TLNN03 pressure cookers

INCIDENT INVESTIGATION ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Pressure Cookers
DOCUMENT NUMBER:
DATE OF INCIDENT:
FOLLOW-UP REQUESTED

CATID: TLNN03 2020
HAZARD ANALYSIS

SECT 15

COMPLIANCE CONTACT: Valery Ceasar, CDI, 301-504-7851, VCeasar@cpsc.gov
ENGINEERING CONTACTS: Scott Snyder, LSM, 301-987-2319, DSnyder@cpsc.gov
Ben Mordecai, LSM, 301-987-2506, BMordecai@cpsc.gov
Mike Nelson, LSM, 301-987-2752, MNelson@cpsc.gov
ASSIGNMENT MESSAGE:
For the attached pressure cooker incident, obtain/document the following:
1.

Did consumer have previous experience using pressure cookers? If yes, ask 2-7; if no, go to 8.

2.
3.
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5.
6.

How long did they have that unit, how often did they use it, and what type of foods did they cook in it?
Describe what type had they used before, i.e., was it a plug in electric, or stove-top (electric or gas)?
How did the lid lock onto the base?
Did it have any safety pressure devices on the lid?
Does the consumer still have the incident pressure cooker? If not, what happened to the unit (returned,
discarded, sold?) If yes, document product, including front/back/all sides, beneath the base, and entire outside
and inside of the lid.
Describe how consumer acquired the incident pressure cooker? Was it purchased in a retail store or online, gift,
second hand, or thrift store.

7.

8.
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14.
15.

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20.

Did written instructions, guidelines and warnings accompany the product when purchased/received?
How many times, and how often had the consumer used the incident pressure cooker prior to the incident?
Did the consumer have more than one incident when using the incident pressure cooker? If so, how many?
What happened after the first incident? Was the consumer injured? Did the consumer seek medical attention?
Was the consumer injured in the second, third time the pressure cooker was used?
Were the instructions easy to understand and follow? Did the instructions provide step-by-step assembly
information? Was there a warning on what would happen if not assembled/used in accordance with
instructions?
Does the consumer retain the packaging and instructions that accompany the incident pressure cooker? If yes,
obtain copy of packaging (including UPC Code) and written instructions, guidelines, and warnings.
Describe the events that occurred prior to the incident, including the following: What food was used in the
pressure cooker (raw or precooked)? What was the temperature of the food when initially placed in the pressure
cooker (room temperature, warm, hot, cold)? Was the food prepped prior to being placed in the pressure cooker
(cut-up, chopped, sliced, added whole)? Was any type of liquid added to the incident pressure cooker (water,
stock, wine, etc.)? If liquid was added, what was the level of the liquid in the pot after the food was added to
the pressure cooker?
Was the pressure cooker turned on and had it started to heat before the food/liquid was added, or after the
food/liquid was added?
Did the consumer attempt to lock the lid onto the base before or after the unit was turned on and the heating was
started?
Did the lid fully lock onto the base of the pressure cooker?
Did the consumer here a sound or see something to indicate whether the lid was locked into place?
When the unit was turned on, what was the temp//setting.

CPSC FORM 324A

Document the failure:
21. Did the lid of the pressure cooker explode off of the top shortly after the pressure cooker was turned on, or later
in while cooking?
22. If shortly after the lid was locked onto the base, approximately how long (in minutes) did it explode off?
23. If later, approximately how long into the cooking cycle did it explode off?
24. What auditory or visual indicators indicated to the consumer that the cooking was done?
25. Did the consumer make an attempt to remove the lid thinking the cooking cycle was complete? If so, what
happened?
26. If so, how long did the consumer wait before attempting to open the lid again?
27. Did the consumer attempt to release any excess pressure, by pushing the manual release button?
28. If so, did any steam come out?
29. Did the consumer look at the floating safety valve to see if it was still in the raised position?
30. Did the lid explode after cooking was done, but consumer tried to relock lid onto base?
31. If yes, approximately how long after the lid was relocked did it explode?
Collect the incident sample, if possible.

Please include all primary and all backup contacts in the distribution of the completed IDI.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Area below will be completed in Data Systems _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Person(s) to Contact:
Guidelines:
Task Number:
Assigned to:

CPSC FORM 324A

Date:
Processed by: lew