The Child-Resistant Packaging Advisory Committee (CRPAC), established via the Child-Safe Packaging Group's affiliation with the Packaging Federation,
is offering a "speedy" auditing process to ensure child-resistant closures, bottles and blister packs comply with BS and ISO standards.
Child-resistant rigid and flexible packaging is certified by passing adult tests as specified in ISO 8317 and BS8404. The CRPAC says the surest way of establishing a pack's child-resistance is via children's panel testing, although the industry has felt, ethically, that such tests should be kept to a minimum.
The Committee's original objective was to develop a consolidated mechanical testing regime for re-closable child-resistant packaging compatible with ISO 8317: 2003. However in the meantime it has established a protocol to examine manufacturers' own internal quality management systems so it can recommend, where acceptable, automatic reaccredidation when a standard is changed.
The most recent standard, ISO 8317 (2nd edition), published April 2003, replaces BSEN 28317 (1993) and has rewritten the parameters for the adult test to meet today's "ageing profile". While acknowledging the need for adult retesting, the CRPAC argues there is no need to retest with child panels.
Recognised by the two relevant government Departments, Health and Trade and Industry, the Committee can, having examined a manufacturer's quality systems, recommend existing products tested to previous standards be deemed to comply with current ones – subject to additional adult tests.
The two first companies to avail themselves of the new service, Crown UCP and Dragon Plastics, have now received letters of recommendation from CRPAC to allow them transposition to the ISO 8317 2nd edition in a cost-efficient, rapid timescale.
