Positec Recalls Blue Ridge Utility Knives Due to Laceration Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Target

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #23200) was formally reported on May 11, 2023. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Positec USA Inc., of Charlotte, North Carolina is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 36,250 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The recalled utility knife can become unlocked and the blade can protrude only while in the original packaging, posing a laceration hazard. 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 and carefully inspect the packaging containing the Blue Ridge Utility Knife to determine whether the blade tip is protruding through the package. Carefully remove the kni… — 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 and NHTSA 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 3 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.