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Stand 'n Seal
Washington, DC: It took two recalls, two deaths and at least 80 serious injuries to take the grout sealant Stand 'n Seal Spray, out of the marketplace. Most troubling is that the manufacturer knewÓ-for more than 18 monthsÓthat this dangerous product caused respiratory injuries.
Roanoke Companies (now called BRTT) introduced the product to the marketplace in 2003. Even though the product contained chemical hydrocarbons, known to cause respiratory problems if inhaled, no warnings were placed on this product. On the contrary, advertisements promoted consumers happily applying the grout sealant without any protective coverings or masks. It even said that Spray 'n Seal will "evaporate harmlessly".
Stand 'n Seal was first recalled by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) in August 2005, yet it was found on the shelves of Home Depot.
In 2005, complaints started to pour inÓfirst to poison control centers then to the CPSC: consumers were complaining of respiratory ailments, from headaches to breathing difficulties. Some victims reported that they were 'foaming at the mouth'; many were unable to move and had to be hospitalized for days. Some have not made a complete recovery. And as late as October 8, 2007 The New York Times reported that a 63-year-old physician was rushed to hospital and spent four days in intensive care because his lungs were chemically inflamed.
Rather than report these complaints immediately (under federal law, companies are required to report any safety issues to the CPSC with 24 hours), Roanoke apparently chose to hide the problems for weeks and only then because health care officials told Roanoke that they would report the problems to the CPSC themselves.
It then took the CPSC two months to issue a recall of Stand 'n Seal. Even then, not all the cans were taken off Home Depot's shelves and Roanoke replaced this toxic product with another, newer version that contained the same dangerous chemicals. Finally in March, 2007 BRTT stopped manufacturing this productÓtwo years after the CPSC knew of its hazards.
On its recall, the CPSC says that Stand 'n Seal purchased after June 2005 are safe, but BRTT claims that the second version of the product is just as hazardous as the original one. Now, BRTT (formerly Roanoke) is facing hundreds of lawsuits.
"I woke up the next morning and couldn't catch my breath," says Frank. "I went to my regular doctor and she made arrangements for me to go to a pulmonary doctor. He put me through a battery of tests that same day, including an echocardiogram--he couldn't figure out why I was having breathing problems. Then I was put on oxygen. This was in November 2006.
Stand 'n Seal should Stand and Deliver Compensation for Damages
Durry Garbutt is not only angry with the makers of Stand 'n Seal; he doesn't plan on ever setting foot in Home Depot again. "Apparently the manufacturer knew there was a problem and I think their efforts at a recall were haphazard," says Garbutt. "And Home Depot should have posted signs about the recall at their front door."
Stand 'n Seal: Trust No One, But Yourself
Stand n' Seal: Convenience That Killed
Stand 'n Seal: The Obituaries in Fine Print
Stand 'n Seal: Seal Your Tile, Seal Your Fate...
Stand 'n Seal: How do I get Tested for Hydrocarbon Exposure?
Stand 'n Seal: Hazardous Chemicals Used Haphazardly
Stand 'n Seal Recall: When Hazardous Products Stay On the Market
OCT-8-07: Long after initial problems were documented on Stand 'n Seal the product has finally been recalled, but only after multiple reports of injury to consumers. [NY TIMES: STAND 'N SEAL RECALL]
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Roanoke Companies (now called BRTT) introduced the product to the marketplace in 2003. Even though the product contained chemical hydrocarbons, known to cause respiratory problems if inhaled, no warnings were placed on this product. On the contrary, advertisements promoted consumers happily applying the grout sealant without any protective coverings or masks. It even said that Spray 'n Seal will "evaporate harmlessly".
Stand 'n Seal was first recalled by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) in August 2005, yet it was found on the shelves of Home Depot.
In 2005, complaints started to pour inÓfirst to poison control centers then to the CPSC: consumers were complaining of respiratory ailments, from headaches to breathing difficulties. Some victims reported that they were 'foaming at the mouth'; many were unable to move and had to be hospitalized for days. Some have not made a complete recovery. And as late as October 8, 2007 The New York Times reported that a 63-year-old physician was rushed to hospital and spent four days in intensive care because his lungs were chemically inflamed.
Rather than report these complaints immediately (under federal law, companies are required to report any safety issues to the CPSC with 24 hours), Roanoke apparently chose to hide the problems for weeks and only then because health care officials told Roanoke that they would report the problems to the CPSC themselves.
It then took the CPSC two months to issue a recall of Stand 'n Seal. Even then, not all the cans were taken off Home Depot's shelves and Roanoke replaced this toxic product with another, newer version that contained the same dangerous chemicals. Finally in March, 2007 BRTT stopped manufacturing this productÓtwo years after the CPSC knew of its hazards.
On its recall, the CPSC says that Stand 'n Seal purchased after June 2005 are safe, but BRTT claims that the second version of the product is just as hazardous as the original one. Now, BRTT (formerly Roanoke) is facing hundreds of lawsuits.
Stand 'n Seal Articles
Stand 'n Seal: Harmful if Swallowed, and then some!"I woke up the next morning and couldn't catch my breath," says Frank. "I went to my regular doctor and she made arrangements for me to go to a pulmonary doctor. He put me through a battery of tests that same day, including an echocardiogram--he couldn't figure out why I was having breathing problems. Then I was put on oxygen. This was in November 2006.
Stand 'n Seal should Stand and Deliver Compensation for Damages
Durry Garbutt is not only angry with the makers of Stand 'n Seal; he doesn't plan on ever setting foot in Home Depot again. "Apparently the manufacturer knew there was a problem and I think their efforts at a recall were haphazard," says Garbutt. "And Home Depot should have posted signs about the recall at their front door."
Stand 'n Seal: Trust No One, But Yourself
Stand n' Seal: Convenience That Killed
Stand 'n Seal: The Obituaries in Fine Print
Stand 'n Seal: Seal Your Tile, Seal Your Fate...
Stand 'n Seal: How do I get Tested for Hydrocarbon Exposure?
Stand 'n Seal: Hazardous Chemicals Used Haphazardly
Stand 'n Seal Recall: When Hazardous Products Stay On the Market
Stand 'n Seal In the News
OCT-8-07: The Home Depot issued a statement saying it did not knowingly sell recalled Stand n' Seal spray. [CBS DENVER: STAND N SEAL]OCT-8-07: Long after initial problems were documented on Stand 'n Seal the product has finally been recalled, but only after multiple reports of injury to consumers. [NY TIMES: STAND 'N SEAL RECALL]
Stand 'n Seal Legal Help
If you or a loved one has suffered respiratory problems from inhaling Stand 'n Seal spray grout sealant, please click the link below to send your complaint to a lawyer to evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.Last updated on
LEGAL ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS
Stand 'n Seal: Harmful if Swallowed, and then some!
Stand 'n Seal: Trust No One, But Yourself
Stand n' Seal: Convenience That Killed
December 28, 2007
Frank B. bought a pallet of tile and four cans of Stand 'n Seal from Home Depot: he had a big project in store. "After the tile dried, I used this grout sealant and did exactly what I read in the instructions--stand and spray," says Frank. Trouble was, Stand 'n Seal did more than seal the tile. Frank believes it also got into his lungs. Think about it: you are in a small area, the air you are breathing is filled with a chemical and you have no protective gear, not even a face mask. Why wouldn't it find a way into your respiratory system? READ MORE
Stand 'n Seal: Trust No One, But Yourself
November 26, 2007
It's too bad when a civilized population, peace-loving and living within the confines of the law, can no longer depend on government statutes and entities designed to shield them from harm and adopt almost militant tactics in an effort to protect their health and well-being from someone else's greed. But that's what happened in the Stand 'n Seal grout sealer case, when a seemingly innocuous aerosol can wreaked havoc on the lives of dozens of people. READ MORE
Stand n' Seal: Convenience That Killed
November 19, 2007
The difference between a company knowingly misleading the consumer with a defective product, such as Stand 'n Seal, and the consumer injured from that product, is that in the end the company doing the misleading may have to pay some settlements, write off some legal bills, perhaps face increased insurance premiums—but at the end of the day the proponents get to go home to their families, play a little tennis, and move on with their lives. READ MORE
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