Opinion ID: 2046018
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Evidence concerning alleged product defect.

Text: BRK presented evidence showing that ionization smoke detectors have been the primary residential fire detective device since the 1970s and that the number of fire deaths has decreased with the increased use of smoke detectors. BRK experts also testified that the model 83R satisfies the Underwriters Laboratory standard 217 [hereinafter UL 217 standard]. The UL 217 standard is a compilation of requirements and tests that are required for the performance and construction of smoke detectors. The UL 217 standard was created by fire department personnel, fire scientists, and members of government agencies and has been in existence for the last twenty-five years. The UL 217 standard is the standard adopted by the smoke detector industry. The UL 217 standard consists of a smoke box test whereby a smoke detector is placed in a box along with a cotton wick. The cotton wick is lighted on fire and the smoke detector's response to smoke and obscuration level of the smoke is measured. The UL 217 standard also consists of a burn test where a smoke detector is placed in a room where a fire is started, using different combustible materials, including paper, flaming wood, gasoline, plastic and smoldering wood. Plaintiffs' experts were critical of the ability of the UL 217 standard to effectively test the type of real world fires representative of the conditions and types of residential fires. Plaintiffs also presented evidence suggesting that BRK knew that the model 83R ionization detector might have a delayed reaction in detecting certain types of fires, particularly in fires where large smoke particles are produced. Plaintiffs' expert, Dr. Russell, testified about various articles discussing the poor performance results of ionization detectors in detecting slow, smoldering fires. Dr. Russell stated that these publications show that it has been known in the smoke detector industry for many years that ionization detectors are not as effective as photoelectric detectors in detecting slow, smoldering fires. Plaintiffs also presented evidence of more than 360 complaints made by consumers to BRK and presented testimony from three consumers regarding the failure of the model 83R detector to alarm to smoke. These complaints were categorized by BRK as N/R/S or NRS, a shorthand reference for no response to smoke. BRK's customer service representative, Beth Weber, testified that on average BRK received one NRS complaint per week from the time she began working at BRK in 1983. Approximately fifty percent of complaining customers returned their detectors at BRK's request. BRK would then check the battery and sensitivity of the detector and subject it to the UL 217 standard smoke box test, which measures the amount of smoke it takes to trigger the alarm. None of the returned detectors, which were submitted to the smoke box test, failed that test.