Three out of 10 safety accidents at large retailers involve shopping carts

-72.6% involve children falling off of or being hit by carts-

Business operators and consumers need to be aware of increasing number of accidents at large retailers involving children falling off of or being hit by shopping carts.

Injury Surveillance System (CISS) of the Korea Consumer Agency (www.kca.go.kr) totaled 1,079 cases and the number is growing each year.

In analyzing the cases reported, 339 cases (31.4%) related to shopping cart accidents.  Of the 339 shopping cart-related accidents, 246 cases (72.6%) involved children under the age of six. In detail, 150 cases (61.0%) related to children falling off of carts, and 92 cases (37.4%) related to children being hit by carts.

By type of injuries suffered by children, abrasions accounted for 36.6% (90 cases) followed by lacerations (34.6% or 85 cases), concussions (16.3% or 40 cases), bruising (4.9% or 12 cases), and fractures (4.5% or 11 cases).

Among the 124 cases that required medical treatment, 76 cases (61.3%) required more than a week of treatment. As can be seen, measures are needed to prevent children-related accidents at large retailers.

The KCA tested 580 shopping carts used at 15 large retailers in Seoul and found that 338 carts (58.3%) in 13 retail stores did not have safety warning labels. 397 carts (68.4%) in 14 retail stores did not have safety belts for children or the safety belts were broken, which raises concern of accidents involving children falling off of carts.

      *According to the Safety and Quality Labeling Standard (Annex 44) of the Act on   Quality Control and Safety Management of Industrial Products, safety warning labels need to be indicated on shopping carts and safety belts for children need to be installed.

Also, 11 diaper change tables in 8 retail stores did not have safety belts or had broken safety belts, which shows inadequate safety management of large retailers.

  In examining large retailers' management of evacuation and fire prevention facilities, 13 retail stores were found to have product shelves or items piled up in emergency exits, in front of fire extinguishers and under fireproof shutters^*, and 10 stores had fire extinguishers in which expiry date has passed 8 years ago or manufacturing date was not indicated.

       *Piling items or placing hurdles near evacuation and fire prevention facilities are prohibited, according to Article 10 of the Act on Installation, Maintenance and Safety Control of Fire-Fighting Systems.

In order to ensure the safety of children, the KCA recommended large retailers to strengthen safety control such as labeling safety labels on shopping carts, and advised parents to make sure that children wear safety belts and to keep them safely seated in shopping carts.