3.6 million ladders sold at Lowe’s, Costco, and Amazon are being recalled after fall-related brain injuries, broken bones reported
Millions of Americans will begin putting up Christmas lights and trees in the weeks ahead, and many will rely on ladders to hang the decorations just right. But now the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued an alert notifying consumers that 3.6 million ladders are being recalled because they could unexpectedly retract. And unfortunately, numerous people have already sustained…
In the weeks leading up to the holiday season, millions of Americans will be setting up Christmas lights, trees, and decorations, and many will utilize ladders to achieve the desired results. However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning that 3.6 million ladders are being recalled due to the potential for unexpected retraction, leading to a series of severe injuries. Here's a detailed report on the situation.
On November 5, the CPSC issued a recall notice notifying consumers about the recall of approximately 3,662,000 ladders manufactured by Little Giant Ladder Systems. The recall was prompted by several reports of the ladders unexpectedly retracting, which posed a significant fall hazard to consumers. The Rapid Locks, black or orange components on the ladders' legs, are designed to assist in adjusting the ladder's height.
However, when these Rapid Locks fail to function as intended, the ladders can suddenly retract, causing users to fall and suffer serious injuries.
Little Giant has also issued its own recall notice, pointing out the same hazard. The company has received 39 reports of the Rapid Locks not functioning properly, alongside 25 reports of the ladders retracting. Additionally, there have been 19 reports of people being injured. The most severe injuries include three cases of traumatic brain injury, skull fractures, concussions, vision loss, hearing loss, and cognitive impairment. The other 16 injuries reported encompass joint or bone fractures, lacerations, bruising.
The recalled models of Little Giant ladders include the Adjustable Fortress 2.0, Conquest 2.0, Dark Horse 2.0, Epic King Kombo XT, Leveler, MegaLite, MegaLite+, Multi Quantum, and Vector. To identify the affected ladders, consumers should look for the Little Giant brand name and model name on the side of the ladder. Notably, only ladders lacking an orange rectangular "QC" sticker on the rail above one of the Rapid Locks are included in this recall.
The recalled ladders were sold nationwide between December 2015 and October 2026, with prices ranging from approximately $100 to $1,000. Customers can find the specific part numbers of the recalled ladder models on Little Giant's recall notice. The ladders were sold in various retail stores, such as Lowe's, Costco, Amazon, and directly from the Little Giant Ladders website.
If you possess one of the recalled ladders, the CPSC urges you to stop using it immediately. To obtain a repair kit, consumers should visit Little Giant's recall page or scan the QR code on the ladders. The repair kit contains additional instructions and labels that must be affixed to the ladder. These instructions advise users to verify that their Rapid Locks are properly engaged before each use and to maintain the locks by applying lubrication.
If the ladder functions properly after these steps, consumers should contact Little Giant for an evaluation. If the ladder continues to malfunction, it will be replaced with an equivalent model or refunded. Consumers are encouraged to read both recall notices for comprehensive instructions and to contact Little Giant with any questions.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
