"An unlocked handle can pinch consumers’ fingers against the generator frame when the generator is moved, posing finger amputation and crushing hazards," the company warned.
Over 350,000-and-counting portable generators are being recalled in both the U.S. and Canada after there were eight reported injuries involving seven fingers that were amputated as a result of using the product, the U.S. Consider Product and Safety Commission announced.
Generac warns that unlocked handles can pinch consumers' fingers against the generator frame when the generator is moved, which can cause finger amputation and crushing hazards, the Wisconsin-based company wrote Thursday in a notice.
The company asks that anyone who owns a portable generator should immediately stop using the product.
So far, there have been injuries related to the 6,500-watt and 8,000-watt Generac portable generators. They are manufactured in the U.S. and China and they are often used to generate electricity as a backup for tools and appliances.
The products under the recall list were purchased from June 2013 through June 2021 either online or at home-improvement stores. The cost of each generator varied between $790 and $1,480 each, according to the company.
Consumers can contact the company for a free repair kit at (844) 242-3493 or visit online at www.generac.com/handleguard.
