Press release 2012.11.22 [Prevention of winter accidents involving electric kotatsu, electric carpets, and hot water bags]

Prevention of winter accidents involving electric kotatsu, electric carpets, and hot water bags

National Institute of Technology and Evaluation
Product Safety Technology Center
November 22, 2012

NITE (National Institute of Technology and Evaluation; President: Itaru Yasui) gave a presentation for the media on preventing accidents caused by improper use of electric kotatsu, electric carpets, and hot water bags as shown in the attached materials.

1. Press release

Release date:

November 22, 2012

Title:

Prevention of winter accidents involving electric kotatsu, electric carpets, and hot water bags

Publisher:

Product Safety Technology Center

Summary:

Accidents occur more frequently in the winter months with electric heaters, electric carpets, and hot water bags in addition to heaters and fan heaters. Of the product accident information (*1) reported to the NITE Product Safety Technology Center, 128 cases involved electric kotatsu, 101 cases involved electric carpets, and 87 cases involved hot water bags (*2) during the five-year period from fiscal 2007 to 2011. These accidents start increasing from around November when the temperature decreases and these products are more frequently used, and peak in January. Since many accidents are caused by improper and inadvertent use of these products, we urge you to take note of proper and safe use of the products to prevent such accidents.

(*1)

Including serious product accidents reported according to the Consumer Product Safety Act, non serious accidents and near-misses (with no damage.)

(*2)

The figures are as of September 28, 2012, and were compiled based on a “date of occurrence” basis, excluding duplicate and inapplicable information.

Press briefing paper in Japanese

• http://www.nite.go.jp/jiko/press/prs12112201.pdf [PDF:116KB]
• http://www.nite.go.jp/jiko/press/prs12112201set.pdf [PDF:714KB]
• http://www.nite.go.jp/jiko/poster/poster.html#kotatu2_121122
• http://www.nite.go.jp/jiko/poster/poster.html#denkicarpet_121122
• http://www.nite.go.jp/jiko/poster/poster.html#yutanpo4_121122