Peloton rejects a request from the Commission for the Safety of Consumer Products (CPSC) to remove its treadmill Tread Plus, which was involved in the death of a child last month, the Washington Post reported tonight. At the time of the incident, the CPSC issued a statement that it was investigating.
The agency apparently plans to issue a consumer warning about the Tread Plus and will likely do so as early as Saturday, according to officials with the Post. One official added that “this does not happen with other careers.” The Post’s Sources tell the newspaper that the CPSC is aware of “dozens” of incidents involving Peloton’s careers, some of which include pets or exercise balls, many of which have resulted in serious injuries. “
Bloomberg notes that last February the CPSC received a report that a three-year-old had suffered a serious brain injury. He was found to have tread marks on his back that matched the slats of the treadmill, neck injury and petechiae on his face, presumably due to the blockage of blood flow. Peloton commented on the report that the child from the separate incident “is expected to recover completely.”
John Foley, CEO of Peloton, noted the death in an open letter on March 18 in which he reiterated the safety instructions for Peloton’s Tread Plus board, including: “Keep children and pets away from Peloton exercise equipment at all times. When you start training, make sure that the space around your Peloton equipment is clear. ”
“Although we are only aware of a small handful of incidents with the treadmill + where children were injured,” Foley wrote, “everyone is devastating to all of us in the Peloton, and our hearts go out to the families involved.”
In a comment to The edge, writes a Peloton spokesperson
We are disappointed that the CPSC characterizes the situation incorrectly. The Peloton Tread + is safe to use at home when used as directed and in accordance with our warnings and safety instructions. As a reminder, the treadmill + is not for children under 16, and children, pets and objects should always be kept off the treadmill +. Peloton is 100% committed to the safety of our members and we will always be willing to work with the CPSC to implement effective safety measures. When the treadmill + is not used, members should continue to follow the safety instructions by keeping the safety key, which keeps the treadmill + in operation, away from the treadmill + and out of reach of children.
A company spokesman told the Post that he “does not believe that a revocation is necessary” and further that it did not provide further information to the CPSC at the family’s own request – and therefore asked the agency to issue a summons. The CPSC allegedly issued an administrative subpoena requiring Peloton to regulate the family’s contact information so that it could investigate the incident.
The question is whether the accident was the result of a poorly designed product or improper use – Peloton says that children should not only be kept off the treadmill, but that owners should “keep it out of the reach of children” if not used does not become. .
In October 2020, Peloton recalled the PR70P Clip-In pedals because they could “break unexpectedly and cause laser injuries.”