Ricon Corporation has issued a voluntary recall of its Threshold Warning System kits. The TWS kits are in conjunction with the Ricon Baylift wheelchair lifts. These also complement the Mirage Series lifts. The affected TWS kits have the part number RI32885.
The company expects the recall to affect around 5,321 units of its Threshold Warning System kits.
What’s the Issue?
A report filed by the company noted that the red beacon lighting on the kits isn’t bright enough. The beacon’s design should provide proper lighting. This ensures that users of the wheelchair lift will see the lift.
The lack of proper illumination increases the risk of injury to lift users. It also indicates the TWS kits fail to follow federal safety standards.
Ricon became aware of the problem back in August. An OEM customer noted that the TWS kit’s beacon didn’t meet the 20-candela rule. The company contacted the supplier of the lighting beacon. They then began to investigate the issue. Their analysis showed that the beacon met the lighting requirements. Further reports showed inconsistencies in the red warning beacon. Ricon decided the beacon didn’t meet the safety requirements.
There are no reports of injuries caused by the defective red beacon lighting.
What Can Consumers Do?
The Ricon Corporation has announced that it will replace the problematic TWS kits. These are free of charge.
The company hasn’t set a schedule for recall notification. But owners can call Ricon’s customer service department at (800) 322-2884. They can also call the NHTSA hotline. They can also go to www.nhtsa.gov for more information.
