This poses a burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Petzl has received 13 reports of sparking and/or melting, with 2 reports of flames. One consumer received a minor burn to the hand, and another experienced singed hair.

Description: This safety alert involves the “MYO” and “MYO Belt” headlamps with name and model numbers listed below. The “MYO” headlamps have a battery pack attached to the headband. The “MYO Belt” headlamps have a remote battery pack attached to the headlamp via a long electric cable.

The name of the product can be found on the side of the headlamp and on the packaging. The model number can be found on the packaging.

Sold at: Specialty retailers nationwide from February 2003 through August 2008 for between $40 and $80.

Manufactured in: France

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using rechargeable batteries with the headlamps and contact Petzl to obtain a new warning label. Consumers can continue to use the headlamps with non-rechargeable batteries.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Petzl America toll-free at (877) 740-3826 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.petzl.com

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

For more information and FAQ's from Petzl visit http://en.petzl.com/petzl/SportNews?News=222

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