Study on the Risk of Fire Caused by Switch Location Malfunctions on Electric Cookers

Abstract

As society becomes increasingly modernized and urbanized and as individualism grows stronger, "alone culture" is rapidly increasing and one-person families, or in other words, the culture of people living alone, is strongly establishing itself around us. Almost as a representation of this, products or spaces for those living alone are increasing, and the number of studio apartments offering high efficiency for low prices is increasing geometrically. In accordance with the living environments of those living alone, focus is being placed on simple living spaces that emphasize convenience and contain kitchen appliances that also aim for convenience rather than safety; to suit such living spaces, electric cookers, which can be used more easily than gas stoves, are rapidly becoming popular. Electric cookers, which are becoming popular owing to their high levels of efficiency and environment-friendliness, are manufactured to be flat, compared with gas stoves with their burner pots and trivets that allow objects to be placed on top, providing better space utilization and making them suitable for those living alone. However, such convenience is affecting safety. In particular, products that do not have a switch with a safety device can lead to fires owing to even the smallest of errors that occur in our daily lives, causing significant damage to human life and property. This study aims to discuss the safety of electric cookers with a focus on such cases and to devise measures to minimize such occurrences. Keywords: Electric Cooker, Hot Plates, Human Error, Switch Location Malfunctions on