The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) voted unanimously today to require child-resistant packaging for
some common household products and cosmetics containing hydrocarbons
that can poison children. This safety standard will help prevent
injuries and
deaths to children under 5 years of age who swallow and aspirate certain
oily liquids containing hydrocarbons. When these products enter the
lungs,
chemical pneumonia can develop and cause death.
Examples of household products and cosmetics covered by the new
packaging
regulation include some baby oils; sunscreens; nail enamel dryers; hair
oils; bath,
body and massage oils; makeup removers; some automotive chemicals
(gasoline
additives, fuel injection cleaners, carburetor cleaners); cleaning
solvents (wood oil
cleaners, metal cleaners, spot removers, adhesive removers); some water
repellents
containing mineral spirits used for decks, shoes, and sports equipment;
general-use
household oil; and gun-cleaning solvents containing kerosene.
If these products contain 10 percent or more hydrocarbons by weight and
have a
low viscosity (i.e., are "watery"), they will have to be in
child-resistant packaging.
Thicker products are less likely to be aspirated.
"We know that child-resistant packaging saves lives," said CPSC
Chairman Ann Brown.
"But since the packaging is child-resistant, not child-proof, parents
also need to keep
baby oil and other potentially poisonous substances locked up out of
reach of young children."
CPSC is aware of five fatalities of children under 5 years old from
1993 to date involving
aspiration of hydrocarbon products. CPSC data for 1997 through 1999
revealed an
estimated 6,400 emergency room visits involving children under 5 years
of age who
ingested household chemical products that frequently contain
hydrocarbons that can
pose an aspiration hazard. In addition, data from the American
Association of Poison
Control Centers for 1993 through 1999 revealed 11,115 potential
aspiration exposures
to cosmetic and household products containing hydrocarbons.
The most recent fatality of which CPSC is aware occurred in May of this
year after
16-month-old Jaiden Bryson of Bakersfield, Calif., aspirated a baby oil
product.
Chairman Brown dedicated the new safety standard to Jaiden.
The new poison prevention packaging for affected products containing
hydrocarbons
must be in use in 12 months.
Examples of hydrocarbon-containing products covered by new poison
prevention packaging:
Cosmetics -
Some:
Baby oils
Sunscreens
Nail enamel dryer
Hair oil
Bath oil
Makeup remover
Body oil
Massage oil
Automotive chemicals -
Some:
Gasoline additives
Fuel injection cleaner
Carburetor cleaner
Cleaning solvents -
Some:
Wood oil cleaner
Metal cleaner
Gun cleaning solvents containing kerosene
Spot remover
General-use household oil
Adhesive removers
Some:
water repellents containing mineral spirits used for decks, shoes, and
sports equipment.