You’ve probably never given the tiny hole in the cap of your ballpoint pen much thought – but it turns out, it’s there for a very serious reason.
Zack D shared an explanation about why the detachable caps feature holes as part of a series he created called, “A collection of things that I find interesting”.
The clip, shared on his Instagram and YouTube channels which have over 2.3 million followers collectively, has surprised many after he revealed the inconspicuous hole is there to prevent users from death.
“Most people think it has something to do with the ink,” Zack explained. “But the actual reason is much more important than that.”
“You see, it’s just enough space for airflow if the cap gets stuck in someone’s throat,” he said, adding pen companies are required to put the hole in for safety reasons.
While it might seem inconceivable that someone would swallow a pen lid, psychologists have found chewing on pens is done as a form of self-comforting and “occurs as a result of feeling anxious or stressed”, an article by The Pen Company states.
The hole is also there to equalise the pressure inside the pen to keep it from leaking, according to a report from Business Insider.
BIC pens, a popular brand sold around the world, confirmed the claim was true in a post on its website.
“The reason that some BIC pens have a hole in their cap is to prevent the cap from completely obstructing the airway if accidentally inhaled,” the company stated.
“This is requested by the international safety standards ISO11540, except for in cases where the cap is considered too large to be a choking hazard.”
Other pen manufacturers also feature holes in their pen lids for the same reason.
It’s a simple design feature with a serious job – and as such, social media users are fascinated.
Zach’s video has been viewed over three million times on YouTube, and has over 118,000 likes on Instagram.
“I remember chewing this pen cap during my childhood,” one commented.
“Most people including me like to bite the pen cap,” another admitted.