WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to stop the use of 10 adult portable bed rails models linked to three deaths.
After an evaluation, the CPSC is urging people to stop the use of 285,000 Mobility Transfer Systems adult portable bed rails because they could lead to serious injury or death. They found that users can become entrapped between the bed rail and mattress, or within portions of the bed rail itself, leading to suffocation.
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At least three people have died from becoming entrapped by one model of the bed rails between the years 2006-2013. They include a 78-year-old woman in a Michigan assisted living facility in 2006, an 85-year-old man in an Oklahoma nursing home in 2007, and a 90-year-old disabled woman in California in 2013.
The bed rails were sold at Walmart.com, Amazon.com, MTSMedicalSupply.com, VitalityMedical.com, Alimed.com, and other online retailers for between about $30 and $170. The products have also been found for sale on secondhand sites, such as eBay.com.
CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop use, disassemble, and dispose of the following bed rails:
- Freedom Grip (model 501)
- Freedom Grip Plus (model 502)
- Freedom Grip Travel (model 505)
- Reversible Slant Rail (model 600)
- Transfer Handle (model 2025)
- Easy Adjustable (model 2500)
- 30-Inch Security Bed Rail, single-sided (model 5075)
- 30-Inch Security Bed Rail – Extra Tall, single-sided (model 5075T)
- 30-Inch Security Bed Rail, double-sided (model 5085)
- 30-Inch Security Bed Rail – Extra Tall, double-sided (model 5085T)
Consumers can find the brand name, “Mobility Transfer Systems” and the model number printed on the label located on the bed rail’s grip handle. Users can report any related incidents here.
Mobility Transfer Systems Inc. has manufactured and sold bed rails from 1992 to 2021, and then Metal Tubing USA Inc. took over in 2021 and 2022. Neither company had agreed to recall the bed rails or offer a solution for consumers.
CPSC is assessing possible future action in this matter. Click here to see more product photos and for more information.