WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nordica USA has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $214,000 to settle allegations it knowingly failed to report immediately a safety defect and hazard with its skis, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.
The penalty agreement has been provisionally accepted by the commission.
The settlement resolves CPSC staff's allegations that the West Lebanon, N.H.-based company failed to report immediately to the CPSC the safety defect and hazard with the "XBi ALU Skis" binding plates, as required by federal law.
Nordica USA denied the allegations that it knowingly violated the law.
In fall 2008, Nordica USA discovered that it had about 200 reports of warranty claims related to the XBi ALU Skis' binding plates cracking and breaking, the CPSC said.
CPSC staff said Nordica USA knew XBi ALU Skis' binding plates were defective and could cause harm, but failed to report this information immediately to CPSC.
In February 2009, Nordica USA and the CPSC announced the recall of about 4,500 pairs of skis. Neither Nordica USA nor CPSC is aware of any injuries.
Nationwide, ski retailers sold the XBi ALU Skis between August 2006 and December 2008 for between $800 and $1,000.
Online:
CPSC release: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12004.html
