Increase in Water Play Safety Accidents Post-Endemic
Surfboard Safety Accidents Account for More Than Half
The Korea Consumer Agency and the National Institute of Technology and Standards have issued a safety advisory regarding the increase in water play safety accidents during the summer season.
According to the Consumer Agency on the 18th, from 2019 to 2023, a total of 290 safety accidents related to water play equipment were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS), showing an increasing trend since 2020. The number of reported incidents per year was 82 in 2019, then decreased to 46 and 48 in 2020 and 2021 respectively during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after the transition to endemic, the numbers rose again to 56 in 2022 and 58 in 2023.
Analyzing the 290 reported safety accidents by product category, 'surfboard' accidents accounted for 182 cases, representing 62.8% of the total, making it the most frequent. This was followed by 'water skis' with 58 cases (20.0%), 'goggles and flippers' with 16 cases (5.5%), and 'life tubes' with 11 cases (3.8%).
There was a notable difference in accident-prone age groups by product. Active water play equipment accidents such as those involving 'surfboards' and 'water skis' were mostly among people in their 20s and 30s, accounting for more than half. In contrast, accidents related to relatively safer water play items like 'goggles' and 'life tubes' occurred more frequently among children aged 10 and under.
By type of safety accident, incidents caused by 'physical impact such as collisions with equipment' during water play were the most common, with 189 cases (66.5%). Accidents involving 'slipping or falling' while using water skis and similar equipment followed with 51 cases (18.0%).
There were also reports of injuries caused by the elastic straps of goggles snapping and damaging the eyes, as well as safety accidents caused by leakage while attempting to dive wearing snorkeling masks.
In particular, the Consumer Agency noted that overseas cases have been reported where children drowned due to improper use of arm tubes (arm ring jackets), emphasizing the need for consumers to exercise special caution when using such equipment.
To ensure safe water play during the summer, the Consumer Agency and the National Institute of Technology and Standards urged the public to ▲ familiarize themselves with the proper use of water play equipment and check for any abnormalities ▲ ensure children wear safety gear and are accompanied by guardians ▲ avoid going to excessively deep water when snorkeling ▲ and be mindful of surroundings during water play to prevent collision accidents.
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