The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants you and your family to be safe if you have a paper shredder. From January 2000 through December 2003, CPSC received 31 reports involving finger amputations, lacerations, and other finger injuries from paper shredders. The majority of injuries were to young children, ages 14 months to 2 years old. Young children are interested in imitating adult activities. This puts children at risk of injury. Children may activate the shredder when an adult is not present. Injuries can occur even when an adult is supervising a child. Children’s fingers can be pulled into the paper shredding mechanism if they don’t let the paper go. |
Never allow children to operate a paper shredder, even under adult supervision. Injuries can still occur. The pull force of the shredder can draw a child’s fingers into the shredding mechanism. | |
CPSC offers the following safety tips when using a paper shredder:
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