It seems like every other week is focused on a category of safety, and this week is no different. Up until this Saturday, safety officials across the country are hosting events and providing tips in honor of Poison Prevention Week. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report from last year found that more people died of poisoning in the United States than any other injury. 2008 actually saw more poisoning fatalities than traffic collisions.
Therefore, it’s important that consumers recognize the steps that can be taken to limit exposure to poisoning dangers and to prevent a serious injury. Although a guide from the Poison Prevention Week Council was produced for last year’s event, the advice provided would still be invaluable to concerned consumers.
Many of the poisoning prevention tips revolve around the need to protect children, who are unable to recognize the risks of poisoning agents the way that you or I would. Child resistant packaging should be a must for any items that could pose a poison hazard. That holds especially true for medication, an overdose of which could have deadly ramifications. At the same time, recognize that even child-resistant packaging isn’t foolproof. It might only delay an enterprising youngster. That’s why constant supervision is absolutely essential to your child’s wellbeing.
The storage of caustic materials also needs to be carried out in an intelligent manner. Things like cleaning products, fertilizer, pesticide, and more all need to be placed in an area where a child won’t be tempted to seek them out. Cover your bases by keeping such materials 1. High up, 2. Out of sight, and 3. In a storage area that’s been secured by safety latches. That way, if a kid somehow finds a way to reach the item, they’ll be flummoxed by the countermeasure awaiting them.
Even when you’re overseeing your child’s medication intake, there are certain things you can do to ensure the child won’t be endangered. Referring to the pill or liquid as candy is a bad idea, as this could tempt the child to seek out more of it in the future. Double check that you’re providing the correct level of medication at the proper frequency throughout the day, and when you’re finished, seal the product back up and store it out of a child’s reach.
Also make sure that you’re cognizant of some of the oft overlooked dangers inside the residence. Household cleaning chemicals might be fairly safe to use on their own, but if you use them in conjunction with one another, they could cause a volatile reaction that can have an adverse effect on anyone in the area. Batteries should be kept far from a child’s grasp, and the moment a battery goes missing from a toy, you should get on the line with a poison control center at once. The same goes for magnets.