Peloton and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission are currently having something of a standoff. At the center of the dispute was the CPSC’s recent warning that the Peloton Tread+ should not be used when small children or pets are present.
The agency’s warning comes with an ominous statistic: they’re aware of 39 injuries incurred by the treadmill, as well as one death. “In light of multiple reports of children becoming entrapped, pinned, and pulled under the rear roller of the product, CPSC urges consumers with children at home to stop using the product immediately,” they wrote.
Their advice is straightforward: “Stop using the Peloton Tread+ if there are small children or pets at home. Incidents suggest that children may be seriously injured while the Tread+ is being used by an adult, not just when a child has unsupervised access to the machine.” The CPSC also recommended placing the Tread+ in a locked room so that children and pets cannot access it.
As Alyse Stanley writes at Gizmodo, Peloton pushed back against the CPSC’s warning. In a press release, Peloton described itself as “troubled” by the CPSC’s warning — not because of the mentions of injury and death, but “because it is inaccurate and misleading,” in the company’s words.
While taking umbrage with the CPSC’s report, Peloton’s press release does make some of the same points — notably, that anyone under 16 should not use the Tread+. The press release also includes several tips on ways to keep kids and pets away from the treadmill, though they stop short of endorsing the idea of placing the device in a lockable room.
As Gizmodo’s report points out, this exchange is part of a larger exchange between the two. And Peloton does conclude their press release with something of an olive branch. “Peloton remains open to working with CPSC to further ensure that Members are safe and have the opportunity to live healthier and fuller lives through the use of Peloton products,” the company stated.
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