You may have noticed what look like panic buttons hanging around children’s necks if you visited Japan recently. You are partly right. However, they are actually personal alarm buzzers they can activate to tell those near them they need help. If you purchased one while visiting, this advisory is for you.
Local Government Concerns Regarding Personal Alarm Buzzers
Many Japanese primary school kids carry their personal alarm buzzers everywhere they go. They are especially popular when they are commuting alone to and from school.
The Mainichi broadsheet posted a worrisome item on April 20, 2018. This was regarding a caution issued by National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (NCAC).
The NCAC alert was in response to two prefectures reporting three exploding buzzer batteries over a period of two years. The AAA cells were all from the Japanese manufacture Vinnic, and displayed the lot number 12-2020. The Consumer Affairs Commission believes “faulty pressure relief valves caused a buildup of gas produced as the battery used up”.
The Tests the NCAC Performed to Confirm the Problem
The NCAC obtained ten unused personal alarm buzzers identical to those that gave problems. After they pressed them continuously for two days, two of them exploded.
Then, battery box covers and batteries flew several meters through the air. “It would be very dangerous if someone was holding it when it exploded,” an NCAC representative warned.
The Vinnic battery manufacturing company is one of the largest battery makers in the world. It produces 1.8 billion assorted zinc-chloride and nickel-metal-hydride rechargeable batteries, as well as button types. Moreover, there are a number of strikingly similar counterfeits labelled Vimic, Vimie, Vinhie and Vinlec.
This appears to be an isolated incident because of so few reports. It is nonetheless a timely reminder for parents to inspect batteries regularly, in all devices their children may have.
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Preview Image: NCAC Photo of Battery
