Chest Freezers (AHAM) – Vintage Safety Risk (2000)
Check Your Product
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Product
Chest freezers
Brand
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and its refrigerator/freezer manufacturing members
Lot Codes / Batch Numbers
Not specified in CPSC notice. Check official source for details.
Product Images
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and its refrigerator/freezer manufacturing members is recalling Chest freezers. The hazard is: Although some manufacturers had freezers that were in compliance prior to the 1970 standards, most o. Based on CPSC recall notice.
Summary derived from CPSC notice
The following details were not provided by CPSC: UPC codes.
Reason for Recall
As stated by CPSC
The freezers that are part of this program were made before 1970 by more than 40 manufacturers, a number of whom do not exist today. Consumers can determine if their chest freezer poses a hazard by trying to open the freezer without using the handle. If the freezer can be opened by pulling up on sides of the lid, it is not a hazard. If the lid only opens by using the handle, it needs to be properly disposed of or disabled. Up to 9 million chest freezers were manufactured between 1945 and 1970 before voluntary safety standards went into effect, allowing freezers to be opened from the inside. The freezers that are part of this program were made before 1970 by more than 40 manufacturers, a number of whom do not exist today. Consumers can determine if their chest freezer poses a hazard by trying to open the freezer without using the handle. If the freezer can be opened by pulling up on sides of the lid, it is not a hazard. If the lid only opens by using the handle, it needs to be properly disposed of or disabled.
Reported concern (CPSC)
Although some manufacturers had freezers that were in compliance prior to the 1970 standards, most old chest freezers have latches that can trap a child. Children playing "hide-and-seek" have found the non-working freezers a deadly place to hide. When the lid closes, children can become trapped inside and suffocate - usually in less than ten minutes.
Recommended Action
Per CPSC guidance
Consumers should properly dispose of these non-working freezers immediately or disable the latch, if disposal is impossible. Even if a consumer has a pre-1970 chest freezer that is working, they should still call the toll-free number to get information on what to do, when the freezer is no longer working.
Verify this information on the official source
For complete details and official instructions, check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) directly.
View official CPSC recall noticePage updated: Jan 6, 2026