Child-Resistant Packaging Design

April 7, 2022
Posted in Packaging
April 7, 2022 Paul Green

Many businesses on the market today are required to use certified child-resistant  packaging for their products. From pharmaceuticals to beauty and cosmetic products to household chemicals and more, almost every company has merchandise that, by law, should be protected with a child-resistant closure. 

Following a spate of injuries and death, it was the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 that dictated that such packaging modifications would help prevent children under five from accessing the contents inside the package that could cause serious illness or injury.

Types of Child-Resistant Designs

There are many types of child-resistant closures that can be used across a wide variety of industries. The most popular options are included below, but Child Related Research can also help evaluate your custom child-resistant packaging option if you choose something different.

Safety Caps

Safety caps are required to have at least two motions that are performed to unlock the container. The “push down and turn” lids are perhaps the most popular, but the “squeeze lock” tops are also effective and widely used on the market.

Lockable Cartons

Lockable cartons can include plastic containers, resealable pouches, and more. Typically, these cartons have a special key that is kept separately from the package. This prevents children from being able to open the container without the key. With resealable pouches, they are designed in a way that the pouch can be opened, closed, and locked to keep the contents away from young children.

Spray Locks

Spray locks can be used for things like sunscreen, cleanser, oven cleaners, and more. The idea behind these types of locks is that until the mechanism is engaged, the item can’t be sprayed. These are usually twist locks, meaning that they have to be twisted into a specific spot and “click” into place so that they can be used.

How Child Related Research Can Help

At Child Related Research (CRR), we’ve spent over 50 years evaluating, testing, and researching the different types of child-resistant packaging. We work with pharmaceutical, beauty/cosmetics, and household chemical industries to ensure that their packaging meets all legal requirements while still being sufficiently accessible to adults. We also test items to EPA specifications and offer contract packaging services for small startups and the largest contract packagers.

Our Services

We offer a variety of services for child-resistant containers, including: 

  • Package evaluation and testing
  • Pre-evaluation of packages
  • Comprehensive tracking
  • Market research studies
  • Tamper-evident studies
  • Sample prep
  • Induction sealing 
  • And more

Whether you are testing a new customer child-resistant  package design, need help figuring out which option is best for your product, or want to study the efficacy of your child-resistant package, Child Related Research is here to help.

Contact Our Team

Child-resistant  packaging is required for all products that potentially cause harm to children and our responsibility is to ensure the package designs are safe and efficient by meeting domestic and international child resistant standards. Get in touch with Child Related Research to schedule a packaging test or call us at 801-904-3893 to get a quote to get started.