HEALTH
Officials Reannounce Bed Rail Recall After 2 More Entrapment Deaths Reported
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Federal officials are reannouncing a recall of bed hand rails that were first recalled in 2021 because two more entrapment deaths have been reported since the original recall.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday reannounced the recall of four models of Endurance Hand Bed Rails produced by Essential Medical Supply Inc., of Orlando, Fla., due to a risk that users can become trapped between the rail and the mattress, posing a risk of death by asphyxiation.
The recall involves the Hand Bed Rail (model P1410), Hand Bed Rail with Pouch (model P1410-P), Hand Bed Rail with Floor Support (model P1411), and Hand Bed Rail with Floor Support with Pouch (model P1411-P), which were all originally recalled in December 2021.
The CPSC said that since that recall was announced, two additional entrapment deaths have been reported. In December 2022, an 86-year-old man died at an assisted living facility in Connecticut, and in August 2023, a 99-year-old man died at his home in California.
The agency announced the original recall after the entrapment death of an 86-year-old man at his California home.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bed rails. Families and friends are also urged to check the homes and assisted living facilities of loved ones for the recalled bed rails.
Essential Medical Supply sold about 272,000 units of the recalled bed rails at medical supply stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Walmart.com. The bed rails were sold from October 2006 through December 2021 for between $36 and $98.
Consumers who own recalled bed rails sold or imported on or after Nov. 1, 2015, can receive a refund from Essential Medical Supply Inc., prorated based on the age of the bed rail. The company will not provide refunds for older models. Consumers who own older models should immediately disassemble and dispose of the bed rails to prevent future use.
TMX contributed to this article.
