Philips Lighting Recalls EnergySaver and Marathon Compact Fluorescent Dimmable Reflector Flood Lamps Due to Laceration Hazard

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #11302) was formally reported on August 11, 2011. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Philips Lighting Company of Somerset, N.J. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 1.86 million units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The glue that attaches the glass outer envelope or globe to the body of the lamp can fail allowing the glass outer envelope to fall and strike persons and objects below, posing a laceration 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 immediately stop using the recalled lamps and contact Philips to receive instructions on how to receive a free replacement lamp. — 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 1 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 15 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.