CPSC Warns Consumers to Stop Using Magnetic Chess Sets that Pose Ingestion Injury Risks

Federal regulators have issued a warning about serious health risks associated with a popular magnetic chess game sold through Walmart and Amazon.com, which violates federal safety standards, posing a serious injury risk if the parts are accidentally swallowed and attract to each other through intestinal walls.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the magnetic chess game warning on August 29, after the commission discovered the product poses an ingestion hazard and the manufacturer failed to comply with requirements designed to reduce the risk of severe and life-threatening injuries linked to swallowing small, higher-powered magnetic pieces.

Since the manufacturer has refused to issue a magnetic chess set recall, consumers are being urged to stop using the product and immediately discard the magnetic chess games sold by JOMO.

Magnet Toy Risks

Concerns about health risks posed by magnet toys emerged in 2012, after reports surfaced involving devastating injuries experienced by children and teens, who accidentally ingested rare earth magnets, after placing them in their mouth during play or while mimicking mouth or tongue piercings.

When more than one of the powerful magnets are ingested, they can attract to each other across intestinal tissue, resulting in blockages, obstructions and the need for emergency surgery. In some cases, the magnets have caused fatal injuries.

Despite steps taken by the CPSC to require warnings about the risk, the agency estimates that hospital emergency rooms have treated an average of 2,400 magnet ingestion cases each year from 2017 to 2021.

The CPSC indicates that at least eight deaths have been linked to ingesting hazardous magnets between 2005 and 2021, including two outside the U.S.

The CPSC issued a notice of violation letter to the seller, JOMO, but the firm has not agreed to recall the magnetic game or offer a remedy to consumers.

The chess games were sold in a blue box labeled “Magnetic” on both sides. Each set includes around 20 loose black magnets, a yellow string and play instructions. Despite being marketed as a chess game, it lacks chess pieces. The magnetic games were available online at Walmart.com for about $15.

The alert comes just a little more than a month after the commission issued similar magnetic toy ingestion warnings, including magnetic ball sets sold by Dongguan Qihangren Trade, Magnetic Ferrite Stones sold y UYPEA, and a similar magnetic chess game set sold by Maemall. Like JOMO, none have agreed to issue recalls.

Any incidents involving injury or product defect can be reported at www.SaferProducts.gov.