Toilet Brush Warning Tops Mich. Tort Reform Group’s ‘Wacky’ List

A flushable toilet brush that warns users, “Do not use for personal hygiene” has been identified as the nation’s wackiest warning label in an annual contest sponsored by Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch.

The wacky warning label contest, now in its eighth year, is conducted to reveal how lawsuits, and concern about lawsuits, have created a need for common sense warnings on products, the group said in a statement.

Over the past twelve months, MLAW has received hundreds of labels —all from products made by American manufacturers—from people living in many different countries. The winning labels were selected by listeners of the Dick Purtan morning show on Detroit radio station WOMC-FM from a list of finalists selected by MLAW.

The toilet brush label was found by Ed Gyetvai, of Oldcastle, Ontario. He received $500 and a copy of the national bestselling book, The Death of Common Sense, by Philip K. Howard.

The $250 second place award went to Matt Johnson of Naperville, Ill., for a label on a popular scooter for children that warns: “This product moves when used.”

Third place and $100 went to Ann Marie Taylor of Camden, S.C., who found the following warning on a digital thermometer that can be used to take a person’s temperature several different ways: “Once used rectally, the thermometer should not be used orally.”

Fourth place was a label on an electric hand blender promoted for use in “blending, whipping, chopping and dicing,” that warns: “Never remove food or other items from the blades while the product is operating.” The item was sent in by Ken Stein of Berkeley, Calif.

In fifth place was a label on a nine-by-three-inch bag of air used as packing material. It carried this warning: “Do not use this product as a toy, pillow, or flotation device.” Sent in by Christen Millard of Westerville, Ohio.

The group hopes the list will motivate “judges to get tougher on frivolous lawsuits.”

Topics Michigan