Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.
Introduction: Trauma is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the U.S. The author’s son experienced an unprovoked spontaneous explosion of a glass shower enclosure in January 2018, necessitating hospitalization for operative intervention. There is a paucity of data on such potentially harmful events in the U.S. The study assessed the epidemiology of glass shower and tub enclosure explosions in the U.S. in the 5 years preceding the index event in January 2018. It was hypothesized that death could result from such events.
Methods: Retrospective study of all reported encounters of explosion of shower and tub glass enclosures to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission from January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2017. Descriptive statistics were used to report the frequency distribution with each individual as the unit of analysis.
Results: Of 226 people affected during the study period, there were 96 males and 88 females, with the sex for 42 persons being unknown or unspecified. Among the 166 persons whose ages were reported, there were 39 children 0-18 years, and 127 adults 21 years or older. The mean (standard deviation) age was 40 (22) years, with the age range of victims being 9 months to 90 years. Events were reported from 37 U.S. states, including all 4 census regions. Of the 226 events, 68 (30%) resulted in evaluation at the emergency department or other healthcare settings, 3 (1.3%) required hospitalization, 64 (28.2%) received first aid from a non-medical professional, and 34 (15%) received no first aid or medical attention. In the remainder of cases, the level of care sought was either unknown (7%) or unspecified (15.4%). Lacerations were the predominant (92%) bodily injury. Importantly, 6 (2.7%) persons died. All decedents were male, including a 9-year-old boy, and 5 adult men aged 39, 45, 80, 86, and 90 years old, respectively.
Conclusions: Explosion of glass shower and tub enclosures in the U.S. are not rare, involve all age groups, and can be fatal. Efforts to mitigate mortality and morbidity from apparently unprovoked disintegration of these glass barriers need to address the etiology and mechanism of the explosions, including improved understanding of the type of glass used, and the process of manufacture of these glass enclosures.
