Paper Shredder Accidents

With the influx of paper shredders into the home and home/office, the number of accidents has been on the rise.  The greatest number of these injuries involve children, with finger injuries being the most common accident.  According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, their were 31 injuries reported to the CSPC involving paper shredders, including lacerations and amputations.  Twenty two of the 31 incidents involves children under 12 years of age, with 12 of those shredder accidents involving children under 2 years old.

The worst of the cases reported to the CSPC resulted in finger amputations.  One adult and four children suffered amputations as a result of a paper shredder.  The one adult was thirty three years old.  He suffered a partial amputation of his thumb.  The children that suffered amputations ranged in age from 23 months old to 6 years old.  their injuries ranged from amputations of the fingertips to the amputations of three fingers.

Part of the danger of paper shredders is due to the auto start function, which draws paper into the unit automatically.  This danger is compounded by the height of these machines, which are normally at a height that is very accessible to small children.  The CSPC is working to develop standards over and above the current recommendations to help prevent the accidents that have become more common in the last few years.

With over 20 million households owning home paper shredders, and sales rising at over 20% per year, the need for a more rigorous standard is apparent.  Until then, unplug your shredder after you use it, especially if you have children of pets in your home.