April 18 (UPI) — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned users with small children and pets Saturday to stop using Peloton Tread+ devices after a child death and injuries.
The “urgent warning” comes after Peloton CEO John Foley sent a letter to Tread+ owners in March following “a tragic accident involving a child and the Tread+ resulting in, unthinkably, a death.” In the letter, Foley urged users to “keep children and pets away from Peloton exercise equipment at all times.”
On Saturday, the CPSC said it has become aware of “multiple incidents of small children and a pet being injured beneath the machines,” bringing total incidents to 39 to date, including one death.
The federal agency warned that the Peloton Tread+ “poses serious risks to children for abrasions, fractures and death,” after multiple reports of children being sucked under the product’s rear roller.
An investigation into the treadmills was ongoing, according to the CSPC.
“It is believed that at least one incident occurred while a parent was running on the treadmill, suggesting that the hazard cannot be avoided simply by locking the device when not in use,” the CSPC said in a statement. “Reports of a pet and objects being sucked beneath the Tread+ also suggest possible harm to the user if the user loses balance as a result.”
In a statement of its own Saturday, Pelton called the CPSC statement “inaccurate and misleading.”
“There is no reason to stop using the Tread+, as long as all warnings and safety instructions are followed,” Peloton said in its statement. “Children under 16 should never use the Tread+, and members should keep children, pets, and objects away from the Tread+ at all times.” Peloton also reminded users to remove the Safety Key when the Tread+ is not in use, so the Tread+ cannot be turned on.
The CPSC statement included a link to a disturbing video demonstrating the danger of the device.
A voluntary recall has not been issued because Peloton hasn’t agreed to corrective action on the $4,295 device, CNN Business reported.
Consumer Reports called Peloton’s actions “outrageous,” in a statement to CNN Business.
“You’d think that the CSPC could easily order a recall like this, but it can’t, thanks to laws on the books that put corporate public relations ahead of children’s lives,” William Wallace, Consumer Reports manager of safety policy said in the statement. “This warning by the CPSC indicates that Peloton is not putting safety first, and there’s little the agency can do about it right now beyond alerting the public.”
PC Magazine described the Peloton Tread+ as pricey with users paying an additional $39 per month for Peloton’s subscription service with live and on-demand classes on top of the $4,295 starting price for the device.
In October, Peloton Interactive announced a voluntary recall on a separate device. The PR70P bike’s clip-in pedals were recalled due to risk for the axle to break. The recall affected pedals sold from July 2013 to May 2016 that are out of warranty.
