WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recalls in voluntary cooperation with the firms listed below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. To access color photos of recalled products, go to
the Commission's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.
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 and Canada
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.
Products listed with the following information:
Product Description
Retail Price (listed in U.S. Dollars)
Model Number
Serial Number (Serial Number Range provides the first five characters of
the serial number/date code listed on the product's data plate).
RIDGID 12 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac
$74.00
WD12450
01310-02193
RIDGID 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac
$94.00, WD16350, 01309-02168
$119.00, WD16600, 99168-02155
$119.00, WD16650, 01311-02162
$139.00, WD17350, 01313-02045
$139.00, WD17351, 02043-02178
Craftsman 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac
$139.00, 113.170250, 02049-02210
$139.00, 113.170260, 98240-00236
$119.00, 113.17033, 02156-02219
$293.00, 113.292670C, 99281C-00319C
$293.00, 113.295670C, 00227C-02122C

