Illinois residents who purchased DeWalt chainsaws in 2021 should them carefully to make sure that they are not covered by a recent recall. The Maryland-based power tool manufacturer is recalling about 8,500 of its DWCS600 models because they could continue to run even after the power switch has been moved to the “off” position. This could obviously be extremely dangerous, but DeWalt says that it is not aware of any accidents or injuries caused by the defect. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall on Jan. 26.
Previous recall
A similar problem led to a far larger recall in 2018. Harbor Freight recalled more than a million One Stop Gardens and Portland branded chainsaws in May of that year because they could continue to run after being switched off. This defect was linked to at least 15 accidents, caused several injuries and prompted a class-action personal injury lawsuit.
Free replacement
The chainsaws being recalled were manufactured in Mexico and sold at hardware and home improvement stores across the United States at prices ranging from $130 to $150. They have 18-inch chain blades, are black and yellow in color and feature stamped date codes that run from 2021 23-H5 to 2021 40-H5. The date code can be found on the bottom of the chainsaws behind the chain. Consumers who purchased the recalled chainsaws are urged not to use them. If they contact DeWalt, they will be sent a prepaid shipping label to return the defective product. A free replacement will then be sent to them.
Responsible manufacturing
Manufacturers are expected to do all that they reasonably can to protect consumers from harm, and this is particularly true when the products they make are inherently dangerous. Global supply chains now stretch around the world, and executives who make decisions about consumer goods are often located thousands of miles away from the workers who actually make the products Americans buy and use. This is not a problem if manufacturers have strict quality control procedures in place and thoroughly test products before they are shipped. When they fail to take these steps and potentially dangerous defects are discovered, they should order recalls and be held responsible.