For those not aware yet, consider this a public service announcement: the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recently enforced a recall on all Harbor Freight chainsaws sold since 2009. This Harbor Freight recall involves electric corded chainsaw models sold through the retailer.
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Harbor Freight Recall – Portland and Chicago Electric Chainsaws
The problem revolves around a faulty on/off switch. In 15 reported cases, the power switch failed to actually turn off the chainsaw. As you might imagine, this poses a legitimate safety concern. The Harbor Freight recall on corded electric chainsaws came about after numerous injuries were reported. One reported case involved lacerations resulting in a trip to the hospital with a whole bunch of stitches.
All things considered, this seems like the best possible outcome for Harbor Freight. One laceration resulting in stitches seems preferable to involuntary appendage removal. Still though, 1,000,000 units sold since 2009 adds up to a whole lot of power switch replacement for the brand.
At any rate, if you’ve got a corded electric chainsaw from the budget tool brand, you might consider looking into the Harbor Freight recall more fully. You can find the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) recall notice here .