WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Invensys Building Systems, of Love Park, Ill., is recalling up to 560,000 Siebe actuators for testing and replacement, if necessary, which could be found in fire and smoke dampers. Actuators hold open fire and smoke dampers in a building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A spring mechanism, integrated with the damper, is designed to close the damper during a fire to limit the spread of smoke, fire and fumes. The recalled actuators can jam, and prevent the dampers from closing. If dampers fail to close during a fire, serious injury or death can be suffered by building occupants because smoke, fire and fumes can spread through a building's ventilation system.

Building owners, damper manufacturers, and fire and safety investigators have reported dampers not closing during testing.