A Total of 1,182 Injury Reports Related to Food Waste Disposers Over the Past Three Years
Fingers Account for 67.5% of All Injured Body Parts — Caution Advised During Use
The Korea Consumer Agency (hereinafter the KCA) and the Fair Trade Commission (hereinafter the FTC) have issued a consumer safety advisory to prevent safety accidents that occur while using food waste disposers, as consumer interest in and demand for these appliances continue to grow.
Over the past three years (2020–22), a total of 1,182 injury reports related to food waste disposers were received, an increase of 876 cases (286.3%) compared with the 306 cases recorded before COVID-19 (2017–19). This is analyzed to be attributable to the increased proportion of households cooking at home or having meals delivered due to COVID-19.
By age group, people in their 40s — the primary users of food waste disposers — accounted for the most cases at 362 (30.6%), followed by those in their 50s with 335 cases (28.3%) and those in their 30s with 240 cases (20.3%). An analysis of the 40 injury reports involving actual safety accidents showed that product-related causes were the most common at 24 cases (60.0%), followed by physical impact at 8 cases (20.0%) and electrical and chemical substances at 6 cases (15.0%). As for the specifics of the product-related causes, sharp edges and poor finishing accounted for the most at 23 cases (95.8%), while other defects and malfunctions accounted for 1 case (4.2%).
In terms of injury symptoms, skin and subcutaneous tissue damage was the most common at 26 cases (65.0%), and the most frequently injured body part was the fingers at 27 cases (67.5%). This was followed by whole-body injuries at 6 cases (15.0%), muscle, bone and ligament injuries at 5 cases (12.5%), burns at 1 case (2.5%) and bruises at 1 case (2.5%). Within skin and subcutaneous tissue damage, lacerations (tears) were the main symptom at 19 cases (73.1%), followed by incised wounds (cuts) at 7 cases (26.9%). With regard to muscle, bone and ligament injuries, amputations were the most common at 3 cases (60.0%), followed by crushing at 1 case (20.0%) and fractures at 1 case (20.0%).
To prevent food waste disposer safety accidents, the FTC and the KCA urged consumers to: ▲install the food waste disposer out of the reach of infants and young children; ▲not allow children to operate the appliance; ▲never disassemble or modify the product; ▲always cut off the power and use tongs or similar tools when removing foreign objects; ▲avoid using it in damp locations as much as possible and use a grounded outlet; and ▲use a dry towel rather than spraying water directly at the appliance when cleaning it.