Aldi product urgently recalled over deadly risk to children
The Aldi tool has failed to comply with mandatory safety standards.
An urgent recall has been issued for a popular Aldi tool, which poses serious hazards to children.
The Telescopic Magnetic Pick-up Tool with LED, sold as part of the Workzone Pickup Tool 2 Piece Pack, fails to comply with mandatory safety standards for items containing button or coin batteries, Product Safety Australia announced.
The battery compartment of the tool is inadequately secured, potentially allowing kids access to the button batteries, which could cause choking, severe internal burn injuries or even death if ingested.
The Telescopic Magnetic Pick-up Tool with LED was sold in Aldi stores in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT between 26 November 2022 and 19 April 2023.
What consumers should do
As a precautionary measure, Product Safety Australia has urged consumers to immediately cease using the pick-up tool and store it out of reach of children.
Customers who have purchased the tool are advised to return it to any Aldi store as soon as possible for a full refund.
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For additional information and assistance, concerned individuals can contact Aldi stores through their customer service email at customerservice@aldi.com.au or call the recall helpline at 13 25 34 during business hours from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm AEST.
Dangers of button batteries
The recall comes weeks after Australian retailers The Reject Shop and Dusk were issued fines exceeding $100,000 over the supply of toys containing potentially lethal button batteries.
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) alleged that two novelty Halloween items sold by the stores failed to comply with world-first new rules introduced in 2002, which require all products with button batteries to have secure button battery compartments to prevent children gaining access, and button batteries must be sold in child-resistant packaging.
"Button batteries are extremely dangerous for young children and tragically, children have been seriously injured or died from swallowing or ingesting them," ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said in a statement at the time.
The ACCC added that button batteries had caused the deaths of three children in Australia, and at least one child is seriously injured every month as a result of ingesting or inserting the batteries.
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