Consumer Product Safety

Press release 2012.07.19 [Prevention of accidents involving lighting equipment]

Prevention of accidents involving lighting equipment

National Institute of Technology and Evaluation
Product Safety Technology Center
July 19, 2012

NITE (National Institute of Technology and Evaluation; President: Itaru Yasui) gave a presentation for the media on preventing accidents involving lighting equipment as shown in the attached materials.

1. Press release

Release date:
July 19, 2012
Title:
Prevention of accidents involving lighting equipment
Publisher:
Product Safety Technology Center
Summary:
As the summer begins in earnest with increased nationwide requests for saving energy, there will be more opportunities to replace incandescent lamps with more energy-saving lamps as energy-saving and power-saving measures.
Of the product accidents reported to the NITE Product Safety Technology Center, the number of accidents involving lighting equipment amounted to 492 accidents (*1) for the five-year period from fiscal 2007 to 2011. As for product types, 271 cases involved fluorescent lamps, 66 cases involved incandescent lamps, 31 cases involved electric discharge lamps, and 22 cases involved LED lamps. As for damage, 2 cases involved loss of life, 5 cases involved serious injury, 20 cases involved minor injury, and 130 cases involved spread damage (*2). Of these, 17 cases involved a fire (*3). Of the accidents involving lighting equipment, those caused by aging deterioration and those that occur within two years of use have been increasing. Accidents caused by the use of an incompatible lamp with lighting equipment have also occurred. Lighting equipment is familiar products indispensable for daily life. Hence, we urge you to take note of the accidents to prevent such accidents by safe and proper use of the products and to ensure the delivery of company announcements and recall information.
(*1)
The figures are as of May 31, 2012, and were compiled on a "month of occurrence" basis, excluding duplicate and inapplicable information.
(*2)
The NITE uses the term "spread damage" to refer to damage not limited to the product body alone (product damage) but spreading to the surrounding products and building.
(*3)
A "fire" here refers to burning of a part or more of the building and fittings such as walls, tatami, and fusuma (sliding wall panels).
Press briefing paper in Japanese

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

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