CPSC Warns of Injury Risk from M.R. Lane Tennis Net Tighteners
The CPSC issued an alert for M.R. Lane Jiffy A-4 tennis net tighteners due to a fatality and 18 injuries, including lacerations, caused by the device's springing lever.
What this means for you
Highest-severity recall. Risk of serious injury or death is documented or strongly suspected. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.
Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly reports one fatality and 18 injuries, which meets the rubric criteria for a Critical severity score (5) due to known fatalities.
Plain-English summary
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued an alert on March 9, 1983, regarding the M.R. Lane Jiffy A-4 Tennis Net Tightener. The device, made of iron, moves up and down a net post on a track and uses a lever to adjust net tension. The CPSC reported one fatality and 18 injuries associated with the product. The fatality involved an 11-year-old girl who was struck on the neck while adjusting the lever, while other incidents resulted in facial and mouth injuries.
The company manufactured approximately 50,000 units between 1929 and 1978. In 1978, the manufacturer added cautionary labels and a safety pin to prevent children from pulling the handle, and no injuries have been reported for these redesigned units. The company ceased operations in November 1982. The devices were distributed through sporting goods distributors and tennis court construction firms and installed in both private and public courts.
The CPSC urges parents to instruct children not to play with the device and to request maintenance personnel for adjustments. Operators of public and private tennis courts should check if these devices are installed and verify the presence of a safety pin. If the safety pin is missing, the handle should be permanently tied down, and a warning notice should be posted near the device.
The recalled product
- Product
- M.R. Lane A-4 Tennis Net Tensioning Devices
- Manufacturer
- Jiffy A-4
- Hazard
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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