OnSafety is the Official Blog Site of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here you'll find the latest safety information as well as important messages that will keep you and your family safe. We hope you'll visit often!

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CPSC Research: 1 Child Dies Every 2 Weeks

1 Child Dies Every 2 Weeks Infographic

A new CPSC data report shows that 349 people (84 percent of them children under 9) were killed between 2000 and 2011 when TVs, furniture, or appliances toppled over onto them. The 41 reported deaths in 2011 were the highest number reported in one year. That’s an increase from 31 in 2010 and 27 in 2009.

Here are excerpts from our Twitter chat in February with more information and safety tips from CPSC, Kids in Danger and Dr. Gary A. Smith of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Help teach all parents to prevent these tragedies. Share the poster above on Facebook. Pin it on Pinterest. Post it on Twitter. Print and post it for parents in your communities.

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This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/12/cpsc-research-1-child-dies-every-2-weeks/

Single-Load Liquid Laundry Packets Harmful

single-load liquid laundry packets


In 2012, CPSC staff has learned of about 500 incidents involving children and adults who were injured by single-load laundry packets like those shown above. Children have required hospitalization from ingesting the product due to loss of consciousness, excessive vomiting, drowsiness, throat swelling, and difficulty breathing (requiring intubation).

Do NOT let children handle laundry packets. Keep them locked up and out of a child’s sight and reach.

Read and Share this CPSC Safety Alert.

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This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/11/single-load-liquid-laundry-packets-harmful/

Baby Monitor Cords: 3 Feet from Baby

Last February, we began warning you about baby monitor cord dangers. CPSC knows of seven deaths and three near strangulations since 2002 involving video and audio baby monitors. The monitors and cords were placed within a child’s reach.

You need to know about cord hazards, so you can prevent your baby from strangling in a cord.

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) is working with us on a national baby safety campaign to get the word out to parents and caregivers about the dangers with these cords. Today, JPMA is launching a website, video and advertising. They are giving away free electric cord warning labels to attach to the cord of your baby monitor. This label will remind you, the people who care for your child, and others who may use the monitor in the future about the deadly hazard associated with these cords. Order one, it’s free!

So, take a look around your baby’s crib. Where’s the monitor cord?

Remember, at least 3 feet away is where your monitor should stay.

Yes, 3 feet. As in 3 big feet:

3 big feet

3 Feet is also about the width of your baby’s crib plus 6 inches.

Crib showing ruler at the width of the crib plus 6 inches

3 feet = 1 yard, if you have a yardstick at home:

yardstick

The point is, don’t let this happen in your home:

Baby doll in a crib with a baby monitor cord wrapped around its neck

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This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/07/baby-monitor-cords-3-feet-from-baby/

Check Your Cabinet and Toilet Locks

Regular readers of our blog may remember this child safety lock recall from March. Today, Dorel Juvenile Group is recalling two additional types of Safety 1st locks.

The newly recalled locks are Safety 1st cabinet slide locks and toilet locks.

They look like this:

Recalled Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Lock Recalled Safety 1st Toilet Lock

Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG), the company that makes these locks, has received 278 reports of cabinet locks and 110 reports of toilet locks that did not adequately secure cabinets and toilets. In one reported incident, a 13-month-old swallowed small, toxic beads from a craft kit.

You can find detailed information on how to identify the recalled locks here.

The cabinet locks were sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Great Beginnings, Home Depot, Target, and Walmart from January 2005 through April 2010. The toilet locks were sold at the same stores from January 2000 through March 2009. Both locks were also sold on Amazon.com through April 2012.

If you have these locks, don’t rely on them to keep children out of cabinets and toilets. Contact DJG at www.djgusa.com or toll-free at (877) 416-8105 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday for a free replacement lock. While you are waiting for free replacement locks for cabinets, immediately store dangerous items out of reach of children. While waiting for a replacement toilet lid lock, keep the lid down to prevent access and consider placing a latch on the bathroom door that is out of reach of young children.

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This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/05/check-your-cabinet-and-toilet-locks/

Plastic Film Covers

You might know them best from your smart phone or the panel on a new kitchen appliance. They’re on many consumer products with “scratchable” surfaces these days, including on children’s toys and mirrors. Plastic film coverings are intended as packaging. Remove them before you give a toy to a child.

If you don’t remove that film, or don’t even realize it’s on a toy, your child could find it before you do. They could mouth it and gag, or even choke on it.

That’s what reportedly happened to two young children playing in their Fisher-Price Luv U Zoo Jumperoo bouncy seats. The mirror on the toy comes with a plastic film cover on it. A Washington state family told a Seattle TV station that they didn’t realize the plastic was on the toy until their son gagged, couldn’t breathe and eventually coughed it up.

"X" Sticker and black arrow on plastic film that covers mirror on the Fisher-Price Luv U Zoo Jumperoo
In the middle of the plastic film that arrived on this type of toy examined at CPSC was a separate clear sticker with a big red X. The X sticker can pull off without grabbing the plastic film on the toy mirror. On one side of the plastic film is an arrow that points at the X. Again, a parent can pull the arrow off without pulling off the plastic film.

If you see the film on a mirror or other product without an arrow or “X” to guide you to remove it, you might not even realize that the plastic cover is there. So, take an extra look at your children’s toys. Are there mirrors or scratchable surfaces that seem like they should be shiny but aren’t? If so, look for a thin piece of plastic, remove it and throw it away.

Thin plastic on a child's toy.

This piece of plastic on a child's toy is thin and difficult to notice if you've removed the arrow. Remove plastic like this from all items that you give to your young child.

Other “grown-up toys” like cellphones, video monitors and even stainless steel appliances, have similar plastic film coverings. In all cases, don’t let the “new toy” distract you from carefully removing and discarding the film if you have a small child in your home.

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This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/04/plastic-film-covers/