RED WING, MINN.—Following a recent performance review of its original Lad-Saf sleeve product in the field, tower fall protection product provider 3M has announced that it is issuing an immediate full recall of all original sleeves. The company is replacing the original model with a redesigned next-generation Lad-Saf sleeve.
Lad-Saf sleeve
According to 3M’s press release, the review took place following “a limited number of incidents involving a serious injury or death in the United States while using the sleeve.” The company says that its review did not reveal product hazard from ordinary use, but that there was “potential misuse scenarios that could result in serious injury or death.”
Some possible scenarios cited by the company included interference with the breaking mechanism or user inversion. No safety regulator found that the original Lad-Safe design was defective, per the report.
In light of the reported incidents and potential misuses, 3M says it decided to discontinue all sales of the original Lad-Saf and initiated the recall. The company suggests that all original Lad-Saf sleeves stopped being used immediately. Affected part numbers include: 6100016, 6116500, 6116501, 6116502, 6116503, 6116504, 6116505, 6116506, 6116507, 6116509, 6116512, 6116535, 6116540, 6116541, 6116542, 6116500C, 6116500SM, 6116507/A, 6116540b.
Lad-Saf sleeve users can return their original Lad-Saf sleeves and receive the updated X2 and X3 sleeve units at no cost by contacting 3M customer services at 1-800-328-6146 (ext. 2012) or by emailing LADSAFNA@mmm.com.
The National Association of Tower Erectors encouraged its member companies and industry stakeholders to consult the Official Product Recall Notice.
