WASHINGTON, June 24,
1999 - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and 15 firms are
announcing the recall of more than 19 million dive sticks used in swimming pools. In shallow water, children can fall or land on a dive stick and
suffer rectal or vaginal impalement. Facial and eye injuries also are possible when
children attempt to retrieve the sticks under water. According to CPSC Chairman Ann Brown,
these dives sticks are dangerous and should not be used.
CPSC knows of six impalement injuries and one facial injury to children 6 to 9 years old.
Although the number of reported incidents is relatively low, the severity of the injuries
that have occurred is very significant. Three of the children suffered rectal and three
suffered vaginal impalements from dive sticks placed in backyard pools or, in one case, a
hot tub.
In four of the six incidents, the injuries that
occurred required surgery and hospitalization. The facial injury occurred when a child
bobbed down to retrieve a dive stick and lacerated her face just below her eye, requiring
stitches.
The dive sticks being recalled are hard plastic and are either cylinder-shaped or
shark-shaped. When dropped into water, the dive sticks sink to the bottom of a pool and
stand upright so that children can swim or dive down and retrieve them.
The cylinder-shaped plastic sticks measure about 4 to 8
inches long and about 1 inch or less in diameter. The shark-shaped plastic sticks measure
about 7 inches long and have an egg-shaped bottom. The sticks come in a variety of colors.
Most are packaged in kits of three to six sticks, and some are packaged with other pool
diving games.
These dive sticks have been sold at grocery, drug, pool and discount department stores
nationwide for about $4 to $7 per set under numerous brand names, most of which do not
appear on the dive stick itself. Consumers should stop using dive sticks immediately and
throw them out.
Depending on the sticks owned, consumers can receive a refund, replacement or repair.
| Company | Quantity Recalled | How to ID | Throw out or... |
| Florida Pool | 9 million | Sold primarily at Wal-Mart | Get repair kit at Wal-Mart. |
| Poolmaster | 2 million | "Poolmaster" imprinted on stick | Call (800) 854-1492 for a replacement. |
| J&M Industries | 897,000 | "Made in USA" imprinted on stick | Get a replacement stick at the store where purchased. |
| All others | N/A | All others | Return to store where purchased for a refund or repair. |
CPSC urges anyone who is aware of injuries with dive sticks or who has questions about the
recall to call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772.
The CPSC staff is recommending to the Commission that it ban the future production and
importation of these products.
