Review of washing machine-related deaths in South Korea

Abstract

We reviewed data on washing machine-related deaths between 2008 and 2020 in South Korea to analyze the case characteristics, manners of death, and causes of death. Washing machine-related deaths are very rare, and only 23 incidents were identified over the study period. Of these cases, 19 (82.6%) were related to general pulsator-type top load washing machines; the other 4 (17.4%) were related to front-load washing machines. The pulsator-type top load washing machine-related deaths occurred in people aged between 40 and 93 years (mean age, 68 years), including 9 men (47.4%) and 10 women (52.6%). The manners of death among the incidents were suicide in 12 cases (63.2%), accident in 6 cases (31.6%), and unknown in 1 case (5.3%). A Medline search of the English literature currently does not yield results for washing machine-related suicidal deaths in adults. Of the 12 suicide cases, 4 were autopsied; suicidal death was determined by postmortem investigation or based on suicide notes. Washing machine-related suicidal deaths are presumed to have characteristics similar to those of bathtub suicidal deaths. The front-load washing machine-related deaths involved boys aged between 6 and 8 years, and all cases were concluded as accidents. The cause of death was hypoxia resulting from the children being accidentally trapped inside the washing machine while playing. Greater attention to vulnerable groups, especially children and older adults, is required to reduce the rate of washing machine-related accidental or suicidal deaths.