"A Pet Dog Got Caught and Died"... Another Accident at a Massage Chair with Hair Tangled

Recent Incidents of Hair Getting Caught in Massage Chairs
About 300 Massage Chair-Related Accidents Occur Annually

Consumers using massage chairs at home are increasing. Among them, pinch accidents are occurring in the control section located at the bottom of the massage chair, requiring users to exercise special caution.

On the 23rd, Yonhap News TV reported on a pinch accident involving a pet dog that occurred in a household on June 5. The product involved is from the same manufacturer that recently had a hair entanglement accident and heavily promoted its anti-pinch function. However, the accident happened again, resulting in the pet dog being caught and dying in the massage chair. At the time of the accident, the sensor activated and the machine stopped once, but later it operated again while the pet dog was still caught.

There is a space at the bottom of the product where a cylinder moves, large enough to fit an adult male's forearm. In the case of other models from competitors, this hole is covered with fabric or similar measures to completely prevent entrapment accidents.
[Photo by Yonhap News TV]

There is a space under the product where a cylinder moves, large enough for an adult male’s forearm to fit. In the case of other models from competing companies, this hole is blocked by measures such as adding fabric to completely prevent pinch accidents. However, the pet owner who experienced the fatal accident claimed that the manufacturer never explained the existence of the hole where the pet dog got caught.

Two weeks earlier, another model massage chair made by the same manufacturer had an incident where a user suffered injury due to hair entanglement. The manufacturer acknowledged the possibility of the same accident happening again and decided to upgrade the sensor software for future production. However, they showed a passive stance by excluding existing products from the software upgrade. Moreover, they refused to provide risk warnings for products already sold. After controversy arose, the manufacturer belatedly agreed to refund the product and cover the pet dog’s funeral expenses for the affected owner.

Meanwhile, according to data released by the Korea Consumer Agency in November last year, a total of 1,592 cases related to massage chairs were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS) over the past four years (2020 to October 2023), averaging nearly 300 cases annually. The main types of injuries reported include crushing and pinching accidents, as well as low-temperature burns.