Increased Fire Risk From Paraffin Based Emollients

Persons who regularly use paraffin based emollients, their families and/or carers should be advised as follows:

• Smoking or a naked flame could cause patients' dressings or clothing to catch fire when being treated with paraffin-based emollient that is in contact with the dressing or clothing.
• Advise patients not to: smoke; use naked flames (or be near people who are smoking or using naked flames); or go near anything that may cause a fire while emollients are in contact with their medical dressings or clothing.
• Change patient clothing and bedding regularly—preferably daily—because emollients soak into fabric and can become a fire hazard.
• When patients are being treated with a paraffin-based emollient product that is covered by a dressing or clothing, there is a danger that smoking or using a naked flame could cause dressings or clothing to catch fire.
• The risk is greater when these preparations are applied to large areas of the body, or when dressings or clothing become soaked with emollient.

Examples of paraffin-based emollients include:

• white soft paraffin
• white soft paraffin plus 50% liquid paraffin
• emulsifying ointment

For more information, visit:
http://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/paraffin-based-skin-emollients-on-dressings-or-clothing-fire-risk