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A Wellington mother calls for a ban on foot-operated hand sanitizer dispensers and warns parents to be careful after their child suffers serious eye damage from one.
James Lapthorn, 3, whose eye was injured with a hand sanitizer from a foot-operated hand sanitizer dispenser. Source: Supplied
Liz Partridge and her husband went to a restaurant in Wellington on October 31 and set out to disinfect the hands of their two children using the provided disinfectant.
With Partridge holding their newborn daughter, her husband applied sanitizer for their oldest son, but as he did so, three-year-old James stepped on the pedal of the dispenser with the nozzle pointed at him, directly at eye level.
The dispenser fired a stream of hand sanitizer gel onto his face and into his left eye.
“He was screaming in absolute agony. I’ve never heard him scream like that,” Partridge said.
Partridge sought medical attention at an after-hours medical center, where they received eye drops and sent them home.
She said James’s eye needed more medical attention the next morning, with James still in severe pain, and after visiting Wellington Hospital, they were told that James had suffered chemical burns to the surface of the eye.
James Lapthorn, whose eye was injured by a foot-operated hand sanitizer dispenser, at Wellington Hospital. Source: Supplied
Almost two months and several courses of medication later, her eye looks better but is still “a little droopy,” and parents hope there will be no lasting damage.
“There was a lot of patient waiting and concern during that process, but we are relieved that it is healing well,” Partridge said.
In recent weeks, she had warned several companies about pedal dispensers, but said she is frustrated to find that some are hesitant to remove them.
“I think also the problem is that it is a gel, rather than a foam or a spray, so it is much more dangerous because the gel is so thick,” he said.
“It’s at eye level, it needs some kind of regulation.”
After visiting Karori Pool and seeing a foot pump dispenser there, Partridge brought it up with the installation and then with Wellington City Council.
A council spokesperson confirmed that the foot pump dispensers have now been removed from their premises.
Partridge said he had spoken with the restaurant owner, who said they would wait to see what WorkSafe recommended.
A WorkSafe spokesperson confirmed that they had been notified of the incident.
“We are still investigating the incident, but it is likely that we will engage with the company via letter to ensure that health and safety obligations are understood and met,” said WorkSafe.
“WorkSafe has not received similar notifications since Covid-19 emerged in New Zealand.”
Patridge said that until changes are made, more children could be injured by the devices, and he warned parents to be careful with them.
“Just make sure they stay away, or don’t use it. Use soap and water.
“It is very dangerous to have it within the reach of children.
“I really hope this warning prevents it from happening to other families.”
