Taking advantage of Spring Cleaning during the Stay at Home Order? You may be doing a little extra disinfecting, taking a few more vitamins and medicine to keep the cold/allergies away, and frequenting your remote control during this time.
While all of this is good and well, using these items more than usual can create potential POISON hazards for your little ones. Please make sure to put away and lock up any toxic chemicals, medicines, and batteries to prevent ACCIDENTS that could result in injury or death of young children.
Take a look at this Poison Prevention Home Tour to see common poison hazards to your children. Remember to lock chemicals and medicines high and away and NEVER call medicine 'candy.'
Poison hazards may not always be the most obvious. Check out these hidden dangers you may not have thought were harmful to children and remember to lock them high and away. These may include:
hand sanitizer
e-cigarettes
toothpaste
small batteries found in remotes or children's toys/books.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, " in 2018, more than 70,900 children were seen in the ER due to unintended pediatric poisoning. More than 85% of these incidents occurred in the home and most often with these 5 products:blood pressure medications, acetaminophen, bleach, ibuprofen and laundry packets. MAKE SURE you keep household cleaning products and laundry packets in their original containers and in cabinets with child safety latches or locks. Never transfer these products to a different bottle without a child-resistant closure and a label. Children and others can mistake them and drink or eat the contents. Put the Poison Control Center's Hotline (800-222-1222) in your cell phone."
Arizona Childproofers recommends using MAGNETIC CABINET AND DRAWER LOCKS for all areas storing poison hazards such as cleaning supplies, medicines and batteries, and to keep the magnetic key high and out of the sight of children during and not during use.
MAGNETS
***This video contains visuals on the dangers of magnets, often used for fun science experiments or kid toys, and how they can affect someone if swallowed.
"Small high-powered magnets can cause death or serious lifelong health effects. When two or more high-powered magnets are swallowed, they can link together inside a child's intestines and clamp onto body tissues, causing intestinal obstructions, perforations, sepsis and death. Keep high-powered magnet sets away from children,"according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Arizona Childproofers hopes you are safe and healthy during this time and we are available for any questions you may have about child safety :)
Windows rank as one of the top five hidden hazards in the home. In support of #windowsafetyweek in the month of April and to support #childsafety during the #stayathomeorder, Arizona Childproofers has compiled some valuable information regarding window and blind cord safety to keep your family safe!
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*** some of the content in this video may be hard to watch but it is needed to emphasize the importance of safety for children.
BLIND CORD ENTRAPMENT AND STRANGULATION PREVENTION
"One child dies every month by strangling in a window covering cord. From 2012 to 2017, there have been 50 fatalities reported to CPSC that were related to window cord strangulation among infants and young children."
CPSC recommends that you replace corded window coverings with cordless ones to prevent this deadly hazard.
All shades and blinds in homes should be examined for accessible cords on the front, side and back and replaced with cordless window products. GO CORDLESS! If you cannot replace window coverings, make sure window cords are secured out of the reach of children and eliminate dangling cords.
Install or use safety devices- A cord cleat is a plastic or metal safety device that allows you to wrap dangling cords so they're out of the reach of children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that falls from windows account for about 12 deaths and 5,000 injuries among children ages 10 and under each year. Children under four are at greatest risk to sustain head injuries, which makes them almost 2 times more likely to die from a window fall than older children.
Screens are meant to keep bugs out, not children in. Properly install window guards to prevent unintentional window falls. For windows above the first floor, include an emergency release device in case of fire.
Install window guards that adults and older children can easily open in case of emergency.
Include this in your family’s fire escape plan and practice it regularly.
Install window stops so that windows open no more than four inches.
Open Windows From the Top and Close After Use
If you have windows that can open from both top and bottom, make a habit of opening just the top to prevent accidental falls. Keep in mind that as kids grow, they may have enough strength, dexterity and curiosity to open the bottom.
Keep windows locked and closed when they are not being used.
Keep Kids From Climbing Near Windows
For your crawlers and climbers, move chairs, cribs and other furniture away from windows to help prevent window falls.
Never move a child who appears to be seriously injured after a fall — call 911 and let trained medical personnel move the child with proper precautions.
The Window Safety Task Force offers these suggestions to help protect children:
Teach children to play area away from windows
Teach caregivers and children that screens keep bugs out, but they do not keep children in
For any windows that are 6 feet or higher from the ground, install window stops or guards that meet ASTM standards – limiting windows to opening less than 4 inches
Always supervise children and ask about window safety when your child visits other homes
For a double-hung window on an upper floor, install a window guard or stop that keeps children from pushing the bottom window open
Lessen the potential impact of injury from a fall through strategic landscaping – use of wood chips, grass or shrubs beneath windows
This resource goes through what safety measures to practice with your children as well as other fun coloring sheets and games to help your child remember how to stay safe around windows!
Fall prevention window guard — Device designed to fit into or onto a window to prevent a child from passing or falling through an open window. Typically mounted on the interior frame of the window and includes side frames fastened to the sides of a window frame and a plurality of spaced-apart, transverse, tubular, width-adjustable crosspiece elements to form a grid pattern between the side supports to prevent passage of a child.
Window fall prevention screen — Screen device designed to fit into or onto a window to prevent a child from passing or falling through an open window. Typically mounted on the exterior surface/frame of a sliding style window and on the interior of a cranking style window and includes screening mesh or material and attachment mechanism(s) of sufficient strength to meet the performance requirements of this standard while preventing passage of a child.
Window opening control device — Device that limits a window sash to be opened with normal operation of the sash such as to prohibit the free passage of a 4-in. (102-mm) diameter rigid sphere at the lowest opening portion of the window opening, with a release mechanism that shall allow the sash to be opened to a large opening area such as that required for emergency escape and rescue, and that automatically resets when a window is fully closed.
Youth Sports Safety Month 4/7 World Health Day 4/10 National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day 4/5 - 4/11 National Window Safety Week 4/19-4/25 National Infertility Awareness Week 4/26-5/3 National Infant Immunization Week National Autism Awareness Month
We hope the month of April is filled with health and safety during this challenging time. With a Stay at Home Order enacted, many families are spending more time at home. So, this month's safety BLOG will focus on home WINDOW SAFETY and ways to keep your little ones safe from window falls. Within it, you will find some helpful tips from the National Safety Council, as well as a printable safety checklist for your home and children's printable activity book to help your child remember safety precautions involving windows.
Youth Sports Safety Month
"To help keep kids in the game for life, STOP (Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention) Sports Injuries targets the sports that have the highest rates of overuse and trauma injuries. Check out our helpful tip sheets to learn about how to stay safe when playing sports.
STOP Sports Injuries wants to be sure that you have all the information you need to keep kids in the game for life. Whether you are an athlete, coach, healthcare provider or parent, we have the sports injury prevention tips and tools to make sure safety is your first priority." Information and TIPS resources from Stop Sports Injuries.
Window Fall Prevention
To protect children, the Window Safety Task Force offers the following tips:
When young children are around, keep windows closed and locked.
When opening a window for ventilation, use those located out of a child’s reach.
Avoid placing furniture near windows to prevent young children from climbing and gaining access to an open window.
Don’t allow children to jump on beds or other furniture to help reduce potential falls.
Don’t rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall. Insect screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in the home.
Supervise children to keep child’s play away from windows, balconies or patio doors.
Install ASTM F2090 compliant devices designed to limit how far a window will open or window guards (with quick-release mechanisms in case of fire or other emergency) to help prevent a fall.
Teach your child how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency, such as a fire.
This resource goes through what safety measures to practice with your children as well as other fun coloring sheets and games to help your child remember how to stay safe around windows!
Resources to find more information on window safety:
National Fire Protection Association, Department of Public Education, One Batterymarch Park Quincy, MA 02269-9101
National Safety Council, 1121 Spring Lake Drive Itasca, IL 60143-3201
UPDATE- How Arizona Childproofers is servicing Arizona families during the Stay At Home Order.
We feel that with children home from school and families working from home, pools are at a heightened risk for drowning. To continue to help your family stay safe, we will be providing:
Pool Fence Evaluations at NO CHARGE
Pool Fence Installations with either 1 or 2 man teams with little to no face to face contact as long as there is access to your backyard from the outside.
VIRTUAL In-Home Safety Assessments at NO CHARGE
VIRTUAL Installation Support of products purchased through Arizona Childproofers
VIRTUAL Car Seat Checks at NO CHARGE
VIRTUAL Child Safety Classes at NO CHARGE
During this time, we feel it is important to maintain social distancing regulations, so we will not be scheduling childproofing installations inside the home until it is safe for all parties.
RECALLS: March 19, 2020 CPSC; Woom bikes USA Recalls Bicycles Due to Fall and Injury Hazards March 19, 2020 CPSC; Children’s Tool Kits Recalled by Grizzly Industrial Due to Violation of Federal Lead Content Ban and Toy Safety Requirements
March 19, 2020 CPSC; Thule Recalls Thule Sleek Car Seat Adapters Due to Fall Hazard March 19, 2020 CPSC; Lilly of New York Children’s Winter Boots Recalled by Kidz Concepts Due to Violation of Federal Lead Content Ban; Sold Exclusively at Zulily.com March 19, 2020 CPSC; Kids & Koalas Baby Walkers Recalled Due to Fall and Entrapment Hazards; Sold Exclusively on Amazon.com
March 18, 2020 CPSC; Boyer Recalls Six Brands of Sodium and Potassium Hydroxide Due to Failure to Meet Child-Resistant Packaging Requirement; Injuries Reported
March 12, 2020 CPSC; Homestar Recalls Dressers Due to Tip-Over and Entrapment Hazards
March 5, 2020 CPSC; Joules USA Recalls Children’s Pajamas and Robes Due to Violation of Federal Flammability Standard; Burn Hazard
March 4, 2020 CPSC; IKEA Recalls KULLEN 3-Drawer Chests Due to Tip-Over and Entrapment Hazards; Consumers Urged to Anchor Chests or Return for Refund
Many of the anchors provided from the furniture's manufacturer are not the strongest and safest. It may not be able to withstand the weight of the piece of furniture, let alone the the additional weight of a child pulling on it. We recommend NOT to use any anchor that rely on plastic parts, such as zip ties or brackets. Below is list of recommended anchors to use.
Anchor List/Links found on Safety BLOG at http://www.meghanshope.org/ *** This resource has a plethora of information about the latest on tip-overs, furniture anchoring, and recalls. It is operated by a mother, Kimberly, who has been effected by the death of her child due to an accidental tip-over. She is pioneering the way to better safety standards, awareness, and prevention of furniture tip-overs.
https://stoptipovers.org/ (Parents Against Tip-Overs) ***Parents Against Tip-Overs (PAT) is a nationwide network of parents who want to see an end to TV and furniture tip-over injuries and deaths. The group was founded in 2018 by parents of young children who have lost their lives from a furniture tip-over incident.
https://www.anchorit.gov/ ***CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
For any questions or support with installing furniture anchors, you can always contactArizona Childproofers. 480-634-7366 www.azchildproofers.com
prevent young children from climbing and gaining access to an open window.
