Display dangers

Sen. Dillard pushes for safer store hooks following CBS2/Sun investigation

Devastating eye injuries, facial lacerations and brain injuries are not what you might associate with a routine trip to a store. But an ongoing CBS2/Naperville Sun investigation has found that dozens of these kinds of injuries have occurred to both children and adults.

One local legislator has taken note of the investigation.

State Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, hopes swift action will come from a proposed law that will protect shoppers from the culprit: sharp metal hooks that hold merchandise.

"It's unconscionable not to do something and would be good business for stores to immediately make plans to get rid of these things," Dillard said.

But for some, the new law will come too late.

Cheryl McGee was shopping at Kohl's at Westfield Shopping Center in Aurora in December when she was injured by a hook protruding from a merchandise rack holding T-shirts.

"Those hooks are dangerous," McGee said.

McGee was reaching for T-shirts when the sharp edge of a display hook slit the side of her outer arm.

Although she still has a scar, the 46-year-old McGee of Naperville was one of the more fortunate victims of this preventable injury.

A CBS 2/Naperville Sun investigation, which began in January, has uncovered more than 59 cases of display hook injuries in both children and adults at various stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.

"It's just an accident waiting to happen," said Brian Parpan, who was injured in 2005 at an Ace Hardware store in Antioch.

Parpan, 50, said he was bending over to pick up a sprinkler at ground level when he came in direct contact with an empty, 11-inch, metal hook.

"My whole eye was cut on the bottom," Parpan said.

Three years after the injury, and three corrective surgeries later, Parpan said he has constant, severe headaches and bad night vision.

"After three years, I'm still feeling the side effects of it," Parpan said.

Nancy Cowles, director of the consumer watchdog group Kids in Danger, said parents and customers should take extra precautions when shopping to avoid dangerous hooks.

"We're not talking about cuts and bruises here; these are severe injuries that have lifelong consequences," Cowles said.

Christiana Terracciano of Carol Stream was with her daughter, Elisiana, when the 2-year-old lost her balance while leaning toward a Valentine's Day display in 2005 at Kohl's in Bloomingdale.

She fell directly onto a wall covered with sharp, metal hooks at the checkout counter.

"I turned around and just saw blood squirting out of her eye," Terracciano said. "The hook was inside of her eye."

Elisiana is just one of several children the CBS 2/Sun investigation found who had suffered these preventable injuries. Another girl was injured at the same Kohl's six months before Terracciano and also required eye surgery. In 2004, an 18-month-old boy needed surgery after falling on a hook at the Kohl's in Lemont, and just last year, a 5-year-old girl injured her lip and punctured her gum on a display hook at the Orland Park Kohl's.

Dr. Michael Seigle, a comprehensive general ophthalmologist in Elgin who treated Elisiana, said he's treated about a dozen patients, both children and adults, who have been injured by display hooks at department stores and retailers.

Seigle said the public doesn't realize this is a common, serious injury.

"There's always that possibility to have long-term damage," Seigle added

The CBS 2/Naperville Sun investigation found injuries occurring at dozens of stores around the country, including several Kohl's locations, a Michigan Rite-Aid drug store and an Ace Hardware store in Antioch. Kohl's and Ace Hardware refused to comment; Rite-Aid said they are aware of the one reported injury at their store and are investigating the incident.

Regardless of multiple injuries reported, many stores have not been taking action to change the kinds of hooks used.

Dillard, co-chairman of the Illinois Senate Judiciary Committee, is introducing legislation to mandate that stores follow the recommendations set by the National Safety Council. He hopes to have something passed and in place by next year.

"When you have 59 injury claims or cases, that is just the tip of the iceberg," Dillard said.

Terry Grisim, a safety engineer, said stores must follow recommendations set by the National Safety Council, a nonprofit business consulting agency, to keep customers safe.

The National Safety Council advises against keeping display hooks at eye level without a protective barrier such as a price scan tag at the edge to prevent direct contact with customers.

"The solution is not elaborate or extravagant, it's just a matter of using a different kind of hook," Grisim said.

Grisim says hooks that curve upward with a rubber coating at the end are much safer.

"This is nickels and dimes to save the eyesight of children and (prevent) disfigurement to their faces," Dillard said.

Parpan's attorney, Marc Taxman also said stores should take simple measures such as changing the types of hooks used, to reduce risks for customer safety.

"Stores are putting the burden on customers, which is unfair," Taxman said.

"Once again we have a product, these hooks that are dangerous, and there are safe alternatives," Cowles said.

Dave Savini can be reached at dvsavini@cbs.com and his reports can be watched at cbs2chicago.com