Question 6. What information, if any, concerning accidents or injuries which your agency does not now have could it profitably use? Answer 6. The Bureau's primary interest is in commercial motor vehicle accidents. Presently, it receives reports only from interstate motor carriers. There is a large number of intrastate motor carriers on which the Bureau has no knowledge concerning their accident experience. Information from these carriers would be of great value to the Bureau in the identification of problem areas, and in the development of regulatory changes. Question 7. What suggestions, if any, do you have as to practicable and economical means of obtaining and disseminating useful data needed by your department or agency or other interested parties which is not now readily available? Answer 7. The BMCS strongly supports the program plan of the NHSB to develop a comprehensive national accident and injury reporting data base, utilizing compatible automotive data processing systems at the State level, which will provide input to a national data system. The data requirements of BMCS can be accommodated in such a system if some commercial vehicle information nodes are included in the system. Question 8. What arrangements, if any, does your department or agency have for obtaining or receiving accident or injury data collected by State and local governmental agencies or nongovernmental entities? Answer 8. The Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety has representation on the Federal Highway Administration Research and Development Correlation Board which reviews all internal research projects, and through the other Bureaus of the Federal Highway Administration has access to the Highway Research Information Service that is administered by the Highway Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences and to the National Highway Safety Documentation Center of National Highway Safety Bureau. APPENDIX 12.-ESTIMATES OF INJURIES FROM CONSUMER PRODUCTS, PREPARED FOR NATIONAL COMMISSION ON PRODUCT SAFETY, OCTOBER 1968 INTRODUCTION In reviewing the general area of injuries involving a consumer product, we soon found that there were thousands of products which may be associated with an injury. Some method of organization would be essential before starting on the project of preparing estimates. Thus, classes of consumer products have been developed. Since this is a first attempt at development of class, we anticipate changes in subsequent editions. The products listed with the definitions are examples and are not meant to be exhaustive. Estimates of the number of injuries associated with the classes of consumer products have been prepared. Wherever possible the types of injury (such as burns, lacerations) are given, as well as estimates for specific products. No measures of severity are given. Data on deaths are generally unavailable at present. The number of injuries includes only persons with an injury involving one or more days of restricted activity or medical attention. A consumer is a person who uses goods or services to satisfy his needs rather than to resell them or to produce other goods with them. Consumer products are products customarily produced or distributed for sale through retail sales agencies for use by a consumer or any member of his family. (Thus, products meeting this definition but obtained free or wholesale are not excluded.) Two specific groups of consumer products are not included-flammable fabrics and related products and various forms of transportation as motor vehicles, aircraft, and watercraft (bicycles are included). The list, however, is broader in scope than the categories presently under review by the National Commission on Product Safety. Items are included in this list which the Commission cannot include by law. The statistical estimates given are those injuries associated with consumer products and are not necessarily caused by the consumer product. In many injuries there may be a combination of circumstances which results in the injury, thus, no one factor can be called the cause. The present state of the art and available studies limits our knowledge about the precise involvement of a consumer product. In sports, for example, a consumer product is used. The actual injury may not be associated with the product, however. METHOD OF ESTIMATION The health interview survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics provides estimates of the number of injuries by type of accident, place of occurrence, and type of injury. There are no breakdowns by agent. The injury control program has had injury reporting systems in which many details on the circumstances of the injury were obtained. Several studies consisting of epidemiologic investigations were conducted as well. From these studies and from the information and data from the Denver and Boston injury study units percentages of a particular agent to the total can be prepared. There have been special studies on certain products which have given additional information. The National Clearinghouse for Poison Control Centers provides data on ingestions for example. These percentages are then applied to the appropriate grouping of the health interview survey to obtain a national estimate. It should be clearly understood that these estimates are not based on actual counts or surveys of the whole United States. Thus, these estimates have an unknown error attached. Thus, we cannot say how right or how wrong we may be. As noted above, the estimates presented have much to be desired. They are. however, the best possible estimates considering the state of the art today. A household or office apparatus, instrument, or machine that utilizes a power supply. Total estimated number of injuries all items this class-- Burns from ranges (gas and electric). Burns from portable appliances__ Coffeepots Vaporizers Irons Sun and heat lamps.. Other Injuries from wringer wash machines__ All others II. COOKING DEVICES 500, 000 100, 000 125,000 40,000 15,000 20,000 20, 000 30,000 100,000 175,000 Any unit, portable or stationary, used to cook food. Excludes appliances. III. KITCHEN GADGETS AND SERVING UTENSILS Items generally used in and around the kitchen for the preparation, serving, and eating of meals and which do not use an external power source but whose energy may be obtained from a battery or from the user. 500, 000 190,000 310,000 Total estimated number of injuries all items this class_. Injuries from knives- All others______ IV. HOME FURNISHINGS Furniture of a home, office, or other building which is not permanently a part of the structure. Any of the fittings, electrical or otherwise, attached with a relative degree of permanency to a building and considered as part of the building. Excluding appliances. Total estimated number of injuries all items this class---. 2,500,000 100, 000 1, 800, 000 125, 000 100, 000 25, 000 150,000 200, 000 VI. HEATING DEVICES Any unit which through its own self contained power source or some outside power source is capable of producing heat which is used to warm a space or warm some other item-not food. Power equipment used in and around the home for the maintenance of said structure or property or for building "do-it-yourself" type projects. 1. Power saw. 2. Power drills. EXAMPLES 3. Power sanders. Total estimated number of injuries all items this class----. 125, 000 Nonpower tools used in and around the home for the maintenance and repair of said structure or property or items found therein or for building of “do-ityourself" type projects. EXAMPLES 1. Hammer 2. Saw 3. Screw driver 4. Vise 5. Pliers Total estimated number of injuries all items this class__. 750,000 IX. YARD AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS Power or manual items used in the yard or garden to maintain said property or used to cultivate plants found therein. Does not include farm equipment, except as used by an individual to care for a lawn or garden. 180,000 100, 000 150,000 320, 000 |