Good intentions lead to a poor design

In March 2024, Reese’s law was adopted with the best goals: to protect children from the dangerous consequences of swallowing small buttons cell batteries, which have long been a danger in products such as toys, remote controls and hearing devices. The law mandates the stricter packaging of children for the products containing these batteries, hoping to prevent tragic accidents. However, while the law addresses an urgent issue-protecting young children from swallowing the accidental battery-it has had unintentional consequences for the users of the hearing aid, especially those who rely on the hearing aids powered by zinc-air batteries. These users, who include a broad demographic, are now facing challenges in maintaining their equipment due to changes in battery packaging, which aimed to improve security but have created new access and security problems.

The law has led to the redesign of the hearing aid battery packing – the classic “spin package” – a simple, plastic wheel attached to a cardboard support that allowed the last users to turn the wheel into a fresh battery into a opening door, and enter the battery to replace them. This suitable design has been a key element for many years, especially for users of the hearing aptitude with skill challenges, low vision or blindness, providing a direct way to change batteries without disappointment or confusion. However, in response to Reese’s law, manufacturers have closed the rotation package on thick, children resistant plastic packaging, forcing users to cut it open with scissors to get the batteries.

For all users of hearing aids used by zinc-air batteries, this change has turned an easy task into a dangerous experience. Instead of improving security, redesign packaging has created access to access that could have been easily avoided. This change has inadvertently undermined the independence that hearing aids aims to support. In this article, we will consider the impact of Reese’s law on the users of the hearing aid, the risks associated with the new packaging model, and the need for a more balanced approach that protects both children and adults.

“Classic Spin Package”: A suitable solution for hearing aid users

For users of all ages, the packaging was intuitive, effective and convenient regardless of the consequences of battery cells that can lead to accidental not so harmful from children and pets. The spin package minimized the need for help from others, thereby maintaining independence and providing a sense of empowerment for those who rely on their hearing devices to stay connected to their world.

However, this packaging is fully regulated in the wake of Reese’s law. New packaging mandates children resistant features that include batteries in thick plastic. This plastic is not only harder to open by hand, but it also requires the use of scissors or knives to get into the battery, making it a risk of finishing users. This seemingly small change has introduced a cascade of issues for users who have no other solution, but to rely on or manipulate sharp tools to get their batteries.

As Reese’s Law has created new risks for hearing aid users

The main purpose of Reese’s law is to prevent accidental swallowing of the battery by children, a noble pursuit. However, the law has failed to consider the needs of achieving people who rely on these devices: users of the hearing aid. Let us break down the real -world influence of this redesign and how it has influenced the daily lives of hearing apparatus users:

• The thicker plastic requires cutting tools, increasing the risk of damage: the new packaging is enclosed in thick plastic, making it impossible to open by hand. The new design requires sharp tools to “insert” the plastic surrounding the battery cell. Many users, especially those with arthritis, low vision, blindness or limited hand mobility, do not have the strength to trim this rigid plastic. As a result, they should use scissors, knives of services, or even box cuts to get into batteries, which increases the risk of cuts, puncture, or even more serious injuries. For individuals with loss of sight or vibration, the use of scissors or knives to open a package is a dangerous proposal that can easily lead to unwanted damage.
• Inaccessible to those in motion: for users of the hearing aid, like me, the new battery packing is not just a house annoyance-creates major obstacles in everyday situations. Frequent travelers face a serious challenge, as replacing a battery in the middle of the flight or while navigating airport safety is almost impossible. Sharp tools like Swiss army knives, scissors or boxes of boxes – are now required to open the packaging – are prohibited in flights, leaving users trapped without a way to access their batteries when they need more. Beyond traveling, the new packaging presents disappointments in social settings such as restaurants, theaters and business events. If a hearing aid battery dies during a conversation at a dinner or an important conference, users are forced to leave the table or leave the event to fight with the packaging – assuming they even have scissors to enter it. The purpose of the hearing aids is to help users stay connected and engaged, however this design flaws forces them to be isolated at the worst possible moments. This lack of forecasting in the design of the packaging shows how a well-intended security measure can inadvertently create new obstacles for accessibility, mobility and inclusion-an issue to be addressed.
• Disappointment and dangerous routes: redesign has caused a significant amount of disappointment for users, many of which have turned into dangerous roads to enter their batteries. In numerous reviews in Amazon, users have videos, photos and shared comments to use boxes or scissors to open children’s resistant packaging. In particular, an Amazon reviewer showed how she had to open the packaging with a box cutter, risking damage to change a battery.

What are real users saying

Numerous reviews in the Amazon have highlighted users’ issues with the new packaging. Many end users have expressed their disappointment with the difficulty of opening new packages and the risks associated with the use of sharp tools. One reviewer wrote, “I literally had to use a box cutter to draw the hearing aid batteries from this.

Another shared, “Who thought this was a good idea? I can’t even open the package without using scissors. While the law has successfully addressed a concern for security, it has inadvertently created another, touching those already tangible.

A smarter approach: Balance of security and access

Instead of imposing a solution of a suitable size, manufacturers and regulators must explore alternative compliance paths giving preference to safety and access. Here are some solutions that can help:

• Determine hearing aid batteries from unnecessary regulations: unlike lithium-ion cell batteries, hearing aid batteries do not pose the same risk of ingestion and should be excluded from very strict regulations. This would allow manufacturers to design a packaging that meets the needs of the hearing aid users while maintaining security.
• Restore user -friendly packaging: Manufacturers must explore models that include children resistant features and include open mechanisms for users of all ages, including those with skill or vision issues. A double -purpose design, similar to those used for prescription medicines, can ensure children’s safety and user opportunity.
• Cooperate with access experts: To ensure that the packaging meets the needs of all customers, manufacturers must cooperate with gerontologists, audiologists and disability advocates. These experts can provide valuable knowledge of packaging that is safe for children and accessible to all users.
• Supporting innovation from smaller companies: encouraging innovation from small and medium -sized businesses that focus on better solutions can help avoid the bureaucratic burden of large -scale compliance measures. Small businesses are often more versatile and capable of developing creative, user -friendly solutions that meet safety and access needs.

Aquoio Dispensor: A step towards solutions

As an example of how industry can address safety and access, Aqoio has developed a patented distributor of the hearing aid that offers a safe, user -friendly alternative. Focusing on comfort, security and access, the Aquoio solution offers a very necessary response to the challenges created by Reese’s law. This innovative distributor offers a way to ensure that users can easily use their batteries without being used in sharp tools or facing complex packaging. Aquoio access shows that innovation and access can go side by side, creating products that benefit everyone.

Security review

Reese’s law may have been created to make products safer for children, but we need to ensure that the solutions we implement do not create new obstacles for the people they need most. It is time to create packaging that works for many without sacrificing security for access. Policymakers and manufacturers need to work together to ensure that children’s safety and user access are prioritized, creating solutions that benefit all customers, regardless of age or ability. Only through design and innovative cooperation can we truly create a safer, more accessible world for all users of the hearing aid.