According to one review, generic phone chargers increase the risk of burns and electrocution

A recent case report in the Annals of Emergency Medicine revealed the potential risk of serious burns and electrocution with the use of generic phone chargers compared to branded chargers, as have shown several badyzes.

A generic phone charger increases the risk of burns and electrocution. Image Credit: Annals of Emergency Medicine

Teens and teens are using mobile devices more and more, and their usage frequency throughout the day is also high. However, Carissa Bunke, a pediatrician and lead author of this study, said, "Teens and teens are particularly at risk for injury because of their frequent use of a mobile device. They should be advised not to sleep with their phones or mobile devices recharging in bed and to avoid leaving the charger plugged in when it is not connected to a phone. "

Among the patients whose cases were cited in the badysis is a patient who was electrocuted so severely that he was thrown out of bed. Another girl was 19 years old and was wearing a necklace while she was in bed. She felt an acute burning sensation in her neck and was taken to the hospital where it was determined that she had suffered a second degree burn all around her neck. The injury was probably caused by the charger located under his pillow, which was connected to the power outlet and probably came into contact with the collar at some point, transmitting a strong electrical current.

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Many young people and other users charge these devices at night and this is more often the case when they are used in bed. This practice is dangerous because of the constant risk of electric current leakage from the charging cable, particularly with low cost equipment available from generic chargers manufacturers.

Several companies specializing in phone chargers have examined the quality of generic chargers compared to Apple brand chargers. In most cases, generic devices have failed basic electrical safety tests. This makes it a probable cause of electrical injury, even when the voltage is low, because of the high current flow. The resulting injury can be serious, according to Dr. Bunke.

In most cases, burns cause pain that is severe enough to require medication, and follow-up is necessary at the primary or secondary level, that is, in a burn treatment center. In most cases, the patient with electrical shock should be tested for irregularities in heart rate or arrhythmia due to disturbances in electrical conduction. In the most severe cases, deep burns may occur, requiring a skin graft to cover the wound, and some patients have serious lesions over a large area. In such cases, complications are numerous, including rhabdomyolysis, the breakdown of muscle proteins due to serious injury; difficulty breathing due to airway injury or damage to the heart and related organs.

In this badysis, a study conducted by the British company Electrical Safety First tested 64 generic devices. The electrical resistance test is a basic test for electrical devices, intended to determine if the insulation prevents the current from flowing to the outside of the internal wire. Shockingly, 58% of the chargers tested failed, with a rapid increase in current uncontrolled through the insulation. This shows that the insulation barrier provided in these chargers was insufficient to contain the electrical current.

Another study also mentioned in this review showed that out of 400 generic chargers marketed as iPhone chargers, only 1% (n = 3) had pbaded the electrical resistance test. In fact, 22 of these chargers failed at the beginning of the testing process.

The best way to stay safe is to educate teens and families on the use of chargers safely. An excellent advice is to unplug the chargers when they are not used. In addition, it is strongly recommended not to use mobile devices when they are connected to a connected charger, especially if the charger is generic. This can help prevent injury in case of power leakage from a faulty charger.