Over 2 Million Sledgehammers Recalled Over Injury Risk; Which Brands Are Affected?

Stanley Black & Decker has recalled some 2.2 million fiberglass sledgehammers because they may pose an injury risk to users. The recall covers the company's well-known brands.

The problem with the recalled fiberglass sledgehammers was that their heads may "loosen prematurely and detach unexpectedly" while in use, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said Thursday.

It may pose an impact injury hazard to the user. So far, there have been 192 reports of the sledgehammer's head detaching, which includes two injuries affecting consumers' face and head.

Stanley Black & Decker recalled fiberglass sledgehammers under three well-known brands: DeWALT, Stanley (FATMAX) and Craftsman. The sledgehammers varied in size from 14- to 36 inches in length. The DeWALT and Stanley units came in black and yellow, while the Craftsman units came in red and black.

The recalled DeWALT fiberglass sledgehammers include certain models of drilling hammers, engineering hammers and blacksmith hammers, as well as some units with hollow handles. The affected Stanley units included certain models of engineer, drilling and blacksmith hammers, along with 6 LB, 8 LB and 10 LB FATMAX sledgehammers.

Units with 4 LB engineering hammers, 3 LB drilling hammers, and 8 LB and 10 LB sledgehammers from Craftsman were also recalled.

The full list of affected units, along with their model numbers, is available on the CPSC and company websites. The model numbers can be found on the hammerhead of the DeWALT and Craftsman units and on a sticker on the handle of the Stanley units.

In total, some 2.2 million units are affected. They were sold nationwide at hardware stores like Home Depot and Ace Hardware. They were also sold online.

The recall was also issued in Canada – 53,036 units were affected. There was one report of the sledgehammer head detaching but no reported injuries in the country.

Customers have been asked to stop using the units "immediately" and contact the company for instructions on how to get a refund. They should write the word "recalled" on the handle, put a note next to the unit with their email address and date of request, and upload a photo of it on the online forms while requesting a refund. You can find the instructions on the DeWALT and Craftsman recall pages.

Customers with questions about the recall can contact Stanley Black & Decker at 855-418-3032.