LumaRail Bed Assist Rail Recall: Entrapment and Suffocation Risks Linked to at Least One Death

Following reports of at least one death, a recall has been announced for LumaRail bed rails, due to a risk that the design may allow elderly or disabled individuals may become entrapped and suffocate between the bed rail and matress..

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the LumaRail Bed Rail recall on February 23, which is the latest in a series of products pulled from the market due to similar design defects.

LumaRail bed rails are portable devices placed at the edge of the mattress, which are manufactured by Platinum Health LLC of Orlando, Florida. The CPSC warns that users of the bed rails can inadvertently become trapped between the rail and the mattress. Seniors who suffer from health issues or mobility challenges may not be able to remove themselves from between the rail and mattress, leading to injuries including asphyxiation and death.

The CPSC received one report of an 81-year-old Pennsylvania man dying from positional asphyxiation in 2021, after becoming trapped between his mattress and the bed rail.

The recall affects 53,000 LumaRail portable bed rails, which are made of white metal tubing with a gray and black foam rubber grip handle. They may have a black fabric pouch. The brand name, Platinum Health, is printed on a label located on the leg of the bed rail or on the grip handle. The bed rails also have a light mount below the grip handle.

Models affected by the recall include Bed Assist Rail with legs model PHB4000, Free Standing Bed Assist Rail model PHB6000, and the DoubleSafe Bed Assist Rail model PHB7000D.

The products were sold on the PlatinumHealthLLC.com website and online through major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Overstock, and through medical supply stores nationwide including RehabMart and Fabrication Enterprises. The bed rails were sold from July 2015 through December 2022 for between $65 and $100.

Bed Rail Safety Risks

Bed rails are a leading cause of injury to seniors due to safety issues, the CPSC warned last year, along with bathtubs, spas, heating devices, and generators, which caused more than 14 million injuries to elderly persons from 2016 to 2020.

Portable bed rails are attached to a bed to help people who are ill or suffer from mobility issues sit up and stand up from the bed. But in some cases, bed rails can lead to further injuries.

More than a half million Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare bed rails were recalled in 2021, after two deaths stemming from entrapment and asphyxiation were reported.

Similarly, federal safety officials warned consumers to stop using rails made by defunct Bed Handles Inc following injuries to users.

The CPSC recommends consumers immediately stop using the recalled LumaRail bed rails and contact Platinum Health for a free repair kit. Consumers who use model PHB7000D on twin beds will receive a free replacement bedrail redesigned to properly fit twin beds.

The remedy is expected to be available beginning in late March 2023.

The CPSC urges consumers to report any related incidents or injuries at the www.SaferProducts.gov