Toro Leaf Blower Recalled

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Toro Co. announced a voluntary recall of about 900,000 Toro Power Sweep Electric Blowers due to potential hazards from projectiles.

A rotating component of the blowers, made from 2000 to 2002, can break and result in pieces of plastic flying out of the machine, posing a risk of serious injury to the user or bystanders, they said. The blowers are used for clearing leaves and debris from sidewalks, decks and driveways.

Bloomington, Minn.-based Toro, which makes lawn care equipment such as mowers and landscaping gear, has received 162 reports about the broken parts, called impellers, including 28 reports of incidents that resulted in minor cuts and bruises.

The recall covers blowers with the model number 51586 and serial numbers ranging from 000055100 to 220255609. The units can be identified by a black impeller fan, which can be seen through an air inlet screen on the bottom of each unit.

The company and the agency said consumers should stop using the recalled blowers immediately and contact Toro for a replacement.

Consumers can also call Toro at 888-279-3191 or visit the Toro web site at www.toro.com. for more information.