GE Electric and Gas Range Recall Issued Over Tip-Over Injury Risks

Potential accidents can be avoided if the recalled ranges are securely fastened to the wall, the recall notice indicates.

More than 144,000 GE gas and electric ranges sold in the United States and Canada are being recalled, due to design defects which may pose a risk of serious injuries from tip-over accidents.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the GE Free-Standing and Slide-In Electric and Gas Ranges recall on December 8, after identifying that the products are prone to tip-over when a heavy object is placed on the open oven door with an improperly installed anti-tip-over bracket.

An oven tip-over accident can result in severe burn injuries from hot liquids and food which may be contained in oven cook wear or in stove-top pots. However, there have been no injuries reported from the GE gas and electronic ranges tipping over.

The recall affects seven brands of GE Appliances ranges manufactured between May and June of 2021. These brands include GE, GE Profile, Café, Haier, Hotpoint, Crosley, and Conservator. The brand names, models and serial numbers can be found printed on a label on each unit. They were sold in 30-inch, 24-inch, and 20 inch free-standing and slide-in electric and gas models. All of the affected ranges have a serial number starting with “HS” or “LS” and ends with a “P”.

An estimated 132,000 units were sold in the U.S., and another 12,960 were sold in Canada. A list of the affected ranges, brand name, model, and serial numbers can be found in the recall notice linked above, and on the GE Appliances website.

Furniture Tip-Over Concerns

The recall comes amid continuing efforts by federal safety officials to address risks associated with Furniture tip-over accidents, which have caused severe injuries and deaths for young children in recent years. These incidents typically often occur when a child wants to reach for something up high on a dresser or the top of a television, and their weight causes the furniture to fall on top of them. This latest recall adds an additional element of danger due to the use of fire, heat, hot food, and heavy, often hot, cookware.

On average, a child is sent to the emergency room for a tip-over injury every 24 minutes in America, according to the CPSC. However, these accidents are preventable if furniture is properly anchored to the wall.

In January, the CPSC released a report on tip-over and product instability injuries treated in emergency rooms. Based on that report, between 2017 and 2019 there were an estimated 25,500 people treated for injuries caused by tip-over incidents annually. Of that number, nearly 44% (11,300) of them were children under 18 years of age.

Consumers who believe they may have purchased one of the recalled models are being informed by GE Appliances that they can continue using them, but should be very careful not to place any heavy objects on the open stove door. GE Appliances is offering free in-home inspection and repair for affected models. A model and serial number search is available on the GE Appliances website with instructions on where to find your serial and model numbers. A recall hotline is also being provided for those who have additional questions at 1-877-247-9770.