Impact of the Voluntary Safety Standard for Liquid Laundry Packets on Child Injuries Treated in US Hospital Emergency Departments, 2012−2018.

HOSPITAL emergency services; CHILDREN'S health; DETERGENTS; WOUNDS & injuries; LAUNDRY equipment

Objectives. To evaluate the effect of the voluntary safety standard for liquid laundry packets on the rate of injury involving children younger than 5 years in the United States. Methods. Semiannual national estimates of child injuries involving liquid laundry packets treated in US hospital emergency departments were developed for the July 2012 through December 2018 study period. We used a negative binomial regression model to estimate the effect of the voluntary standard on the injury rate following the standard's publication at the end of 2015. The analysis controlled for the rapid growth of laundry packet use during the study period. Results are presented as relative risks and percentage changes in the injury rate. Results. The voluntary standard was associated with a 49.4% to 61.6% reduction in the rate of child injury. Conclusions. The results suggest that the requirements of the voluntary standard have effectively reduced the rate of child injury involving liquid laundry packets and may have prevented 9200 to 23 000 emergency department–treated injuries during the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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