CPSC, Firms Announce Recall of On/Off Switches for Rope and Cable Lights

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #01127a) was formally reported on April 18, 2001. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Light Tech, of Grand Rapids, Mich. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 350,000 units are affected, a scale large enough to require multi-state distribution tracking.

The documented reason for this recall is: If the cable lights are plugged in, even if the lights are not lit, the recalled switch on the power cord could allow the cable lights to remain energized. This poses a potential electric shock hazard to consumers. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should not install the power switch supplied with the cable lights. If the switch is already installed, stop using the lights immediately and unplug them. Consumers that have cable lights w… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 25 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.