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Child-Resistant Packaging
Required for Baby Oil

Other Products Containing Hydrocarbons Also Covered

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2001 -- Following the deaths of at least five children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has voted to require child-resistant packaging for common household products and cosmetics containing hydrocarbons that can poison children.

"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."

The 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.

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.

Brown gave this account of young Jaiden's death: "On May 2 in the early evening, all five of the Bryson children were at home, including Jaiden and his 16-month-old twin brother, who were playing, as their dad, Charles, prepared dinner. Suddenly, Charles heard Jaiden cry out. He immediately ran into the living room and found Jaiden with baby oil all over his face, clothes and the carpeting. One of the twins had climbed up on a shelf and tipped a basket of products off. Jaiden grabbed the baby oil and drank it."

"The nest day, Jaiden appeared to be very sick - panting for air and breathing very heavily. Mrs. Bryson took Jaiden to her pediatrician's office. Jaiden was then rushed by ambulance to the hospital with a 103-degree fever. Little Jaiden ended up in intensive care. He was put on a ventilator, where he remained for 28 days. On May 30, Jaiden died. The death certificate listed aspiration of baby oil as the cause of death. This seemingly innocuous baby oil caused pneumonia and irreversible lung damage to an innocent 16-month old child," Brown said.

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

• Baby oils
• Sunscreens
• Nail enamel dryers
• Hair oils
• Bath oils
• Makeup removers
• Body oils
• Massage oils

Automotive chemicals

• Gasoline additives
• Fuel injection cleaners
• Carburetor cleaners

Cleaning solvents

• Wood oil cleaners
• Metal cleaners
• Adhesive removers
• Spot removers
• General-use household oils
• Gun cleaning solvents containing kerosene

Other

• Water repellents containing mineral spirits used for decks, shoes, and sports equipment

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