Battat Inc. Agrees to $400,000 Civil Penalty for Failing to Report Children's Magnetic Toy Sets

Battat and CPSC announced a voluntary recall of 125,000 Magnabilds on January 23, 2008. The recall was expanded to include 7,000 more Magnabilds on March 13, 2008. Magnabilds were sold nationwide from August 2004 to February 2008 for between $20 and $40. There were no injuries associated with magnets falling out of the Magnabild.

Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or fails to comply with any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard, or ban enforced by CPSC.

In agreeing to the settlement, Battat denies CPSC staff allegations that its Magnabild toys could create an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death or contained a defect that could create a substantial product hazard, or that Battat violated the reporting requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Act.

Pursuant to the Consumer Product Safety Act, CPSC must consider the appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the business of the person charged, including how to address undue adverse economic impacts on small businesses. Battat is a small business as set forth in the Small Business Administration guidelines regarding size of business.

About the CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.