ISO/COPOLCO workshop on 14 May elements and examples Case study presentation:

Conveying information about product durability

May 14, 2014 Toshimasa Yamazaki

Japan Technical Communicators Association

1. Laws related to the durability of household appliances

2. Industry guidelines related to the durability of household appliances

3. Survey on household appliances use by senior citizens

4. Toward the development of standards to evaluate the durability of household appliances

2

1. Laws related to the durability of household appliances 3

The Consumer Product Safety Act This act was established to assure the safety of consumer products, and was revised in April 2009.

1. The PSC (Product Safety-Consumer) mark system Products deemed as being highly likely to cause danger particularly to the lives or bodies of consumers are allowed to be sold only when they carry a PSC label. This label indicates that the products conform to the safety standards.

2. System for report and publication of product accident information If a serious product accident occurs, the manufacturer or importer of the product shall report it to the national government within 10 days after hearing of the accident. This is done in order to prevent the product accident from recurring or spreading.

3. Product safety inspection and labeling program for appliances in long-term use: revised in November 2007 Every product has a limited life, and may cause an accident due to age-related deterioration after long-term use. Aiming to prevent such accidents from occurring, this program came into effect in April 2009. Situation in the market: - About 16 years after manufacture, an instant water heater caused carbon monoxide

poisoning that led to a fatal accident. - More than 30 years after manufacture, an electric fan caught fire, leading to a fatal accident.

1. Laws related to the durability of household appliances 4

Product safety inspection and labeling program for appliances in long-term use Here is an example of labeling on products and information in instruction

manuals. The labeling is stipulated in the product safety inspection program for appliances in long-term use.

- An inspection system was established for nine types of products deemed highly likely to cause serious danger because of lack of reliable safety, due to deterioration caused by long-term use.

- Two of the nine types of products are household appliances: Built-in electric dishwashers, and electric drying machines for the use in bathrooms.

The designed standard length of use of this product is XX years from the year and month of production.

1. Laws related to the durability of household appliances 5

Product safety inspection and labeling program for appliances in long-term use Here are some examples of labeling on products and information in instruction

manuals. The labeling is stipulated in the product safety labeling program for appliances in long-term use. - It was made compulsory to add caution labels and information about

designated standard length of use and aging deterioration for products that are deemed unlikely to cause serious accidents due to aging deterioration, but which have caused many accidents.

- This applies to five types of household appliances: Electric fans, air conditioners, ventilation fans, washing machines and CRT-based televisions

* The flyer on the right was distributed nationwide in 2008.

[Year of production] 20XX [Designated standard length of use] YY years

2. Industry guidelines related to the durability of household appliances

6

Fair competition agreement on product labeling in the household-appliance manufacturing industry Information that must be indicated on products (Article 8 Indication of time of

production) Opinions of consumer groups

- When selecting products, consumers need to: judge sustainability of quality and performance, distinguish between old and new products, and recognize obsolete products.

- After purchasing products, consumers need to: check the availability of parts and accessories, know when to inspect and replace the products, and recognize defective products.

Target products under the administrative guidance of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (predecessor of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) 1971: Televisions 1974: Electric refrigerators and electric washing machines 1978: Microwave ovens and vacuum cleaners 2000: Major revision (labeling required for recalled products, yearly labeling, etc.) After a further 23 types were added, new types have been added in succession, to a total of 43 types.

2. Industry guidelines related to the durability of household appliances

7

Televisions Video tape recorders Video cameras Stereo sets CD players MD players Radio cassette recorders DVD players

Electric refrigerators Microwave ovens Toasters Rice cookers and warmers

Electric kettles Electric ovens Electric roasters Electric pans

Electric cooking plates Electric coffee makers Electric rice-cake makers Automatic bread machines

Electric dish dryers Electric dishwashers and dryers

Electric washing machines Electric clothes dryers

Vacuum cleaners Irons Hair dryers Hair curlers Electric razors

(except battery-operated type) Air conditioners Dehumidifiers Humidifiers

Air cleaners Electric fans Electric heaters Electric blankets

Electric foot warmers Electric kotatsus (low table with inbuilt heater) Electric carpets Electric fan heaters

Kerosene stoves Kerosene fan heaters Household lighting apparatus

* The following 43 types of household appliances are specified in the Ordinance for Enforcement

* It is necessary to carefully determine the size, position and material of a label to ensure it is clear and easy for consumers to understand.

Products that need labeling to indicate the time of production

2. Industry guidelines related to the durability of household appliances

8

Fair competition agreement on product labeling in the household-appliance manufacturing industry Information that must be given in catalogs and instruction

manuals Article 5 Catalogs and Article 6 Instruction Manuals specify the minimum retention period for performance-critical repair parts.

• Performance-critical parts are the parts essential for maintaining the functions of products.

• The minimum retention period for a performance-critical part starts when the manufacturer discontinues manufacturing the product that contains the performance-critical part.

* This agreement provides guidelines on the assumed durability of products, that is, the periods for which consumers can safely use the products before the products reach the end of their design lives.

2. Industry guidelines related to the durability of household appliances

9

Product Years Product Years Electric refrigerators 9 Tape recorders 6 Air conditioners 9 Electric washing machines 6 Black-and-white televisions 8 Vacuum cleaners 6 Color televisions 8 Mixers and juicers 6 Stereos 8 Electric rice cookers 6 Electric fans 8 Electric kotatsus 6 Electric well pumps 8 Electric foot-warmers 6 Water coolers 8 Electric blankets 6 Fan coolers 8 Electric heaters 6 Microwave ovens 8 Electric razors 6 Ventilation fans 6 Electric kettles 5 Electric rice warmers 6 Toasters 5 Trouser presses 6 Roasters 5 Electric panel heaters 6 Irons 5 Window fans 6 Electric cooking stoves 5 Radios 6 Hair curlers 5 Outdoor-exhaust type kerosene stoves 7 Open-type kerosene stoves 6

Example of information in instruction manuals 10

Example of information for toilet seats with a warm-water bidet

Instructions for prevention of serious accidents

Your toilet seat with a warm-water bidet is an electric product which has a limited life.

Regular inspection is recommended.

If your toilet seat with a warm-water bidet has been used for 10 years or more, it should be replaced with a new one.

3. Survey on household appliances use by senior citizens 11

Report of a survey on household appliances use by senior citizens (2009) Shown below is data excerpted from a report issued in March 2010 by the Association for Electric Home Appliances. Outline of survey design

Subjects of survey: 494 people aged 65 or over, from elderly households Period of survey: November 2009 to December 2009 Main questions: eight questions

- Household appliances currently used and the time of replacement - Conditions of use of household appliances owned by the subjects - Characteristics of the subjects of the survey

Target household appliances: 40 types of household appliances Electric fans, electric irons, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, interior air conditioners, etc.

3. Survey on household appliances use by senior citizens 12

Electric fans, electric irons, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners and interior air conditioners

Product Owner-ship rate

Reason for replacement purchase: Failure or malfunction

Reason for replacement purchase: High repair cost

Number of years of use

Electric fan 95% 79% 7%

8.3 years

Electric iron 96% 82% 5%

11.4 years

Microwave oven

98% 80% 13%

8.9 years

Vacuum cleaner

98% 81% 10%

8.3 years

Interior air conditioner

91% 68% 22%

11.8 years

4. Toward the development of standards to evaluate the durability of household appliances

13

Product lives of household appliances in Japan Household appliances are classed as general consumer goods and are consumed

over a period of about 10 years at the longest. * In the past, Japanese consumers shared a number of commonly held

assumptions: “Household appliances last for a long period of time if they are used carefully.” “I talk with the staff at the electric-appliance store in the neighborhood if a household appliance is out of order.” However, this social structure based on product safety, particularly, long-term use, has broken down.

Current methods of indicating product lives - Design life: Service life of a product assumed when it is designed. This is

the limit of use specified by the manufacturer in advance. It is based on conditions such as consumption of parts and the limit of supply of parts required for maintaining product performance. Design lives are indicated for some products only.

- Warranty period: If a product gets out of order or has a fault within this period despite being properly used in accordance with the instruction manual, the manufacturer guarantees free-of-charge repair or replacement of the product. A warranty period is generally 1 year.

4. Toward the development of standards to evaluate the durability of household appliances

14

◆ Indication of product lives of household appliances in Japan (Current state)

Every product is made of materials (parts), and no material can permanently maintain its original state. Therefore, every product has a limited life, or a life span, and this is called the “design life.”

From the 2000s, manufacturers have systematically conducted durability evaluations (such as acceleration tests) of materials to meet consumer expectations. This means that most manufacturers know the life spans of materials. If a product made of certain materials is also required by law to indicate its design life, the designated standard length of use is also indicated in years.

[Proposals] Designated standard length of use should also be indicated for general consumer goods.

- As a first step, standardize durability evaluation standards (in JIS). - Develop standards with attention to energy conservation, recycling and product

safety. - The time has come for the regulatory authorities, business enterprises and

consumers to actively exchange opinions regarding their own roles. ⇒ To build a sustainable society

Thank you for your attention.

15