Stage and riser caddies recalled by Midwest Folding Products due to risk of injury or death

WASHINGTON (CPSC) - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Midwest Folding Products, of Chicago, Ill., is announcing a voluntary recall of about 5,300 stage and riser caddies due to risk of injury and death to consumers. The caddy’s latches do not automatically close to secure the stages and risers when stored. Unsecured stages and risers can fall off the caddies and onto consumers.

A 3-year-old girl died in May 2011 in Greenville, S.C., from severe head trauma when a portion of a portable stage fell out of the caddy and onto her at a church.

This recall involves Midwest Folding Products’ caddies used to store collapsible stages and risers when they are not being used. The caddies are brown, gray or black metal and measure 44 inches long by 30 inches wide by 60 inches high. They hold six 96-inch long or eight 48 to 72-inch long stage or riser platforms.

Yellow caution and instruction labels are located on the caddy’s frame.

The recalled caddies were sold by Midwest Folding Products’ dealers to churches, schools, performing arts centers and various other organizations nationwide and online at www.midwestfolding.com from January 1989 through March 2012 for about $1,200. Midwest Folding Products is directly contacting known purchasers of the caddies.

Caddy owners and consumers should immediately stop using the recalled stage and riser caddies. Caddy owners should contact Midwest Folding Products to receive a free repair kit with new brackets that will allow latches to automatically return to the closed position on the caddies and new white warning and instruction labels.

For more information, contact Midwest Folding Products at (800) 621-4716 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT, or visit the firm’s website at www.midwestfolding.com .