Tag Archives: U.S.

Whirlpool is fined $11.5 mln by US agency over hazardous cooktops

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Whirlpool agreed to pay an $11.5 million civil fine to resolve U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission charges that it failed to immediately report that its glass cooktops could turn on by themselves, posing burn and fire hazards.

The settlement covers 17 models of electric radiant heat cooktops under the JennAir, KitchenAid and Whirlpool brands.

According to the CPSC, many consumers told Whirlpool beginning in November 2017 and continuing into 2019 that their cooktops were turning themselves on, a defect that could create an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death.

Gas cooking safty, the Aham statement

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Aham, the North American Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, issued a statement, , after submitting extensive comments in response to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request for information on hazards associated with gas cooking products:

Safety will always be appliance manufacturers’ top priority – Aham President and CEO Kelly Mariotti said – and AHAM continues to support unbiased health and safety science that can be used to further improve product safety. As we detailed in our comments to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, current scientific evidence does not support claims that gas cooking creates a significant health hazard for Americans.»

The president also explained that all forms of cooking – gas and electric – emit pollutants that primarily come from the food being prepared rather than the heat source. Existing safety standards have for decades protected American consumers from any carbon monoxide hazards associated with gas products, and other standards are being developed to improve testing and increase consumer confidence in the safety of gas cooking products.