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More Caution is Needed in Using Instantaneous Gas Water Heater

- Skyrocketing number of gas water heater-involved accidents

- Fatal accidents due to carbon monoxide poisoning ranked No. 1 for death cause

Recently, there is a continued rise in the number of safety accidents such as death due to carbon monoxide poisoning or injury due to gas explosion while using instant gas water heaters. More caution is needed in using instantaneous gas water heaters.

□ Safety accidents related to instantaneous gas water heaters

Analyzing 28 cases of instantaneous gas water heater accidents filed to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS) from 2006 to July, 2009, the Korea Consumer Agency (President: Kim, Young-Seen, www.kca.go.kr) found that gas explosion was the most popular with 15 cases (53.6%) followed by carbon monoxide poisoning (9 cases, 32.1%) and fire (4 cases, 14.3%).

The number of victims from the aforementioned accidents amounted to 8 persons. The damage cause was all carbon monoxide poisoning.

□ Major incident causes

O Carbon monoxide poisoning accidents in a sealed place with bad ventilation

Lots of carbon monoxide poisoning accidents are taking place as a user installs and uses an instantaneous gas water heater in a sealed place with bad ventilation such as a bathroom.

In July, 2009, three girls in their early-teens were found dead in a bathroom built in a container. On the scene of the accident, an instantaneous gas water heater was operating and all the bathroom windows were closed.

O Incident due to bad installation by unqualified person or poor quality gas water heater

In Dec., 2006, Kim (female, aged 27) was found to fall in faint while taking a shower at home. She was instantly moved to a nearby hospital yet dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Her father has bought the instantaneous gas water heater in question on the second market and installed it for himself.

O Incident due to users’ carelessness

In Aug., 2007, Jang (Male, aged 39) was sitting on a toilet and snapping on his lighter. At that moment, there was a gas explosion as there was gas residence in the bathroom due to a gas leakage in a connecting part for the gas boiler pipeline.

□ Directions for Safe Use of Instantaneous Gas Water Heaters

ㅁTo prevent these accidents, instantaneous gas water heaters should be installed in a place with good ventilation. Sealed places such as bathroom have bad ventilation with high humidity that may cause carbon monoxide poisoning due to imperfect combustion.

ㅁWhen installation, qualified person should take charge in the process according to installation guide from the manufacturer. The product should be installed in an inflammable-free place with good ventilation. Also, the product should be easily accessed for control, check, and repair.

ㅁWhen purchasing a second-hand boiler product, confirmation should be made whether safety device is equipped and working normally.

ㅁWhen using an instantaneous gas water heater, sufficient ventilation should be made beforehand. Even when it is being operated, a ventilator should be also run or ventilation should be made via window.

ㅁAfter using the boiler, a fuse cock valve should be locked.

ㅁSafety check for gas leakage should be made on a gas tank, pipelines, a valve, and connecting parts on a regular basis.

ㅁWhen a safety device is activated and ignition is failed, the operation should be stopped on the instant for a check from the manufacturer.

ㅁ When a instantaneous gas water heater is removed, the user should make a request to the Korea Gas Safety Corporation for putting a stopper on the gas water heater pipe.

Supplementary coverage	Eun-sil Choi, Head of Consumer Product Safety Team, Consumer Safety Bureau (☎ 02-3460-3481)
	Gook-bum Shin, Senior Manager of Consumer Product Safety Team, Consumer Safety Bureau (☎ 02-3460-3485)

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