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Office of Information and Public Affairs |
Washington, DC 20207 |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: |
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March 30, 1994 |
(301) 504-7908 |
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Release # 94-050 |
WASHINGTON, DC -- CPSC Chairman Ann Brown today commended Procter & Gamble for voluntarily placing one of its major products in child-resistant packaging that is easy for adults, especially senior citizens, to use.
"Every time consumers use and replace child-resistant caps properly, they could be saving the life of a child," the CPSC head said. "But we all know how frustrating it can be to try to get the top off packages that are hard to use. That tempts people not to close them properly. Hard-to-open packages are a particular problem for senior citizens who have arthritis or who do not have the agility or strength to open medicine or other containers when they need them," she continued.
Chairman Brown praised Procter & Gamble for addressing the problem head-on by developing a package that is easy for seniors to open, while still providing adequate protection for children. "It is safer for kids, because adults won't be so resistant to using it properly," Mrs. Brown said. "We use the term 'senior- friendly,' but the package will be easier for adults of all ages to use. It will save children's lives. That is what we are striving for."
Mrs. Brown named Procter & Gamble the first recipient of the CPSC Chairman's Commendation for Significant Contributions to Consumer Product Safety. In singling the company out, the Chairman stated, "Procter & Gamble has combined two important objectives -- first, using packaging that is both child- resistant and easy for adults of all ages to use properly and, second, voluntarily using that packaging for a substance on which it is not yet required. They acted before they had to and when they were not required to do so. Let me be clear -- I am not endorsing a product, but I am strongly endorsing an action that supports the purposes of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act."
She emphasized that there are other caps on the market right now that are significantly easier to remove and replace than many current closures -- and still remain child-resistant. She acknowledged and expressed appreciation to other product manufacturers who have adopted child-resistant closures, even when not required to do so by law. She said, "I urge all manufacturers to help get senior-friendly child-resistant closures into use as quickly as possible on potentially hazardous products, in order to reduce the number of injuries and deaths to children."
CPSC is currently considering changes in test requirements for packaging to ensure that closures are senior-friendly, while still maintaining child resistance. The rule requiring the new tests is expected to be voted on by the Commission in late 1994. If adopted, it will require the industry to use child-resistant closures that can be opened more easily by older adults. CPSC published a Federal Register notice soliciting public comment on the issue on March 21, 1994. Mrs. Brown emphasized that she will consider those comments and the entire record in voting on the proposed regulation.
The Chairman initiated the commendation program to recognize substantial contributions to product safety by individuals, companies or groups, for one-time, ongoing or multiple actions. Nominees for the award, which will be given periodically, may be brought to the Chairman's attention. Factors that will be considered in choosing award recipients may include, among others, the following:
CPSC's mission is to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.6 million injuries and 21,700 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.