41,000 Power Washer Attachments Recalled
They were sold at Home Depot stores from February 2010 through June 2011, according to the CPSC recall announcement.
Homelite Consumer Products Inc. has recalled about 41,000 surface cleaner attachments that have been sold in the United States and Canada for use on pressure washers. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada announced the voluntary recall in cooperation with the Anderson, S.C., firm.
About 40,000 were sold in the United States and 1,200 in Canada, the July 21 announcement says. It says the attachment's nozzle and spray bar can break and detach, striking and/or breaking the unit's plastic housing. The broken nozzle, spray bar, and/or plastic housing can strike the user, posing a laceration hazard. So far, Homelite Consumer Products has received nine reports of incidents involving the attachments, including one laceration injury and three reports of minor property damage, it says.
The drum-shaped surface cleaner attachments were sold in orange or red colors and have hexagonal, brass-colored nozzles inside a 15-inch plastic drum holding the spray bar. They were sold with Homelite pressure washer models HL80833 and HL80835. They were sold separately as Powercare model AP31022A and EZ Clean model AEZ231022 at Home Depot stores nationwide from February 2010 through June 2011 for about $70 when sold as an attachment and about $450 when sold with a pressure washer. The attachments were manufactured in China.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled attachments and contact Homelite to receive a free replacement. Homelite's toll-free information line is 800-867-9624 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT, or visit www.homelite.com.