MECHANISMS OF PEDIATRIC ELECTRICAL INJURY - NEW IMPLICATIONS FOR PRODUCT-SAFETY AND INJURY PREVENTION

Objectives: To determine age-specific mechanisms of electrical injury in children, to examine product safety regulation of the major sources of electrical injury hazard, and to assess the adequacy of current pr evention strategies. Design: Case series of 144 pediatric and adolesce nt electrical injuries in patients seen in the specialized burn center and tertiary care hospital between 1970 and 1995, examination of Cons umer Product Safety Commission product recall reports for electrical i njury hazards between 1973 and 1995, and review of the National Electr ic Code. Results: Eighty-six cases of electrical injuries resulted fro m low-voltage (<1000-V) exposures, all occurring within the home. In c hildren aged 12 years and younger, household appliance electrical cord s and extension cords caused more than 64 (63%) of 102 injuries, where as wall outlets were responsible for only 14 (15%) of injuries. Fifty- eight cases resulted from high-voltage exposures, accounting for 38 (9 0%) of 42 injuries in children older than 12 years. No federal safety regulations for electrical cords exist, although voluntary standards h ave been adopted by many manufacturers. Among 383 consumer products id entified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to be electrical in jury hazards, 119 were appliance cords, extension cards, or holiday st ringed light sets. Several products numbered more than 1.5 million uni ts in US household distribution prior to the investigation by the Cons umer Product Safety Commission. Conclusions: Household electrical cord s are the major electrocution hazard for children younger than 12 year s, yet no federal safety mandates exist. Despite voluntary standards, noncompliant manufacturers can introduce vast numbers of unsafe cords onto the US household market every year. Conversion of existing volunt ary safety guidelines into federally legislated standards may be the m ost effective intervention against pediatric electrocutions.