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Before You Use This Product

Safety Information

Hazard information, use precautions and conditions of sale for restraint, pressure, stimulation and insertable products sold on this site.

Who this applies to

Some of the products sold on this site are capable of causing serious injury or death if they are used incorrectly, used by someone who should not use them, or used without a second person present.

This page sets out the hazards associated with those product categories, the precautions that reduce the risk of injury, and the conditions on which these products are sold. It applies to every order placed through this site and supplements, but does not replace, the printed warnings and instructions supplied with each product.

Read the section that matches the product you are buying or using. If a product falls into more than one category, every applicable section applies to it. If you are not certain which sections apply, contact us before using the product.

Warnings are not a substitute for judgment. Nothing on this page makes any product safe. These products carry risk that cannot be designed out without removing the function of the product. The information here is intended to let you decide, before you buy and before each use, whether you are willing to accept that risk.

How to read these warnings

The hazard notices on this page follow the signal word system defined in ANSI Z535.4, the American national standard for product safety signs and labels. The signal word tells you how severe the consequence is if the hazard is not avoided. It does not tell you how likely the consequence is.

SIGNAL WORD HIERARCHY ! DANGER Will result in death or serious injury if not avoided. Used only for the most severe hazards in this catalog. ! WARNING Could result in death or serious injury if not avoided. Serious outcome is possible rather than expected. ! CAUTION Could result in minor or moderate injury if not avoided. Discomfort, irritation, bruising or short term soreness. NOTICE Property, product or hygiene information. No injury hazard. Carries no safety alert triangle.
Figure 1. Signal words used throughout this page. The triangle with an exclamation mark is the safety alert symbol. It appears only on notices that concern personal injury.

Precautions that apply to every product

These apply to every product category on this page, in addition to the category specific sections below.

  • Never use restraint, pressure, suspension or electrical products alone. A second person who is awake, sober, undistracted and physically able to release you must be present for the entire time the product is in use.
  • Agree on a stop signal before you begin. Agree on both a spoken signal and a non spoken signal that works if the person being restrained cannot speak. Stop at the signal without discussion or delay.
  • Keep a release method within immediate reach. For anything that buckles, locks, inflates, ties or clamps, the means of release must be reachable by the person who is free to move, at all times, without leaving the room.
  • Do not use alcohol, cannabis or other drugs. Intoxication impairs the ability to notice warning signs, to give a stop signal and to release another person. It is a factor in a large share of serious incidents involving these products.
  • Do not leave anyone unattended. Not for a moment, not to answer a door, not to take a call.
  • Do not use any product while asleep or at risk of falling asleep.
  • Start lower, shorter and looser than you think you need. You can always increase. You cannot undo an injury.
  • Stop at the first warning sign. See Stop use immediately if below.
  • Do not modify any product and do not disable, bypass, tape over or remove any release mechanism, valve, buckle, quick release or safety feature.

Inspection before every use

Most failures of this type of product are visible before use. Inspect every component every time, not only when the product is new. A product that fails during use may fail at the moment it is hardest to remove.

BEFORE EVERY USE STEP 1 Inspect every component Straps, stitching, hardware Any damage, wear or leak? NO Test the release first Operate it once before use begins YES Remove from service Do not repair, tape or improvise a fix CHECK FOR Cracks and splits Frayed strap or rope Slow leaks, soft seams Stiff or sticking release ALSO CONFIRM A second person is present and sober A stop signal is agreed, spoken and not spoken Cutting tool or key is within reach Phone is charged and in the room
Figure 2. Pre use inspection. A product that shows any of the conditions on the left should be retired rather than repaired. Improvised repairs to restraint and pressure products fail under load.

Neck, throat and airway products

This section covers collars that tighten or inflate, posture collars, hoods and masks that cover the nose or mouth, gags, and any product that is worn on or around the neck or face.

DANGER
Hazard Pressure on the neck restricts blood flow to the brain and can restrict breathing. Anything covering the nose or mouth can obstruct the airway. Vomiting, a seizure or a panic response can obstruct an airway in seconds.
Consequence Loss of consciousness, permanent brain injury from oxygen deprivation, cardiac arrest, or death. Loss of consciousness from neck pressure can occur within seconds, without pain, and without any warning the wearer can feel. A person who has passed out cannot give a stop signal and cannot free themselves.
To avoid
  • Never use any neck or face product on a person who is alone.
  • Never leave a wearer unattended for any length of time.
  • Never use any neck or face product on a person who is asleep, intoxicated or unresponsive.
  • Keep the release, valve, buckle or key in the hand of the person who is free to move.
  • Release at once at any sign of dizziness, tingling, visual change, color change in the face, confusion, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, or loss of response. Do not wait to be asked.
  • Never apply enough pressure to restrict breathing or blood flow. There is no safe level of intentional airway or blood flow restriction.
  • Do not combine a neck or face product with any other restraint that limits the wearer's ability to signal or to remove it.

On intentional breath restriction. Deliberately restricting breathing or blood flow to the brain carries a risk of death that cannot be reduced to an acceptable level by technique, experience, equipment or supervision. Injury and death have occurred to experienced people, with a partner present, using equipment correctly. We do not sell any product for that purpose and we do not provide instruction in it. Products in this category are sold for wear, fit and sensation, not for restriction of breathing or circulation.

Inflatable collars specifically

An inflatable collar increases in circumference pressure as it is inflated. Inflation is how the collar is sized to the wearer, and it is also what creates pressure on the neck. The two cannot be separated. Treat every pump of the bulb as an increase in pressure on the neck, not only as an adjustment of fit.

  • Inflate in small increments and stop as soon as the collar is held in position.
  • Check that two fingers fit comfortably between the collar and the neck. If they do not, deflate.
  • Confirm the quick release valve operates before inflating at all, and keep it reachable throughout.
  • Deflate fully before attempting to remove the collar.
  • Never attach a leash to a collar in a way that allows the wearer's weight, a fall, or a pull to tighten it. Never secure a leash to a fixed point.
  • Never inflate beyond the point at which the wearer can speak, swallow and breathe comfortably.

Suspension and load bearing

DANGER
Hazard Falls from height. Anchor, hardware, strap or rope failure under load. Suspension trauma, in which blood pools in the legs of a person held upright and immobile, reducing blood return to the heart.
Consequence Fractures, spinal and head injury, nerve damage, loss of consciousness, death.
To avoid
  • Products sold on this site are not rated for human suspension unless the product page states a human rated working load limit. Decorative hardware, furniture, door frames, bed frames, plumbing, drywall anchors and ceiling fixtures are not anchors.
  • Do not suspend a person using any product in this catalog that is not explicitly rated and labeled for that purpose.
  • Never leave a suspended person unattended, even briefly.
  • Limit time in any upright or partially upright suspended position and bring the person down at any sign of numbness, dizziness or distress.
  • Keep cutting tools suited to the material within immediate reach.

Electrostimulation

DANGER
Hazard Electrical current passing through the chest can interfere with the heart's rhythm. Current can interfere with pacemakers, implanted defibrillators and other implanted electronic devices.
Consequence Cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, burns, death.
To avoid
  • Never place electrodes so that current can cross the chest. Keep all electrodes and all current paths below the waist.
  • Never use on or near the head, neck, throat or chest.
  • Do not use if you or your partner has a pacemaker, an implanted defibrillator, any implanted electronic or metallic device, a heart condition, or epilepsy.
  • Do not use during pregnancy.
  • Use only power units designed for this purpose. Never connect any product to mains electricity, to a battery other than the one specified, or to any improvised power source.
  • Start at the lowest setting. Adjust the power unit only when the current is off.
  • Do not use on broken, irritated or recently shaved skin.

Restraints and bondage

WARNING
Hazard Restricted circulation, compressed nerves, inability to escape in an emergency such as a fire, a medical event or a fall. Positional restriction of breathing when the chest or abdomen cannot expand.
Consequence Nerve injury that may be lasting, tissue damage, dislocation, fracture, inability to escape a hazard, restricted breathing.
To avoid
  • Two fingers must fit between any restraint and the skin.
  • Keep the key, buckle, scissors or shears within immediate reach of the person who is free to move, for the entire time.
  • Check circulation and sensation regularly. Cold, pale, blue, numb or tingling extremities mean release immediately.
  • Avoid pressure on the inside of the wrist and elbow, the outside of the knee, the armpit and the groin, where nerves run close to the surface.
  • Never restrain someone face down in a way that limits chest or abdominal movement, and never on a soft surface where the face can sink in.
  • Never restrain a person who is alone, asleep, intoxicated or unable to communicate.
  • Reposition at intervals. Numbness is the signal to stop, not to wait.

Constriction and clamping products

Rings, clamps, bands, sleeves and any product worn tightly around a body part.

WARNING
Hazard Interrupted blood flow. Swelling can make a rigid ring impossible to remove without a cutting tool. Clamps compress tissue and nerves.
Consequence Tissue damage, blood clots, permanent loss of sensation, tissue death, injury requiring emergency surgical removal.
To avoid
  • Observe the wear time stated on the product packaging. Where no time is stated, limit wear to 20 minutes and never exceed 30 minutes.
  • Remove at once at numbness, color change, coldness, pain or loss of sensation.
  • Choose a size you can remove easily. Rigid rings in metal or acrylic cannot be cut off at home and have required emergency room removal.
  • Release clamps slowly. Returning blood flow can be more painful than the clamp.
  • Never wear while asleep, intoxicated or alone.
CIRCULATION CHECK, CONSTRICTION AND RESTRAINT PRODUCTS Fit check Two fingers must fit Check every 5 to 10 minutes Color, warmth, sensation Observe stated wear time limit 20 minutes if unstated Remove Rest before reuse ! Remove at any point, regardless of elapsed time Numbness, tingling, pale or blue color, coldness, pain, or loss of sensation
Figure 3. The time limit is an upper bound, not a target. Any warning sign overrides the clock.

Vacuum and pump products

WARNING
Hazard Excessive or prolonged vacuum pressure damages blood vessels and tissue.
Consequence Burst blood vessels, bruising, blistering, edema, lasting tissue and vascular damage, loss of sensation.
To avoid
  • Use only pumps fitted with a pressure release valve and a gauge. Release pressure immediately at pain.
  • Build pressure gradually. Observe the session time stated on the packaging.
  • Do not use if you take anticoagulants, have a bleeding disorder, sickle cell disease, or any vascular condition.
  • Stop if you see discoloration, blistering, numbness or fluid build up.
  • Never use a pump not intended for the body part in question.

Insertable products

WARNING
Hazard An object without a flared base or retrieval loop can travel beyond reach. Rigid, large or textured objects can tear or perforate tissue.
Consequence Retained object requiring emergency surgical removal, tearing, perforation of the bowel wall, infection, peritonitis, sepsis. A perforation can be life threatening and may not produce immediate severe pain.
To avoid
  • For anal use, use only products with a wide flared base or a retrieval loop that stays outside the body. This is not optional.
  • Use generous lubricant that is compatible with the product material. See Materials.
  • Go slowly and stop at pain. Pain is a signal of damage, not of progress.
  • Do not use numbing products. They remove the signal that warns you of injury.
  • Inspect for chips, cracks, splits and rough seams before every use. Discard damaged items.
  • Clean before and after every use and do not share without a barrier.

Seek emergency medical care if an object cannot be retrieved, or if there is bleeding, severe or increasing abdominal pain, fever, or inability to pass stool or urine after use. Do not wait to see if it improves. Tell the clinician what happened and what the object is made of. Clinicians treat this routinely.

Urethral products

WARNING
Hazard The urethra is delicate, easily torn, and provides a direct route for bacteria to the bladder and kidneys.
Consequence Tearing, scarring and stricture, urinary tract and kidney infection, bleeding, urinary retention, sepsis, permanent damage.
To avoid
  • Use only products made and sold for urethral use. Never improvise with any other object.
  • Sterilize before every use. Wash hands thoroughly.
  • Use sterile, water based, preservative free lubricant in quantity.
  • Never force. Stop at any resistance or pain.
  • Start with the largest diameter that inserts easily rather than the smallest, as thin objects are more likely to perforate.
  • Never leave an object in place unattended or while asleep.

Seek medical care for bleeding that does not stop quickly, pain on urination lasting beyond a day, inability to urinate, fever, or cloudy or foul smelling urine.

Chastity and extended wear

WARNING
Hazard Prolonged pressure restricts circulation. Trapped moisture and inadequate cleaning cause infection. A lost key, a jammed lock or swelling can make a device impossible to remove.
Consequence Skin breakdown, pressure sores, infection, lasting nerve or vascular damage, tissue death, a device that must be cut off under medical supervision.
To avoid
  • Keep a spare key accessible to the wearer at all times, including when a partner holds the primary key and including when a partner is not physically present.
  • Remove daily at first and build up wear time only as the fit proves itself.
  • Remove, clean and dry thoroughly at regular intervals. Clean the skin as well as the device.
  • Remove at once and do not resume at persistent redness, swelling, broken skin, discharge, odor, numbness or discoloration.
  • Size correctly. A device that is too tight causes injury and a device that is too loose causes chafing and sores.

Impact products

WARNING
Hazard Impact over organs, the spine, joints or the head causes internal injury that may not be visible or immediately painful.
Consequence Kidney and other organ damage, spinal injury, concussion, nerve injury, fractures, deep tissue damage.
To avoid
  • Strike only well padded areas, meaning the buttocks and the upper thighs.
  • Never strike the head, neck, spine, tailbone, joints, or the lower back over the kidneys.
  • Build intensity gradually. Check in frequently.
  • Stop at broken skin, and treat any break in the skin as a route for infection.
  • Do not use on anyone taking anticoagulants or with a bleeding or bone density disorder.

Seek medical care for blood in urine, pain in the flank or back that persists, abdominal pain, dizziness or fainting after impact to the torso.

Temperature and wax products

CAUTION
Hazard Burns from candles, wax and heated products. Cold injury from chilled products.
Consequence Burns ranging from superficial to full thickness, scarring, cold injury, fire.
To avoid
  • Use only low temperature candles and waxes made for use on skin. Ordinary household, paraffin, beeswax and scented candles burn at temperatures that cause serious burns.
  • Test on your own inner forearm first, at the height and distance you intend to use.
  • Increase the pouring height to reduce the temperature on contact.
  • Keep away from the face, eyes, genitals and any broken skin.
  • Keep water within reach. Never leave an open flame unattended.
  • Do not use heated or chilled products on anyone with reduced sensation, diabetes, or a circulatory or neurological condition.

Hoods, blindfolds and sensory deprivation

WARNING
Hazard Obstructed airway, overheating, and disorientation or panic that prevents a person from signaling or helping themselves. Removal of sight and hearing removes the wearer's ability to perceive a hazard such as fire.
Consequence Suffocation, heat injury, panic response, injury from falls or collisions.
To avoid
  • Confirm an unobstructed airway before and throughout use. Check that breathing is quiet, regular and unlabored.
  • Never use any hood or mask on a person who is alone, asleep or intoxicated.
  • Agree a non spoken stop signal, such as dropping a held object, that works when the wearer cannot see, speak or hear.
  • Limit duration. Remove at any sign of overheating, distress, confusion or changed breathing.
  • Keep the removal method immediately to hand.

Materials, allergies and compatibility

CAUTION
Hazard Latex allergy. Material degradation from the wrong lubricant. Porous materials that retain bacteria.
Consequence Allergic reaction up to and including anaphylaxis, irritation, product failure during use, bacterial and fungal infection.
To avoid
  • Check the material listed on the product page before buying if you or your partner has a latex allergy.
  • Do not use silicone lubricant with silicone products. It degrades the surface. Use water based lubricant with silicone.
  • Do not use oil based lubricant with latex. It destroys latex and causes failure.
  • Clean before and after every use according to the material. Porous materials cannot be fully sterilized and should be used with a barrier or not shared.
  • Store products separately. Some materials react with each other in storage.

Stop use immediately if

Any one of the following means stop and release now. Do not finish, do not wait for the person to ask, and do not assume it will pass.

! RELEASE IMMEDIATELY BREATHING AND AWARENESS Difficulty breathing Noisy or labored breathing Dizziness or light headedness Confusion or slurred speech No response, or vision change CIRCULATION AND SENSATION Numbness or tingling Pale, blue or gray skin Cold hands or feet Loss of grip or movement Swelling below a restraint PAIN, SKIN AND DISTRESS Sharp or increasing pain Broken skin or bleeding Burning or chemical sensation Panic, or the stop signal given Nausea or vomiting THEN 1. Release and remove Deflate, unlock or cut away 2. Keep them still and warm Do not let them stand up straight away 3. Call emergency services For any loss of consciousness, call 911
Figure 4. Release first, assess second. Anyone who loses consciousness needs emergency medical assessment even if they wake and feel fine, because injury from oxygen deprivation is not always apparent at the time.
DANGER

Call 911 immediately for loss of consciousness however brief, breathing that does not return to normal at once, chest pain, seizure, a restraint or device that cannot be removed, an object that cannot be retrieved, uncontrolled bleeding, or any suspected head, neck or spinal injury.

Do not delay because you are worried about embarrassment. Emergency clinicians treat these situations regularly and their concern is your safety. Tell them exactly what happened, what product was involved and what it is made of. Accurate information lets them treat you faster.

Medical conditions and medications

Consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any product in the categories above if you or your partner has, or may have, any of the following. This list is not exhaustive.

  • Any heart condition, high or low blood pressure, or a history of stroke, fainting or arrhythmia
  • A pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other implanted electronic or metallic device
  • Epilepsy or any seizure disorder
  • Asthma, sleep apnea, COPD or any respiratory condition
  • A bleeding or clotting disorder, or treatment with anticoagulants or antiplatelet medication
  • Diabetes, peripheral neuropathy or any condition that reduces sensation
  • Any circulatory or vascular condition, including Raynaud's and sickle cell disease
  • Osteoporosis, reduced bone density, joint hypermobility or recent fracture or surgery
  • Glaucoma or raised intraocular pressure
  • Pregnancy, or the possibility of pregnancy
  • A neurological condition, a history of head or spinal injury, or a condition causing dizziness
  • Any skin condition, open wound or recent piercing in the area of use
  • Any medication that causes drowsiness, reduces sensation or affects judgment or blood pressure
  • A latex, silicone, nickel, fragrance or other material allergy

This is not medical advice

Nothing on this page, on any product page, in any product listing, in any instruction sheet, or in any communication from us is medical advice. We are not clinicians and we cannot assess whether any product is appropriate for you, for your partner or for your circumstances. Only a qualified healthcare professional with knowledge of your medical history can do that.

The information here is general. It cannot anticipate every condition, interaction or circumstance. If anything on this page conflicts with advice from your own clinician, follow your clinician.

User responsibility and limitation of liability

Your responsibilities

Read and follow all warnings and instructions before each use. Inspect every component, including straps, closures, bladders, tubing, bulbs, valves, locks, hardware and leashes, before each use. Do not use the product if any component is damaged, worn, leaking or not functioning correctly. Do not modify the product and do not disable, bypass or remove any release mechanism or safety feature. Confirm that every participant understands the warnings, consents to the activity, and is able to stop it at any moment.

Intended use

These products are sold for use by consenting adults in the manner described in the supplied instructions. They are not toys, not medical devices, and not personal protective equipment. They are not sold for, and must not be used for, restriction of breathing or of blood flow, human suspension unless the product carries a stated human rated working load limit, or any use not described in the supplied instructions. Use outside the supplied instructions is misuse.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the manufacturer, importer, distributors and retailers of these products disclaim liability for injury, loss or damage arising from misuse, from unauthorized modification, from use of a damaged or malfunctioning product, from use contrary to the supplied warnings and instructions, or from use by any person for whom the product is contraindicated.

Nothing in this provision excludes or limits any liability, or any consumer right or remedy, that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence where such exclusion is not permitted, liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, liability for willful injury, and liability arising from violation of law. Under California Civil Code section 1668, a contract that purports to exempt a party from responsibility for its own fraud, willful injury to the person or property of another, or violation of law, whether willful or negligent, is against the policy of the law and is unenforceable. This page does not attempt to do any of those things.

Where applicable law does not permit the exclusion or limitation of certain liabilities, the above applies only to the extent permitted, and the remainder of this provision continues to apply.

Severability

If any part of this section is found to be unenforceable, that part is severed and the remaining provisions continue in full force.

Age and lawful use

These products are sold only to adults aged 18 or over, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction if it is higher. By ordering you confirm that you meet that requirement.

These products must be used only between consenting adults, and only in ways that are lawful where you are. Consent must be informed, freely given, current, and capable of being withdrawn at any moment. A person who is asleep, unconscious, intoxicated, or otherwise unable to understand or communicate cannot consent. Keep all products out of the reach of children and anyone who cannot use them safely.

Questions about a specific product

If anything on a product page is unclear, if you are unsure whether a product is appropriate for you, or if a product arrives damaged or without its instructions, contact us before using it. We would rather answer the question than have you guess.