Feds Seize Dangerous Hair Dryers

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have seized thousands of hair dryers they said presented  a “substantial product hazard” under U.S. law, for failing to have adequate immersion protection.

CBP officers in the Port of Los Angeles seized an entire shipment of 9,768 hair dryers that lacked shock protection for consumers. Lack of proper shock protection could lead to an electrocution if contact is made with a water source.

At the Port of Miami, agents seized 3,614 hair dryers that also lacked proper shock protection for consumers. These two shipments, containing a total of 13,382 hair dryers, had an estimated domestic value of approximately $229,998 with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $2,506,517.

“Ensuring the safety of imported merchandise is a top priority for CBP,” said Allen Gina, CBP’s assistant commissioner for international trade. “The concerted targeting efforts of CTAC and the vigilance of CBP officers at our ports of entry will help ensure that products like hair dryers are safe for consumers and that substandard product from overseas does not reach store shelves.”

The joint targeting operation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) concentrated on identifying and stopping the importation of unsafe hair dryers intended for consumer use. CPSC reports that since adoption of industry voluntary standards for immersion protection in its regulations, there has been a significant decline in electrocutions or electrical shock incidents.