CPSC, thyssenkrupp Access Corp. Settle Lawsuit: Firm to Conduct Recall to Inspect Home Elevators Due to Entrapment Hazard Posing Risk of Serious Injury or Death to Children; One Child Death Reported

Example of the space between the exterior hoistway door and interior elevator car gate without a safety device/space guard

thyssenkrupp Access Corp. Residential Elevators

Recall Date: September 14th, 2022
Units: About 16,800 residential elevators, sold for between $15,000 and $25,000 for a two-landing installation
Hazards: Children can become entrapped in the space between the exterior hoistway door and the elevator car door or gate and suffer serious injury or death if the elevator is called to another floor.
Remedies: Inspect
Repair
Homeowners should immediately contact TKA for a free inspection and free installation of the free space guard(s). Alternatively, TKA will provide inspection and installation instructions directly to homeowners who do not wish to have an installer come into their home.

Description

This recall involves home or residential elevators under a variety of TKA-owned model names, including Chaparral, Destiny, LEV, LEV II, LEV II Builder, Rise, Volant, Windsor, Independence, and Flexi-Lift that TKA manufactured and sold to dealers for installation in homes between approximately 1996 and 2012.

Images:

Example of the space between the exterior hoistway door and interior elevator car gate without a safety device/space guard

Example of an installed safety device/space guard

Consumer Contact:

TKA at 800-285-9862 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at the TKA Home Elevator Safety Program at https://homelevator-safety.com or by emailing [email protected].

Injuries:

There have been three incidents involving these elevators, including a 2-year old child who died in 2017 and a 2010 incident that left a 3-year old child permanently disabled.