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July 2008
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Diane Boynton, of Kent, was looking for a little extra pizzazz for a Halloween costume for her son. She bought "Fright Night Temporary Hair Color - Black fog." Unfortunately, she says the small aerosal can accidently fell off an end table and black paint starting spewing in all directions. Now she says, looking back, she should have simply put a towel over it or thrown the bed spread on it. Instead, she grabbed the leaking spray can and ran out of the house. During that time, chemicals poured onto her hand and fingers (giving her second degree burns) and black paint was spread from the bedroom, down the stairs, into the hall and outside (even getting onto a nearby car). Looking back, it's always easy to think about what you should have done. But in an emergency situation, instincts can take over, and out you go. I remember during the earthquake a few years ago, I grabbed my infant twin daughters and ran OUTSIDE - something the news (ha ha) tells us to never do. So what have you done in a crisis situation? 10 Comments |
You might start by recalling that a "crisis situation" used to be called simply a "crisis", and that an "emergency situation" used to an "emergency".
Along the lines of the the joke:
"Help, I'm in a drowning situation".
Instincts always seem to jump first, don't they? It's easy to rationalize after the fact.
Any pressurized can contains a propellant, ranging from various freons to propane to carbon dioxide. What the victim experienced was likely frostbite, but flammable propellants >can< ignite and even explode under such circumstances. A lot of spray products are flammable like that, and I'd be more cautious of that hazard than frostbite. Under those circumstances, it's a very good idea to ventilate a closed room as quickly as possible. And I try to avoid flammable sprays, when I know a substitute is safer.
I work with pressurized cans and propellants like this and I know for a fact that just falling off a table WILL NOT cause a can to fail, it's not possible. She did something to that spray can she's not telling us. Like all spray paint cans, there was probably a tamper proof seal on the cap that she couldn't get it off, so she smacked the lid of the can on the edge of the table, which broke the seal of the can or damaged the spray nozzle inside, which then caused the black die and propellant to spray out, resulting in her injuries. I will guarantee that's what REALLY happened.
I would have reported on something that is actually news-worthy. Like the fact that this lady's son will probably be fighting a war in the Middle East and/or Africa before he has a chance to become an adult.
Scott, where you there? Making a pretty big "guarentee" of what happened if you weren't there. If the can fell off the counter, landed on the sprayer button, it could have broke off and just kept spraying. I agree with robertojose..lets think of the important things, not halloween hairspray!
Scott,
(And the Titanic didn't sink.)
Who are you to judge?
I don't care if you are a chemical engineer, ANYTHING
can happen. Especially when it comes from China as of late. It is very possible that the seal was not put on properly or it hit the edge of the table and broke the seal...Freak accidents happen all of the time. Don't automatically blame it on the victim.
Robertojose, this IS news worthy because it is a possible hazard to others...we hear about the middle east enough...
Scott, I understand you thinking it wasn't possible but it was. I'm the Diane it happened to. The can had never been opened it burst on the lower side of the can (not the bottom) with a pin sized (slightly larger hole). I was simply unplugging my developmentally disabled adult son's ipod charger when it fell off the table onto the carpet. I hadn't tried to open the can then or ever it was for his halloween costume. My 15 month old neice and my son were in the room. Thank heavens they didn't get injured.
My concern and the reason for my contacting the news is that I still can't find out the type of propellant for the continuing burns and if the paint/hair color is lead based. I don't want other children injured.
It seems easy until it happens to you and you need info on a product. Made in China means just that....and it is really hard to get safety information. They don't have MSDS sheets in China apparently. It had never occurred to me the challenges involved. Thanks for letting me share again.
Scott, people like you irritate me more than I can say!!! What kind of a job do you have???? that you work with "pressurized" cans...probably a "brain surgeon"!!! I have a 11 and a 13 year old at home and "accidents" happen all the time. I'm sure Diane took a sledge hammer to the friggin can!!! You are actually defending a product that is made in China!!!! I hope Diane makes a million off of this, she deserves it if she received 2nd degree burns from this "harmless" product.
I use these spray bottles for every Hawks game and it happens all to often to be honest, so thank you Scott for your incredible words of wisdom.
I agree that anything that says MADE IN CHINA is a red flag for me nowadays. I buy American Made as much as possible but not much is made here anymore (can't imagine why our economy is so unstable).