|
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This
weekly newsletter covers:
-
Fu San Machinery Recalls Low Lead Ball Valves Installed in Flammable Gas Lines Due to Fire and Explosion Hazards

(1)
FU SAN MACHINERY RECALLS LOW LEAD BALL VALVES INSTALLED IN FLAMMABLE GAS LINES DUE TO FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of Product: Low Lead Ball Valve/Shut-Off Gas Valves Units: About 163,000 Importer/Distributor: Aqualine, of Corona, Calif.; AY McDonald Manufacturing Co., of Dubuque, Iowa; FNW, of Portland, Ore.; Hodes Co., of Kansas City, Mo.; Legend, of Auburn Hills, Mich; Leonard Valve, of Cranston, R.I. and Mueller of Memphis, Tenn. Manufacturer: Fu San Machinery Co. Ltd., of Taiwan Hazard: The valves can crack and cause gas to leak. This poses fire and explosion hazards. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: This recall involves seven brands of sweat and threaded, low lead ball valves used in flammable gas piping systems used in commercial or residential settings. They are brass shut-off valves assembled with pipe lines of 3/4 inch and 1 inch and have a date code 1103 through 1112, in YYMM format, where YY is the year and MM is the month. The date code is located under the valve handle. The pipe size is marked on the body of the valve. Fu San's logo and the "O" marking designated for low lead valves are marked on the valves' neck under where the handle assembles. The word "Taiwan" appears on the handle as a country of origin marking. The valves were sold under the following brand names and model numbers:
| Brand Name | Model Number | Valve Dimensions/ Sweat or Threaded Valves |
| Aqualine | BBV-075-LF | 3/4 inch/Threaded |
| BBV-075S-LF | 3/4 inch/Sweat |
| BBV-100-LF | 1 inch/Threaded |
| BBV-100S-LF | 1 inch/Sweat |
| AY McDonald | 72032S | 3/4 inch/Sweat |
| 72032T | 3/4 inch/Threaded |
| FNW | FNWX410AF | 3/4 inch/Threaded |
| FNWX410AG | 1 inch/Threaded |
| FNWX411F | 3/4 inch/Sweat |
| FNWX411G | 1 inch/Sweat |
| Hodes Co. | 40-642 | 1 inch/Threaded |
| 40-662 | 1 inch /Threaded |
| 40-677 | 3/4 inch/Sweat |
| 40-687 | 3/4 inch/Sweat |
| 40-678 | 1 inch/Sweat |
| 40-688 | 1 inch/Sweat |
| Legend | T1002NL | 1 inch/Threaded |
| Leonard Valve | 83503 | 3/4 inch/Sweat |
| 83504 | 1 inch/Sweat |
| 83538 | 3/4 inch/Threaded |
| 83539 | 1 inch/Threaded |
| Mueller | 107-844NL | 3/4 inch/Sweat |
Sold by: Fu San Machinery directly to seven distributors nationwide from April 2011 through January 2012 for between $13 and $20. Manufactured in: Taiwan Remedy: Consumers should turn off the gas supply until a replacement gas valve has been professionally installed. Consumers should contact Danville Sales which, on behalf of Fu San Machinery, will provide compensation of $300 to reimburse customers for costs incurred to remove and return the valve and for purchasing and installing a replacement valve. The affected valve should be returned to the Danville Sales Office for Fu San Machinery with a photo depicting the valve in the gas line before removal and showing the date code on the valve, along with the address and details of the location where the valve was installed. The requested information, the recalled valve, and the consumer name and address should be sent to the address in the Consumer Contact paragraph. Upon receipt, Fu San will reimburse customers in the amount of $300. Consumer Contact: Danville Sales Office for Fu San Machinery, 1101 N. Kings Hwy, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034; toll-free at (855) 779-9200, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at www.fsvalve.com.tw, then click on the Safety Recall Notice button for more information. To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml13/13064.html
Valve Front Side
Valve Back Side
Valve Handle with Date Code

DISCLAIMER: This column is not intended to create an attorney-client
relationship. The information contained in this update is general in nature.
Individual situations of readers may not fit the general educational
information described in the column. Readers are strongly encouraged to consult
with an attorney to evaluate individual situations and provide legal advice.
Any reliance on the information contained herein is taken at the reader's own
risk and should not be considered legal advice.

Mr. Lynch can be reached at Cozen and O'Connor, 501 West Broadway, Suite 1610,
San Diego, California 92101, 800-782-3366 (voice), 619-234-7831 (fax),
palynch@cozen.com (e-mail), http://www.cozen.com. Follow us on Twitter at @firesandrain.

Please direct comments, suggestions, stories, and other items to the author by
e-mail at palynch@cozen.com
|