Victory Innovations has recalled about 405,000 backpack sprayers because the lithium-ion batteries that power these sprayers could potentially overheat and melt causing a fire or an explosion. According to Consumer Reports, these sprayers are designed to be used with liquid cleaning or disinfecting solutions and are often used by janitorial workers, pest control specialists and landscapers.
Product Recall Details
The company, which also sold the product under the Protexus brand name, has received 37 reports of the battery overheating and either exploding or igniting. Even though there have been some reports of property damage, there have been no reports of injuries, an alert by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stated.
The sprayer recall applies to four models, two sold under the Victory Innovations brand name (VP-20A and VP-20B) and two sold under the Protexus brand name (PX20A and PX20B). The model numbers can be found on the battery packs. The products were sold at chemical and cleaning supply distributors and online on Amazon.com, Supplyworks.com and Staples.com from January 2016 through November 2020 for $100 to $150.
Officials urge those who have one of these sprayers to stop using them right away, throw away the lithium-ion battery by local recycling rules and contact Victory Innovations for a free replacement battery pack. For more information, call Victory Innovations at 888-674-2482. You can also report a defective product by calling CPSC’s hotline at 800-638-2772 or go to saferproducts.gov.
Product Liability Issues
These electrostatic sprayers are the latest in a long list of products that have been recently recalled because of lithium-ion batteries that pose the danger of fires and explosions. These types of batteries are commonly used in everyday products such as laptops and cell phones. However, in some products such as e-cigarettes or vaping pens, hoverboards, and most recently, even rechargeable knives, the batteries have posed a danger to users because they could explode or catch fire. In many cases, these dangers are caused by design defects or the use of substandard or cheap parts.
Suppose you or a loved one has been injured due to these or other dangerous or defective products. In that case, you may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer and other parties seeking compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, cost of surgeries, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disfigurement, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. An experienced product defect lawyer will be able to provide you with more information about pursuing your legal rights.
Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/recalls/victory-innovations-recalls-electrostatic-sprayers/
