Consumer Injury Trend Analysis in 2017

- Falls from beds and slips on floors frequently happened to children under the age of 10 and people in their 50s, 60s and older, respectively -

- Creating a safe environment that can prevent incidents occurring at home is needed -

    The Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) said that various safety incidents occurred during the use of products, facilities or services in households, and therefore cautions are needed for consumers to use them. In 2017, 71,000 reports of consumer injury information were filed to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS)* of the KCA, and the number continues to increase every year. 

 ※ Number of reported cases by year (percentage increase or decrease): 68,002 cases in 2015 → 69,018 cases in 2016 (1.5%) → 71,000 cases in 2017 (2.9%)

 □ Product item most frequently associated with consumer injuries was ‘furniture & accessory furnishings’, and ‘processed food’ showed the largest increase in injury cases compared to last year.

    By product item, ‘furniture and accessory furnishings’ topped the list of injury report in 2017 with 15.1% (10,707 cases), followed by‘processed food’with 14.5% (10, 314 cases), which showed the largest increase (1,487 cases or 16.9%) compared to last year.

    Meanwhile,‘electric home appliances and information and communication devices’, which saw the surge in injury reports due to reports that heavy metals and OIT (Octyl-Isothiazolinone) were detected in‘water purifiers used in households’and‘air cleaners’in 2016, returned to the level of the previous year, showing the largest decrease (▽1,461 cases, ▽18.1%).

    As for the place where the injury occurred most frequently,‘home’topped the list by taking up 47.7% (33,806 cases), followed by‘roads and sidewalks (9.2% or 6,549 cases)’and‘accommodations and restaurants (7.2% or 5,094 cases). And for injury symptoms, ’skin damage’ accounted for the largest portion (37.2% or 26,426 cases), followed by ‘brain concussion and bruise (12.5% or 8,901 cases)’ and ‘damage to muscles, bones and tendons (9.4% or 6,670 cases)’.

□ Attention needs to be paid to the types of incidents occurring most frequently by age.

    The result of the analysis on the 65,503 injury cases where ages could be identified revealed that children‘under the age of 10’suffered injuries most frequently (35.5% or 23,279 cases) every year, followed by‘people in their 30s (14.8% or 9,699 cases)’,’in their 40s (12.4% or 8,096 cases)’and‘in their 60s or older (11.0% or 7,249 cases).’

    By age, the most common injuries involving children‘under the age of 10’were falls from beds. Teens experienced bike-related injuries most often, and people in their 20s frequently suffered dog biting incidents. And incidents related to foreign object detection in water purifiers used in households, and slips or trips on stone or tile floors frequently happened to people in their 30s and 40s, and in their 50s, 60s and older, respectively.

    Based on the analysis result, the KCA recommended consumers ▲to pay attention to various safety incidents occurring in daily life and comply with safety rules, and ▲in particular, to make efforts to prevent safety incidents by installing 1)handles & rails to reduce the risk of falls and 2)anti-slip flooring in households and facilities where children and elder people vulnerable to safety incidents stay.

    In addition, it has also advised consumers to report the cases where injuries actually occurred or the risk of future injuries exists through hotline (☎ 080-900-3500), injury reporting mobile app, or the CISS webiste (www.ciss.go.kr).

※ Detailed information is available on the CISS website (www.ciss.go.kr) - Go to ‘Injury Information Trends’ - ‘Consumer Injury Trends.’