Feds warn of shock, electrocution risk from brand of pressure washers: Here's what to do
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a safety warning for owners of PowRyte pressure washers urging them to stop using the product immediately over a risk of serious shock or electrocution. (Photo: Consumer Product Safety Commission.)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning owners of a brand of pressure washer sold online that using it could subject them to a serious electric shock or electrocution.
Big picture view:
The agency said PowRyte pressure watchers do not have an integrated immersion protection device on or new the power plug. The device, also known as a ground-fault circuit interrupter, protects people from severe electrical shocks and have played a key role in reducing electrocutions. They detect differences in the current flowing through a circuit and if they detect even a small change, they interrupt power to prevent a lethal dose of electricity.
The commission said it received one report of a unit that did not have the ground-fault circuit interrupter.
The pressure washers were sold online at Amazon.com and eBay.com for between $92 and $320.
What you can do:
The product’s manufacturer, Powerll Works, Inc. of China, has not responded to requests for a recall, so the commission issued the safety warning instead.
The commission urges customers to destroy the pressure washer by unplugging, cutting the power cord and disposing of them.
"Do not sell or give away these hazardous pressure washers," the warning states.
The Source: Information for this story came from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. This story was reported from Orlando.