Poka-yoke is a brilliant concept that protects businesses and consumers. It is a Japanese term for mistake-proofing.
Poka-yoke aims to prevent foreseeable human error. The term is often used in manufacturing, but it applies to end-use products, too. For instance, your microwave oven will not start unless the door is closed. That’s poka-yoke. It protects you from microwave radiation and injury, by preventing you from making the mistake of running the microwave without the door closed and sealed.
How Poka-Yoke Protects Customers
A product that causes injury when it is used as it is meant to be used is defective. But, some user errors are so likely to occur that the burden falls on the maker of the product to make the error impossible or difficult to accomplish. In the very least, products must carry warnings to alert you to the danger.
Examples of poka-yoke include:
- Microwave ovens will not start without the door closed, as mentioned above
- Mechanisms in cars that prevent them from starting while in gear
- Safety bar on push mowers causes them to automatically turn off if you let go
How Poka-Yoke Helps Product Makers
Implementing poka-yoke can prevent manufacturing errors which cause product defects as well as making products safer for the consumer. Some companies try to cut corners and save on costs by skipping safety measures. But, by improving product safety, companies save money because they are subject to fewer product liability suits, and they improve the reputation of their products which increases sales.
Something to Keep in Mind
Some poka-yoke mechanisms are inconvenient and flat-out annoying, especially when they are poorly designed. However, intentionally disabling a safety mechanism can mean that you lose your right to sue if you are subsequently injured.
On the other hand, lack of safety mechanisms and safety mechanisms that fail, leading to injury, constitute defects, meaning that you may be able to recover substantial compensation for your injuries. To learn more about defective products and your rights, please talk to an experienced defective product accident attorney right away.
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