WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of product: Wet/Dry Vacuums
Manufacturer: Emerson Tool Company, a division of Emerson Electric Co., of St. Louis, Mo.
Hazard: The exhaust blower ports on the wet/dry vacuums are large enough for a small child to reach inside and touch the spinning blower wheel. This poses a laceration hazard to small children.
Incidents/Injuries: Emerson Tool Company has received 10 reports of children inserting their arms into the ports and receiving minor cuts and abrasions to their fingertips.
Description: The recall involves Craftsman 16-gallon and RIDGID 12- and 16-gallon wet/dry vacuums. The vacuums are used to pick up wet and dry debris. Another feature of the vacuum is the blower, which provides additional cleaning functions.
Sold at: Home Depot stores and RIDGE Tool distributors nationwide from March 1999 through October 2002 and Sears Roebuck & Co. stores nationwide from September 1998 through October 2002 for between $70 and $300.
Manufactured in: United States.
Remedy: Consumers should contact Emerson toll-free number to request a free insert. The insert is installed inside the blower port to eliminate the hazard.
Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers should call Emerson Tool Company toll-free at (800) 359-0179 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at
www.wetdryvacrecall.com 
