2018 Consumer Injury Trend Analysis

- Reports of injuries involving ‘furniture’ increased sharply, and many of the safety accidents occurred among children aged under 6 -

In 2018, a total of 72,013 pieces of data on consumer injuries were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS)* of the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA), and the number continues to increase every year. In particular, safety accidents involving furniture frequently occur in everyday life, requiring consumers to pay attention. 

    ※ Number of reported cases by year (rate of increase & decrease): 69,018 cases in 2016 → 71,000 cases (2.9%) in 2017 → 72,013 cases (1.4%) in 2018

□ Consumer injury data related to ‘furniture and furnishing accessaries’ increased sharply year-on-year.

According to the KCA, ‘furniture and furnishing accessaries’topped the list of product items most frequently associated with consumer injuries in 2018 by taking up 17.3% (12,438 cases) of the total. Injuries involving furniture (e.g. collisions, falls, etc.) that occurred constantly, and media coverage on radon-laden mattresses and toxic play mats contributed to the sharp rise in the reports of consumer injury data related to furniture.

    *mattress (2,187 cases, up 2,840.3% year-on-year), playmat (866 cases, up 921.3% year-on-year)

Meanwhile, 53.0% (38,141 cases) of injuries occurred at ‘home,’and ‘physical shock,’such as slips, collisions, etc., was the most common cause of risk and injury at 42.5% (30,561 cases).

□ Concussions and fractures frequently occurred among children aged under 6.

An analysis of the 63,834 injury cases in which ages were identified revealed that safety accidents involving children aged 14 and under accounted for 37.7% (24,097 cases). Of those 24,097 cases, 19,250 cases were associated with the safety accidents involving children aged under 6.

In particular, 86.3% of ‘brain concussion (774 cases)’ and 65.1% of‘fracture (749 cases),’ which are fatal to young children, occurred at home, requiring parents’ special attention.

Based on the results of the analysis, the KCA plans to make efforts to reduce safety accidents by issuing consumer safety alert, producing and distributing content, and launching a safety campaign for injury-causing products, and causes of injuries by age group, place, and industry.

In addition, the KCA asked consumers to report injuries or injury risks through injury report hotline (☎080-900-3500), mobile app or the CISS website (www.ciss.go.kr).
※ Detailed information is available at the CISS website (www.ciss.go.kr) - Go to ’Trends in Injury Data’ - ’Trends in Consumer Injuries.’