Bed rail safety: what to check before you buy
Bed rails can trap a person in a gap between the rail and the mattress or bed. Here's what the two federal agencies that oversee bed rails say, and what to check before you buy one.
Why bed rails need care
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says 90% of injuries linked to adult portable bed rails come from entrapment of the head, chest or neck (CPSC), and 92% of deaths come from entrapment, usually of the head or neck (CPSC, November 14, 2024). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says bed rails can be a hazard, particularly to people with physical limitations or altered mental status, such as dementia or delirium (FDA).
Who regulates what
- FDA oversees hospital bed rails, which are part of or an accessory to a hospital bed or other FDA-regulated bed. They are medical devices.
- CPSC oversees bed rails that aren't intended for medical purposes. They are consumer products.
Source: FDA, Adult Portable Bed Rail Safety.
Adult portable bed rails made after August 21, 2023 must meet the federal Safety Standard for Adult Portable Bed Rails, 16 CFR part 1270, which is based on ASTM F3186-17 (eCFR). FDA tells health care providers to use only bed rails that conform with ASTM F3186-17 (FDA).
What to check before you buy
- Ask first. Talk with your doctor, an occupational therapist or another health care provider about whether a rail, a bed handle or something else is right.
- Measure the mattress. Measure its thickness, including any topper, and pick a rail whose range includes it. FDA tells health care providers that the bed frame, bed rail and mattress should leave no gap wide enough to trap a person's head or body, and to use caution with a soft mattress, which may increase the risk of entrapment (FDA). See how to measure.
- Check for recalls. CPSC says to make sure your bed rail isn't recalled by checking cpsc.gov/Recalls. On November 14, 2024, CPSC said it had issued 9 recalls of adult portable bed rails since 2021.
- Follow the maker's instructions exactly. CPSC also says not to modify the bed rail, and not to climb or let anyone climb over it (CPSC).
If you already have a bed rail
Check it against CPSC's recall list. If it's been recalled, follow the instructions in the recall notice. CPSC says to report a dangerous product or a product-related injury at SaferProducts.gov.
Compare bed rails and handles by the mattress thickness each maker lists.