Children's Laundry Hampers May Present Severe Laceration Hazard

May 16, 1991 Release # 91-067 Children's Laundry Hampers May Present Severe Laceration Hazard Washington, DC -- The "Dirty Dunk" and "Dirty Dunk, Jr." children's laundry hampers manufactured by Charlico, Inc., of Dallas, TX, may present a severe laceration hazard. Both of these products consist of a laundry basket attached to a backboard in the form of a basketball hoop and basket. The Dirty Dunk is mounted to an interior door with S-shaped hooks and a mounting bracket. The Dirty Dunk, Jr. is hung on an interior door with S-shaped hooks and plastic chain. The S-shaped hooks of either product could bend when partially loaded with clothes, and permit the unit to fall from the door and hit the user, typically a child. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) learned of the problem with the laundry hampers from a consumer complaint. The CPSC is aware of three incidents resulting from Dirty Dunks separating and falling from the S-shaped hooks. A five year-old boy suffered a fractured finger and a laceration requiring seven stitches. A three year-old boy suffered a partial amputation of a finger. An adult was struck on the back of the head while removing clothes from the hamper. Approximately 120,000 Dirty Dunks with defective S-shaped (white-colored) hooks were sold between June 1988 and March 1989. Approximately 20,000 Dirty Dunk, Jrs. with defective S-shaped (white-colored) hooks were sold between June 1989 and December 1989. Charlico discontinued the use of the white-colored hooks in March 1989, and thereafter, used stronger, orange-colored hooks. Because Charlico, Inc. has recently gone out of business, it is not recalling or repairing the product. Any consumer who has a Dirty Dunk or a Dirty Dunk, Jr. with white-colored S-shaped hooks should immediately stop using the product and (1) either destroy and discard the unit, or (2) replace the white S-shaped hooks with substantially stronger S-shaped hooks. This kind of product is generally available at hardwar