A series of accidents involving consumer products has led to a revision of the law to ensure product safety. The revised law should serve as an incentive for better quality control on the part of manufacturers. Public concern about product safety deepened after reports of 28 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning and 21 deaths -- between 1985 and 2005 -- surfaced last summer. The poisonings were attributed to Paloma Industries Ltd.'s gas water heaters. In addition, there were reported cases of shredders and washing machines cutting or severing fingers, showers and dishwasher-dryers causing burns and the discharge of lithium-ion batteries sparking fires.
The revised law requires manufacturers and importers to report death, serious injury including loss of eyesight, carbon monoxide poisoning and fire resulting from the use of their products to the industry ministry within 10 days. The law also calls on retailers, repair companies and others who have direct contact with consumers to report accidents to makers or importers.
The ministry is required to make public the kinds of products that have caused accidents. When harm to more people is feared, the ministry will make public the names of the enterprises involved and the specific names of products. A "fire" caused by a product must be recognized as such by a fire station. Therefore, lithium-ion battery ignition is not covered.