Consumer Product Safety

Press release 2010.02.09 [Prevention of accidents due to disconnected power cords]

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Prevention of accidents due to disconnected power cords

National Institute of Technology and Evaluation
Product Safety Technology Center
February 9, 2010

The National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) held a press briefing on prevention of accidents due to “Disconnected power cords”.

1. Press release

Release date:
February 9, 2010
Title:
Prevention of accidents due to disconnected power cords
Publisher:
Product Safety Technology Center
Summary:
Among the product accident information reported to the Product Safety Technology Center, there were 185 incidents (*1) due to disconnected power cords such as burn injuries and fire outbreaks between FY 2004 and FY 2008. Such incidents had occurred 36 issues between April and December in FY2009, and 12 issues were occurred in these 3 months from October to December. Breakdown of these 185 incidents were in the order as 61 issues with “Hair dryers (*2)”, 31 issues with “Electric Kotatsu”, 25 issues with “electric vacuum cleaners”, 23 issues with “electric heating pads”, 16 issues with “electric blankets”, and 29 issues with other products. Because power cords are not the part where emit heat or become fire sources, it’s difficult to sense dangers from its appearance, but there had been 5 issues causing death and 23 issues of burned-out more than one room. Power cords are equipped with most of electric products, and its incidence rate is not high, however, it’s likely to develop serious fire accidents due to breaking of wire through repetitive use of excessive bending and twisting, or strong forces by stamping, pinching, binding, pulling, and winding. Nonetheless, there are a lot of accidents which can be avoided by counteractions by user side, and NITE had decided to promote consumers’ awareness on proper and safety use of power cords.
  1. *1: Duplicated and/or non-target information are excluded from the number of issues as of January 4th 2010.
  2. *2: Hair dryers include hair irons.
Press briefing paper in Japanese

For more information;
National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE)
Product Safety Technology Center, Product Safety Investigation Division

Contact us

 Consumer Product Safety Public Relations Division  Product Safety Technology Center  National Institute of Technology and Evaluation
Phone number:+81-6-6612-2066
Fax number:+81-6-6612-1617
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