Bed Handles, Inc., manufacturer of portable bed handles for adult beds, has announced a voluntary recall in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The recall affects 113,000 adult portable bed handles that were sold by Bed Handles, Inc., from 1994 to 2007. These handles do not feature safety retention straps. These straps will keep the handle secured to the frame so that the handle cannot shift out of place. When the handle does this, it makes a dangerous gap between the handle and the side of the mattress. This poses the potential to trap the person in the bed and may lead to strangulation and death. Four individuals have died as a result of this happening, including a 90-year-old woman in a California senior residence who recently died when she fell between the gap and became trapped.
The recall includes the following models:
- BA10W Original Bedside Assistant;
- BA11W The Travel Handles; and
- AJ1 The Adjustable Bedside Assistant.
Consumers who have one of these products should contact Bed Handles, Inc., at 800-725-6903 or through http://bedhandles.com/. (There is a link at the bottom of the webpage for Recall Information.) The company will provide new assembly and installation instructions along with free safety retention straps. These will prevent the handles from slipping and creating a gap.
