I got stabbed by a new LEGO brick with a wire sticking out of it

[DanNeely]

I was building my Colosseum and when I went to press a brick into place felt a sharp pain on my fingertip.  It didn't feel like a normal pinch, and where I was working one shouldn't've been possible.  Taking a closer look I saw a piece of wire sticking up from one of the studs, and it had drawn blood.

The wire itself is short enough not to have came out the back side of the brick.  Because of it's stiffness my guess would be that it's a fragment from a wire brush/etc.

Does anyone know how I can contact LEGO about this?

I've put photos of the brick in an Imgur gallery because my attempts to attach directly are failing.

https://imgur.com/a/2SOhIJ9

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by DanNeely

[koalayummies]

They would definitely want to know about this. Customer service quality control; I would think they would want that piece sent back so they can hopefully determine how the heck that happened.

[Stuartn]

Was the wire contaminated? Is your tetanus shot up to date? Give the wound a good clean.

To answer your question, call Lego customer service https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/ it will go to the US site so change it for the appropriate place

You should be entitled to a refund at the least. If your Lego decides to stab you and you were injured I think that classifies as faulty.

[DanNeely]

54 minutes ago, Stuartn said:

Was the wire contaminated? Is your tetanus shot up to date? Give the wound a good clean.

It looks clean, it is, and I did before posting here.

54 minutes ago, Stuartn said:

To answer your question, call Lego customer service https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/ it will go to the US site so change it for the appropriate place

You should be entitled to a refund at the least. If your Lego decides to stab you and you were injured I think that classifies as faulty.

 

Message sent but:

 

Quote

We’re exceptionally busy right now and it’s taking us up to 10 days to answer emails. We’re sorry for the delay.

Fortunately it's a common part in the set, so I should be able to find one that's easily accessible to leave missing for however long it takes them to get back.  If don't want it, I'll try extracting the wire with a pair of vice grips.  I think I should have just enough to hold onto for a good yoink.

[Blondie-Wan]

2 hours ago, DanNeely said:

Fortunately it's a common part in the set, so I should be able to find one that's easily accessible to leave missing for however long it takes them to get back.  If don't want it, I'll try extracting the wire with a pair of vice grips.  I think I should have just enough to hold onto for a good yoink.

I'd leave it in the brick, so they can know it’s not something you’re making up.

Edit: I’m not sure how I missed the “If don’t want it”, but I gather you just mean removing the wire in case they don’t ask for its return. I’m sure they’ll want it, though.

Also, wow! This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this sort of manufacturing defect.

Oh, and keep the box if you haven’t already discarded it. It’ll have information on the tape or somewhere that should help them track down the manufacturing run.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Blondie-Wan

[Stuartn]

16 minutes ago, Blondie-Wan said:

I'd leave it in the brick, so they can know it’s not something you’re making up.

Totally agree here.

 

2 hours ago, DanNeely said:

Message sent but:

There should be a phone number also 1800 835 4386 for US, 0800 5346 5555 for UK and 1800 823 757 for Australia. On the site there is a space to select your country so if its one I haven't listed it should be easy to track down.

[Fuppylodders]

2 hours ago, DanNeely said:

 

Message sent but:......... 

I guess you could always try to..... wire them a telegram......... 

But seriously, if you have access to a landline, just phone them and have something else you can do while being on hold for up to half an hour (seems around average right now, I've called them twice with that kind of wait), then speak to them. They'll be able to provide details on what to do etc. Keep hold of everything-box too as mentioned above, for batch purposes. 

Also, take lots of pictures at different angles of it too, so it's clear that the wire hasn't been 'heated up and melted into the brick afterwards' kinda thing, that it's beyond all reasonable doubt it was in there from production. 

Let us know what happens! 

[MAB]

You could always try contacting them via no win no fee injury lawyers. :-)

[Lira_Bricks]

I wonder how much people would be willing to pay for this brick, since misprints are sometimes already really expensive :P

[MAB]

1 hour ago, Lira_Bricks said:

I wonder how much people would be willing to pay for this brick, since misprints are sometimes already really expensive :P

I doubt very much, as things like this can be easily faked. Heat up a thin wire and poke it into a brick and you have a wire sticking out of the brick.

[Fuppylodders]

57 minutes ago, MAB said:

I doubt very much, as things like this can be easily faked. Heat up a thin wire and poke it into a brick and you have a wire sticking out of the brick.

But you'd have a lip around the edge with the excess material being heated ul melted around it. Drilling would be the only method and that'd have to be tiny to be able to provide the interference tight fit to have the wire stuck in it, let alone getting the wire pushed in in the first place. Possible? Yep. Easy? Not entirely, if put up to high scrutiny. 

[dr_spock]

It does look like a piece off a wire brush or wire wheel.  It could have been contamination in the plastic pellets or they were cleaning equipment. Those wire on the brushes do break off with use.  One time I had a piece impaled into my knee from a high speed wire brush while cleaning rust off metal for painting.  I didn't notice until hours later.  No infection resulted.

For that piece, I think that stud with wire sticking out is where the injection point is.  If you look at same piece without the wire, you'll see a small round indent on the LEGO word.

[Evans]

This brick is a collecor item! Keep it apart, as I find the fact it's dangerous as a really intrersting manufacturing defect. It's the first time I'm aware of such defect. I believe the wire part is usually invisible as completely moded in the brick, but this is a unique defect. Congratulations on finding this, just don't mix it with other parts! 

[koalayummies]

24 minutes ago, Evans said:

This brick is a collecor item! Keep it apart, as I find the fact it's dangerous as a really intrersting manufacturing defect. It's the first time I'm aware of such defect. I believe the wire part is usually invisible as completely moded in the brick, but this is a unique defect. Congratulations on finding this, just don't mix it with other parts! 

Are you saying you believe there is a hidden wire molded into Lego bricks? Like rebar in concrete?

[Evans]

13 minutes ago, koalayummies said:

Are you saying you believe there is a hidden wire molded into Lego bricks? Like rebar in concrete?

I mean if this foreign metal part is not the only one that ended with ABS pellet, chances are big that the wire part would have gone in the brick rather than half in and half out which is quite impressive. But you could make reinforced bricks like concrete would be if needed! 

[MAB]

^ It looks like it is in the injection point, so stopped as soon as it hit the back of the mould, rather than flowing round the mould with the plastic.

 

[Maple]

This is a new one to me. The quality of modern LEGO is garbage. I have gotten MELTED pieces before. Thankfully their costumer service is still amazing!

[DanNeely]

2 hours ago, MAB said:

^ It looks like it is in the injection point, so stopped as soon as it hit the back of the mould, rather than flowing round the mould with the plastic.

 

it was at the injection port, but the back of the brick is unblemished so it didn't hit the back of the mold.  It probably stopped where it did because it started in as the mold was being completely filled.

[koalayummies]

3 hours ago, Evans said:

I mean if this foreign metal part is not the only one that ended with ABS pellet, chances are big that the wire part would have gone in the brick rather than half in and half out which is quite impressive. But you could make reinforced bricks like concrete would be if needed! 

While this piece came in a set that's rated 18+ (and the adult affected by it has treated the wound and is not seriously injured, glad to hear) the same exact piece is also currently appearing in sets rated at ages 4+ (like Ariel's Celebration Boat) and if it can happen to that piece it can presumably happen to others. Surely TLG wants to get to the bottom of this.

Doubt that someone who's 5-year old daughter was lacerated by their new Lego Little Mermaid toy would find this to be amusing or consider this piece a collectors item.

[Stuartn]

Does anyone else see the irony that this piece was in a set of a gladiator arena?

22 minutes ago, koalayummies said:

the same exact piece is also currently appearing in sets rated at ages 4+

That's a good point. I anticipate the tan plastic would all come from a central source, so the contamination could be in any set with tan plastic.

[DanNeely]

1 hour ago, Stuartn said:

Does anyone else see the irony that this piece was in a set of a gladiator arena?

That's a good point. I anticipate the tan plastic would all come from a central source, so the contamination could be in any set with tan plastic.

If it's a systemic problem - ie affecting multiple batches of plastic - it's probably not limited to just tan.  Base plastic beads are normally uncolored/white; with the manufacturer mixing colored beads in as needed to get the desired color.  A company I worked for 16 years ago did their color mixing in 55 gallon drums (I suspect Lego would make larger batches).  Not getting the colored beads mixed in well enough results in the sort of variable color problems we occasionally see.

[Friscorays]

I'm sure Lego will want to know about the issue.  I can't pull up the photo of the brick in question but imagine something along the lines on "pinprick" would be a more apt description than "stabbed".  

I had a mentor once tell me that you couldn't kill someone with a 22 gauge needle even if you wanted to and after a few decades of hands on experience I believe that to be true.

I guess a significant injury might occur if a child (or adult) were to rub a brick such as you encountered on their eyeball for a bit and / or swallow it but otherwise can't imagine it causing much more discomfort than stepping on a normal garden variety brick.

[Peter Swinkels]

I have bought a lot of new Lego, never had that happen to me. Worst I have had with new Lego was a damaged sticker sheet. Now if this had happened with old Lego's or second hand stuff, it would still be unusual but more likely. Usually I get stuff I buy second hand in decent shape but sometimes the seller goes too far in what the customer is supposed to accept. At least imho.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Peter Swinkels

[Stuartn]

9 hours ago, Peter Swinkels said:

have bought a lot of new Lego, never had that happen to me. Worst I have had with new Lego was a damaged sticker sheet. Now if this had happened with old Lego's or second hand stuff, it would still be unusual but more likely. Usually I get stuff I buy second hand in decent shape but sometimes the seller goes too far in what the customer is supposed to accept. At least imho.

I'm starting to get disappointed now. The only issue I've ever had was getting an extra sticker sheet.

20 hours ago, Friscorays said:

'm sure Lego will want to know about the issue.  I can't pull up the photo of the brick in question but imagine something along the lines on "pinprick" would be a more apt description than "stabbed".  

I had a mentor once tell me that you couldn't kill someone with a 22 gauge needle even if you wanted to and after a few decades of hands on experience I believe that to be true.

The piece of metal was a thin piece of wire about the height of a plate. Such wires could be contaminated and could theoretically cause infection, as unlike a needle it wouldn't have been through the proper sterilisation process, though very unlikely. That said it would've been superheated to about 200-250 degrees Celsius in the ABS and placed straight into a sealed bag so that should do the job.

[Toastie]

You know what? Shit happens. Yes, tell them. They may want to know. And track down what happened.

But all that frenzy ... jeese. Get the piece out, build your Colosseum and enjoy the nice building.

Best
Thorsten