Lawn Mowers and Grills Recalled Amid Safety Concerns

June 2008

Mowing the lawn or firing up the grill is not always as safe as it may seem. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled the LawnBott robotic mower and the Broil King Signet gas grill because the products pose a safety hazard to consumers.

It was found that the blade of the LawnBott robotic mower remained spinning until the mower was lifted beyond about 45 degrees, which is enough room for a hand or a foot to be caught in the blade. Kyodo American Industries, the distributor of the recalled product, reported that one person received minor cuts after lifting the mower. The LawnBott lawn mower was sold nationwide at Kyoto American dealers from January 2006 to December 2007.

During flare-up tests of the Broil King Signet, other Signet models, Sovereign models, and Sovereign XL models, the fireboxes of the grills melted and dripped molten metal. In one instance, the firebox began to split and deform. The defective grills were sold at stores nationwide from February 2006 to April 2008.