The prevention of children gaining access to medical or other prescription products is absolutely necessary when it comes to packaging said items. Before the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) came into effect in the 1970s, pediatrics worldwide considered accidental poisoning due to the ingestion of harmful chemical substances as a leading cause of injuries in children under 5 years old.

However, since the introduction of child resistant packaging, many young lives have been saved. Even WHO and UNICEF deem child resistant packaging to be a huge success in preventing unintentional poisoning in children.

What is Child Resistant Packaging Defined As?

The main purpose of child resistant packaging is to safeguard young children against gaining access to products harmful to their health. Any packaging that limits children less than 5 years of age from being able to open a harmful product, or anything that stalls them long enough until an adult intervenes is defined as CRP.

However, child resistant packaging must also not be so difficult as to bar adult access as well. The commonly seen twist-and-turn cap bottles for the over-the-counter products are a popular example of child resistant packaging.

Tested for Certification 

Packaging companies should keep the well-defined federal guidelines in mind when it comes to child resistance packaging. Any federally legal products need to undergo tests in order to be certified child resistant and ready for sale.

Any packaging that seeks to be certified child resistant must pass this simple test: a panel of young children is gathered to test out the packaging under supervision. They’re given 10 minutes to try their best to open the packaging under test. The first 5 minutes of the test amount to one level of the test, while the remaining 5 minutes constitute another. For a packaging design to be deemed child resistant, at least 80% of the children must be unable to open it.

The test also has adults attempt to open the product in order to make it easy for adult access. If they’re able to open it within the allotted time, the design can be approved.

Other Factors to Consider

Child resistant packaging doesn’t only limit the entry point of the container. The whole packaging itself must be made child resistant and not only the opening. Young children may try to tear apart, bite, or throw the bottle with force; all of which can potentially tamper with the packaging. A safe packaging design must be able to withstand all this without breaking down.

If you’re looking for wholesale packaging solutions that are child-safe and state regulation-compliant, then PremiumVials is the place for you. Find a variety of dispensary containers and packaging options at out store.