Are you or someone you love using a bed rail for safety? If so, you should be aware of the hundreds of thousands of models that have been recalled in recent months and the dangers associated with them.
Back in December of 2021, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and a company by the name of Essential Medical Supply Inc. issued a recall of four of their Endurance® Hand Bed Rails.
The recalled models include the following:
- Bed Rail (model P1410)
- Hand Bed Rail with Pouch (model P1410-P)
- Hand Bed Rail with Floor Support (model P1411)
- Hand Bed Rail with Floor Support with Pouch (model P1411-P)
According to the CPSC, this comes after one 86-year-old California man died in 2012 due to an entrapment involving the bed rail. The hazard, as written by the CPSC, is as follows: “When attached to an adult’s bed, users can become entrapped within the bed rail or between the rail and the side of the mattress. This poses a serious entrapment hazard and risk of death by asphyxiation.”
The CPSC states that it’s estimated that 272,000 bed rails are included in this recall, either bought online at Amazon or Walmart, and the plan is to refund those impacted. They explained that prorated refunds based on the age of the product will be given to those whose product was sold or imported on or before November 1, 2015.
The CPSC’s recommendation is to stop using recalled bed rails immediately. To prevent further use, they advise disassembling and disposing of the product.
Tips for Bed Rail Safety
Bed rails can be used safely for yourself or a loved one, but according to BestLife, you can take the following steps to ensure the safe use of a bed rail.
- Check the CPSC recall page to make sure a bed rail you plan to purchase has not been recalled.
- Make sure your bed rail meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International standards.
- This one is from Sleepopolis – check-in on your loved ones! Keep communication open and their safety a priority.
Per the CPSC, you can find more information on this recall via the following resources:
Contact Essential Medical Supply toll-free at 888-856-0111 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or online at essentialmedicalsupply.com and click on “Important Safety Notice” at the top of the page, or visit https://essentialmedicalsupply.com/products/recalls for more information.