Ikea Japan instructed to modify product manuals after injury report

Saturday 26th April, 05:48 AM JST

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13 Comments

blvtzpk at 11:33 AM JST - 26th April

So it's Ikea's fault, right? Damn those infernal Swedes!!! [waves fist]

Am I to assume that, not being able to read English or follow the illustrations, the 60-year-old went upon his way constructing the chest of drawers his own way and that's why the accident occured?

Although it was "a fragment from a cracked screw" that caused the injury, the quality of the screw is not at question here, but how the man approached the construction.

Yes, japanese instructions in Jqapan would be a good move, but I do like the line "‘‘we doubt that the accident resulted simply from carelessness on the user’s part,’’" He could have stopped building it when he didn't know what he was doing, couldn't he?

If this is the case, we should have eating directions, choking warnings, and heimlich manoeveur instructions on packs of mochi for the next new year's celebrations.
OssanULTRA at 12:00 PM JST - 26th April

Ar du svensk kompis? Or work for Ikea? While the whole matter does sound silly considering the sheer number of Ikea products I've assembled over the last couple of decades without ever incurring any injury of any sort, it seems silly to immediately pounce on the injury victim based on what miniscule information this article provides.
teck at 12:39 PM JST - 26th April

IKEA's instructions aren't in English... they are pictorial... And IKEA also offers assembly services for a price, if the customer is unwilling or unable to assemble on their own. He tried to save some money and injured himself. If he didn't understand what the diagrams were trying to say, then he should have stopped trying to be clever, and call IKEA to ask for assembly services.
Alfie_in_Tokyo at 04:39 PM JST - 26th April

Ikea "instructions" whilst, yes, pictorial can be enfuriating at the best of times with some particular pieces of assembly. Ikea rage does not always end in the guided rabbit warren of their stores. Maybe these instructions were like the ones I once saw on a kitchen knife in Korea: Warning - do not leave in children. I imagine they meant to say "not in reach of children" but you never know....
cupidstunt at 07:47 PM JST - 26th April

Looks like Ikea might be leaving Japan again. I think last time they were in Japan it was a pin in a cushion that forced them out. Ho hum.
MeanRingo at 12:11 AM JST - 27th April

This is serious. I lost 2 teeth, half an arm and both legs while trying to assemble a frickin Norrebo shelving unit. I'll be shopping at Muji from now on.
efftta at 12:28 AM JST - 27th April

dear me MeanRingo, that's a horrible story. I hope you find them soon.
GW at 11:23 AM JST - 27th April

yeah weird they dont seem to be interested in a possible faulty screw.........duh!

I am going to take a guess that this guy went out & bought a power drill to assist with the construction of this ikea contraption & probably gunned it causing the screw to break/shatter, I mean how can some one hand screw with enough force/torque to cause a screw to break & fly a bit & injure someone, i can imagine a lot striped threads but flying screw bits....seems far fetched, I bet on useing power drill
GW at 02:31 PM JST - 27th April

oh & I bet the drill was made in Jpn & thats why they are going after Ikea & not the drill manufacturer, anybody think I`m wrong????
OssanULTRA at 02:50 AM JST - 28th April

"oh & I bet the drill was made in Jpn & thats why they are going after Ikea & not the drill manufacturer, anybody think I`m wrong????"

Yes. Both the Swedish furniture and Japanese drill were made in China.
GW at 09:33 AM JST - 28th April

insignificant technicality!
whatever11 at 01:24 PM JST - 28th April

Why bother labeling 'IKEA' if all that matters is where the drill and furniture were made? They are IKEA's products. Of course it is IKEA's responsibility to see their stuff meet their standards, which has never meant to be set that high anyway.

I will not trust any company that blames its suppliers for their own gaps in quality controls.
GW at 01:45 PM JST - 28th April

whatever

I am just speculating/guessing above about the drill etc, but to me it seems extremely odd for someone putting in a few screws wud be able to shatter one & almost blind themself in the process, if I had to guess on who what screwed up(pun intended) I wud put my $$$ on the person putting the thing together but just like car accedents once in the court who was wrong, who was responsible rarely figure into things, its always whoever is biggest or in this case big & foreign who is at fault.

as it typical with JT we never have enough info in these blurbs, but again how the hell can a guy almost blind himself putting ina few screws, it sounds far fetched to me.