BD and PIEPS involve the CPSC and Health Canada to recall avalanche beacons.
This morning Black Diamond Equipment announced an official voluntary recall of several Pieps and BD branded avalanche transceivers. The issue with the transceivers is the same as announced in April: “they may not switch from SEND mode into SEARCH mode.”
The Recall Skinny
— If you own a recalled beacon, check it.
— If it is not working correctly, BD will replace the unit free of charge.
PIEPS and Black Diamond announce a voluntary recall of Pieps Pro BT, Powder BT, DSP Sport, DSP Pro, DSP Pro Ice, Micro Button BT, Micro BT Sensor and Micro BT Race avalanche transceivers and the Black Diamond branded Recon BT and Guide BT avalanche transceivers.
What’s New
This recall involves the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada, a similar regulatory agency. Before today’s announcement, BD had announced a Safety Check Notice for the same transceivers on April 15th. At the time, the CPSC and Health Canada were not part of any official announcement or recall, yet the agencies were notified and have worked with BD.
A press release from BD reads, “The Safety Check Notice is now an official Voluntary Recall in coordination with the CPSC and Health Canada with the same recommended actions as in the original notice.”
According to the CPSC recall notice, BD is aware of 26 reports of the search mode not working correctly. Yet, no deaths or injuries related to this problem have been reported. Like the original Safety Check Notice, the CPSC claims a simple device check (procedure linked below) is sufficient to determine if a beacon is not functioning properly.
BD and Pieps issued a separate beacon recall back in 2021: to confirm, this new recall is unrelated.
BD is asking any users with a recalled beacon to do the following:
What we need you to do?
1. Please stop using the recalled transceivers and perform a safety check to verify if the device can switch into Search Mode by following instructions and video tutorials on our website.
2. Immediately stop using transceivers not working properly and register the affected transceivers on our website to receive a prepaid shipping label to return the recalled transceivers for a free repair or a replacement. You may also contact Black Diamond at 2022beaconrecall@bdel.com or call us 866-306-0865 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT Monday – Friday and we can take your information.
The announcement reflects the voluntary recall being implemented by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada. It follows the previous Safety Check Notice that Black Diamond Equipment issued in April when we first identified an issue. At that time BD immediately notified global regulatory bodies (including the CPSC in NA) and has been in regular communications with them since. As such, with today’s announcement, the Safety Check Notice is now an OFFICIAL Voluntary Recall with the same recommended actions as in the original notice.
To learn more about gear recalls read “Gear Recalls and the Consumer-Manufacturer Dance:”
Jason Albert comes to WildSnow from Bend, Oregon. After growing up on the East Coast, he migrated from Montana to Colorado and settled in Oregon. Simple pleasures are quiet and long days touring. His gray hair might stem from his first Grand Traverse in 2000 when rented leather boots and 210cm skis were not the speed weapons he had hoped for. Jason survived the transition from free-heel kool-aid drinker to faster and lighter (think AT), and safer, are better.
1 comment
I find this a bit confusing, perhaps intentionally in the part of BD. I have one of these and, upon seeing the news, thought: OK, time to send it back to BD for a replacement since, hey, it’s been recalled. But reading the details, it just seems more like: “Hey, test it and if it doesn’t work, send it in. Otherwise …..” They are silent on the otherwise scenario (i.e., what to do about a recalled item that works right when you happen to test it but, ah, seems like maybe won’t work right all the time). To me, this voluntary recall seems like BD just getting out ahead of a mandatory recall and doing the least impactful thing possible about a product that’s been plagued with problems.