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acorneau
Nov 11, 2011, 12:57 AM
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Important Recall Notice on Cassin, Joss, climbing cams sold by Sierra Trading Post from August 26, 2003 thru March 29, 2006.
Cassin Srl, the Italian manufacturer of technical climbing equipment, is issuing a voluntary recall for the Joss Camming Device. The parent company CAMP USA purchased the historic Cassin Company along with its assets and inventory in 1997. The Joss Cam stock was part of this acquisition. Though CAMP USA and the new company Cassin Srl were not the manufacturers of the Joss Cams, we are issuing this voluntary recall based on our professional assessment that the design of the Joss Cam does not meet the stringent standards for quality and excellence in design that the new company Cassin Srl is well known for today. Specifically, Cassin Srl recognizes that the Joss Cams they inherited were not designed in a way that meets the rigorous standards climbers expect from camming units today and that climbers have come to rely on. The integrity of our products and the safety of our customers are our highest priorities.
All remaining stock of the Joss Cam was sold by Sierra Trading Post shortly after the acquisition of Cassin. As a responsible partner, Sierra Trading Post is issuing this voluntary recall on behalf of Cassin Srl for any and all Joss Cams our customers would like to return for full refund.
This voluntary recall is limited to the Cassin Joss Cams manufactured by the historic Cassin company. Use the images below to identify your Joss Cams. They are distinguished by the following key points: a)every unit carries the Cassin logo, and b) the slings feature solid horizontal blocks of color rather than speckled or diagonal patterns.
To return your Joss Cams, please send your items to:
Sierra Trading Post
5025 Campstool Rd. Cheyenne, WY 82007
- or call -
customer service at
1-800-713-4534
- or email -
CustomerService@SierraTradingPost.com
for directions on receiving a full refund, including original shipping and return shipping.
(This post was edited by acorneau on Nov 11, 2011, 12:57 AM)
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acorneau
Nov 11, 2011, 1:35 PM
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http://www.sierratradingpost.com/...ecall-press-release/
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Joss Rock Climbing Cam Units Recalled by Sierra Trading Post Due to a Fall Hazard; Sold Exclusively by Sierra Trading Post.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Joss rock climbing cam
Units: About 1280
Importer: Sierra Trading Post, of Cheyenne, Wy.
Manufacturer: Cassin Sri, Italy
Hazard: The recalled cams can fail unexpectedly after being set, posing a fall hazard.
Incidents: One incident reported in Europe. No deaths or injuries reported in the U.S.
Description: The Joss Cam is a mechanical device placed in the crack of a rock to support a climber's weight. The Cam is operated by a trigger that retracts the aluminum lobes, allowing the device to be placed and secured in the crack of a rock. A cable is attached to the device with a heavy duty nylon sling attached to the end of the cable. Joss Cams come in eight sizes and each Cam is marked with the size (.5 to 4). The sling on the end features solid horizontal blocks of color (yellow, orange, purple, red, green and blue) indicating size. The "Cassin" logo is also printed on a tag attached to the sling. The Sierra Trading Post item numbers associated with this recall are #69277 and #69278. These numbers can be found on the original packaging label or order invoice.
Sold at: Sierra Trading Post nationwide from August 2003 through March 2006 for $3 to $32.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the product and return it to Sierra Trading Post for a full refund including shipping.
Consumer Contact: For additional information contact Sierra Trading Post at (800) 713-4534 between 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or email the company at customerservice@sierratradingpost.com
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov.
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.
Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or resell this or any other recalled product.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, go online to: SaferProducts.gov, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain this news release and product safety information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.
(This post was edited by acorneau on Nov 11, 2011, 1:36 PM)
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johnwesely
Nov 11, 2011, 1:41 PM
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Seems like a rather irrelevant recall.
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trenchdigger
Nov 11, 2011, 6:46 PM
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johnwesely wrote: Seems like a rather irrelevant recall.
I had enough distrust in these cams to NOT be willing to sell/give them to anyone else to use. I've still got a few of them, I think, and will be returning them to STP.
I don't know if this recall is associated with that accident or the material they used to make the cam lobes, but I suspect this IS a relevant recall, and I hope no more accidents are attributed to failures of these cams.
Adam
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shockabuku
Nov 11, 2011, 7:00 PM
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trenchdigger wrote: johnwesely wrote: Seems like a rather irrelevant recall. What makes you say that? I bought a set of these cams when I started climbing. I used them a few times, and retired them not long after that, primarily because they seemed sketchy. The lobes appear to be cast aluminum as opposed to the forged aluminum you find most cams to use. I recall reading about an accident report on this website in which a Cassin Joss cam lobe fractured across the axle hole and failing catastrophically. If I remember correctly, the climber was seriously injured or killed in the accident. I had enough distrust in these cams to NOT be willing to sell/give them to anyone else to use. I've still got a few of them, I think, and will be returning them to STP. I don't know if this recall is associated with that accident or the material they used to make the cam lobes, but I suspect this IS a relevant recall, and I hope no more accidents are attributed to failures of these cams. Adam
Here: http://www.rockclimbing.com/...i?post=985277#985277
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trenchdigger
Nov 11, 2011, 7:03 PM
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Thanks for digging that up.
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shockabuku
Nov 11, 2011, 7:52 PM
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trenchdigger wrote: Thanks for digging that up.
Yep. I have a couple of old ABC cams that have what appear to be cast lobes (which I haven't used for a long time) so this issue sticks in my mind.
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gunkiemike
Nov 12, 2011, 4:19 PM
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acorneau wrote: Important Recall Notice on Cassin, Joss, climbing cams sold by Sierra Trading Post from August 26, 2003 thru March 29, 2006.
Any idea why this took 5+ years? Especially since the cam was responsible for a climber's death during that sales timeframe?
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acorneau
Nov 12, 2011, 4:37 PM
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No idea.
The date on the CPSC notice is November 10th, 2011:
http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml12/12038.html
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overthehillclimber
Nov 14, 2011, 4:03 AM
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I posted the report of the climber's death due to failure of a Cassin Joss cam in late 2004. The climber was my best friend of 25 years. I am glad someone still remembered that post. At that time, I advised Sierra Trading Post and Cassin of the accident, including the metallurgical report. Apparently there was another incident in Europe that prompted the recall. I would like to know if anyone has information on the accident/incident in Europe.
I just learned of the recall today. Brings it all back. I was a bit upset that the recall notice says that no accidents or deaths have been reported in the U.S.
There is a photo of the broken cam on my web site at http://users.starpower.net/judymark/cam.jpg (which is curious, since I changed service providers years ago.)
BTW, I also tried to get Climbing Magazine and Rock and Ice to warn climbers about the potential dangers posed by these cams. Neither would publish due to concerns about libel. Hmmm. I was not impressed. It seems like preventing future deaths would be more important than concerns about libel.
The accident was reported in Accidents in North American Mountaineering. I have mislaid my copy, so I can't give the citation at present. The accident was in the gunks in late 2004, so would be in the 2005 edition.
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acorneau
Nov 14, 2011, 1:07 PM
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Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.
overthehillclimber wrote: ... At that time, I advised Sierra Trading Post and Cassin of the accident, including the metallurgical report. ... I was a bit upset that the recall notice says that no accidents or deaths have been reported in the U.S.
I would be too. It looks like Cassin (CAMP) and STP both really dropped the ball on this one.
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