Consumer Product Safety Commission Knowledge of Range Tip-Over Problem

Source | Public Citizen 

The following is a chronology of what did the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) know about the freestanding range tip-over problem and when they know it:

• During a July 16, 1984 meeting between 9 CPSC representatives, predominantly from the Division of Electrical and Structural Engineering (ESES), and members of the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), “Mr. Walter Blanck of AHAM stated that the manufacturers are addressing the problem with range tipover due to external forces on the open oven door.”
• In an internal CPSC memo dated September 24, 1984, a staffer of CPSC’s ESES division wrote: “Engineering was supplied information from the New Project Identification (NPI) Team regarding injuries that occur due to tipover of the free standing ranges. The injuries occur when the oven door is open for either heating the room or during cooking when a pan of food is placed on the door. One scenario is that during the time the oven door is open, a young child pushes downward on the edge of the door causing the unit to tip over onto the child. In addition, incidents of elderly people falling on open doors was also reported by the NPI team.”
• In the same memo, the same staffer acknowledged a July 1984 meeting with representatives of UL and AHAM to discuss improvement of the tipover requirement for free standing units.
• A few months later in a December 13, 1984 memo from the Electrical Hazards Program to the Commission, a CPSC staffer reported that during the July 1984 meeting with UL and AHAM “action was recommended to UL by AHAM to address the freestanding range tipover problems identified by staff and [these recommendations] have been incorporated into the standard.” Another CPSC meeting with UL was also planned for the third quarter of FY 1985 to talk about the Hazard Analysis and possible changes to the UL standard.
• In June 5, 1986, a CPSC New Project Identification form identified “range tipping over trapping person or spilling hot liquids on them” as a potential hazard. It also documented that “over period 1979-85 total of 25 incidents in which range tipped over.”
• One of the incidents reported before June of 1986 on a CPSC National Injury Information Clearinghouse sheet was that “a 71 year old female fell across the open door of the oven of her electric range.” The oven trapped her upper body between the door and the stove. “She died from asphyxiation due to compression of her chest.”
• By October 4, 1988, a CPSC NPI Action Request with the product entry blank completed as “elec. range tip-over” stated “several years ago UL (AHAM) was advised of injury data of tipover.” It went on to request a meeting on Friday, Oct 7, 1988 “to discuss whether we should evaluate the adequacy of the UL req. at this time.”
• In preparation for an October 7, 1988 meeting, an agenda signed by Al Biss of CPSC included “range-tip over: …to request discussion at Jan meeting with UL. Also, possible proposal for amending 1990 NEC code.”
• For a January 27, 1989 meeting of the NPI team, an agenda from Al Biss of CPSC also included “elec. range/oven tipovers. Proposed UL std. provides for increased test weigh of 250 lbs. applied gradually to oven door. Units not passing test would require fastening to wall or floor per MFR instructions.”
• An NPI Action Request form from Stan Morrow of CPSC dated October 19, 1989 reported: “Several years ago NPI reviewed this hazard (See 10-25-85 Memo from EPI). Many deaths involved elderly person falling on open oven door when they lost balance.” In the same form under action requested, Morrow stated “Simply put the UL test requires stoves (ovens) to meet a 250 lb weight test applied gradually to center of door without tipping, so as to knock off pan of water on top. In lieu of meeting test, manufacturer can provide that range be fastened to floor or wall. Labeling also required. (Previous weight was 75 lbs. and no labeling.) I believe this is significant improvement and we should wait to see results of new standard.” This form requested action by November 2, 1989.
• According to meetings notes, the Industry Advisory Conference (IAC) of UL for Electric Ranges held a meeting on May 24 and 25, 1990. Under an agenda item, titled ” Stability - Update,” the report states the following:
• “The requirements for range stability, which become effective June 3, 1991 as indicated in UL’s Subject 868 Important Letter dated August 16, 1989, were discussed. UL indicated that it had received reports that installers have experienced resistance from consumers when attempting to install anti-tip devices to some types of floors.
• “The representatives of industry suggested that a permanent marking with pictorial and text, visible during use of the appliance, indicating the potential risks associated with range tip-over be required to promote the use of anti-tip devices, and to increase consumer awareness of the risks and the importance of such devices.”
• Letter to CPSC from AHAM, dated June 28, 1990 regarding a national consumer education program to publicize the potential for range tipovers.
• Letter to CPSC from Representatives John Dingell (D-MI) and Bart Stupak (D-MI) dated March 5, 2007 regarding an investigation by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations into the problems with the stability of free-standing kitchen ranges as sold and installed in the United States.

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