Manufacturer BISSELL is recalling its line of Multi Reach Hand and Floor Vacuums due to a defect with the products’ battery pack that can cause it to overhead, posing a fire hazard for facilities.
There have been 17 reports of the battery pack overheating, smoking, and emitting a burning odor. There have also been six reports of the battery pack actually causing a fire resulting in property damage, two of which also resulted in injury, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall notice.
Maintenance and custodial staff should immediately stop using the recalled vacuums and contact BISSELL for instructions on how to deplete the charge on the battery and receive a free replacement vacuum. Recalled lithium-ion batteries should be disposed of in accordance with any local and state laws and not in the trash.
About 142,000 vacuums are being recalled. The vacuums were purchased at several online or in-person retailers between August 2016 and December 2022.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
