Waukesha-Based Generac To Pay $15M After Products Amputated Fingers

WAUKESHA, WI — Waukesha-based generator company Generac recently agreed to pay a $15.8 million civil penalty after several of its generator products crushed or amputated people's fingers, according to a news release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The payment comes after the CPSC said Generac failed to report a defect in 32 models of its portable generators that caused injuries. Between October 2018 and into 2020, consumers reported having their fingers crushed or partially amputated by the generators' unlocked handles, the CPSC said.

By the time the company reported the possible problem with the CPSC, there had been five reports of injuries causing amputation, hospitalization and disfigurement, the federal agency said.

A recall of the generators was announced by the CPSC and Generac on July 29, 2021.

"In Generac’s case, despite becoming aware of the unreasonable risk of injury associated with their 6500-watt and 8000-watt portable generators in 2018, Generac did not report the hazard to CPSC until 2020," said CPSC Chair Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saricy in a statement. "By the time they did report, Generac was aware of a total of five customers who suffered grievous bodily injuries that resulted in partial amputations of one or two fingers due to their product. Generac should have reported these incidents to CPSC immediately and initiated a recall that would have protected its customers. "

With the settlement, Generac is expected to implement and maintain a compliance program and to file for three years annual reports showing that compliance program, the CPSC said.

"Announced today, the $15.8 million settlement is significant, though it cannot make whole the people whose fingers were crushed or amputated by defective handles on Generac’s portable generators," said CPSC Commissioner Mary T. Boyle in a statement. "Nevertheless, it sends a strong signal from the Commission. Timely reporting to the CPSC is essential."