Owners of the Peloton Tread+ treadmill machine in the USA are being warned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to stop using it immediately. This follows alarming reports of a child being killed after being dragged under the belt, and almost 40 other children and a pet injured in similar incidents.
The CPSC published a YouTube video of a child being pinned underneath the machine (Warning: some viewers may find this disturbing).
Peloton Interactive Inc countered in a press release that the CPSC warning was “inaccurate and misleading”, stating that there’s no reason to stop using the treadmill as long as children and pets are kept away from it at all times, it is turned off when not in use, and a safety key is removed.
The CPSC advised that adults should only use the machine in a locked room, with children and pets nowhere near, as well as exercise balls and other equipment kept clear.
Whilst this is just one brand that has been thrown into the spotlight in the USA, it does highlight a more widespread safety risk. During the pandemic, sales of home exercise machines such as treadmills has soared, and it is vital that safety guidelines are followed. Investigating the design of treadmills, there are very few on the market that incorporate a guard system to shield the treadmill belt from dragging objects underneath. What could be the factors behind this?
Warnings are clear to all home treadmill users to be aware of the risks to children, pets and exercise equipment from the moving belt, and to follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines at all times.
