The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·01514·Announced 2001-04-13

Lithonia Lighting Recalls ELM and ELM2 Emergency Lights for Fire Hazard

Lithonia Lighting is recalling ELM and ELM2 emergency lights because an internal component can overheat on 277-volt systems, posing a fire risk.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire hazard with 16 reports of smoking and overheating causing property damage (melted enclosures), which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury/property-damage reports' under the Severe category.

Plain-English summary

Lithonia Lighting, a division of National Service Industries Inc., is recalling approximately 1.2 million ELM and ELM2 emergency lights. The recall was initiated because an internal electrical component in these lights can overheat when connected to 277-volt electrical systems. This overheating can cause the lighting enclosure to melt, creating a fire hazard. The lights were sold nationwide through electrical wholesalers and distributors from August 1992 to May 1997 for between $45 and $65.

The recalled lights are typically installed in public buildings such as schools, offices, and shopping centers to provide emergency lighting during power failures. They feature a black or off-white polycarbonate housing with two incandescent lamps. The specific units affected by the overheating issue are those installed in 277-volt applications; lights installed in 120-volt applications do not require repair. Affected units have date codes between 208S13 and 705S13, or between 9208S13 and 9705S13, located on a label inside the front housing.

There have been 16 reports of the lights smoking and overheating, resulting in melted or damaged enclosures. No injuries have been reported. Building managers with these recalled lights should contact Lithonia Lighting toll-free at (800) 896-9288 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, to obtain repair kits. Additional recall information and repair kits are also available online at www.lithonia.com/elmrecall.

The recalled product

Product
ELM and ELM2 emergency lights
Manufacturer
Lithonia Lighting, a division of National Service Industries Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.
Category
Consumer Product — Lighting
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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