Protect family from poisoning in the home

So many commemorative days, weeks and months are on the calendar that it’s easy to overlook them. But many of them do raise issues that demand more public attention.

It’s easy for people to overlook this important safety issue that involves many aspects of our lives at home.

One such observance is National Poison Prevention Week, which ends today.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, uses the occasion to encourage consumers to take steps to protect their families from poisonings at home.

This is exactly the sort of issue that demands this sort of special attention, as it’s easy for people to overlook this important safety issue that involves many aspects of our lives at home.

According to the CPSC, nearly nine out of 10 unintentional poisonings occur in the home. The situation is even more dangerous during the COVID-19 pandemic, as families are spending more time indoors. This puts everyone, especially children and isolated senior citizens, at increased risk of injury or death from poisoning.

The CPSC reports that unintentional poisoning is one of the leading causes of injury among children. Compounding the tragedy is that these incidents are easily preventable. Yet thousands of children visit U.S. emergency rooms each year after consuming poisonous substances.

In 2019, about 67,500 children under the age of 5 ended up in emergency rooms due to unintended poisoning, according to the commission. About 85% of these incidents occurred in the home.

The known sources of these poisonings most often include blood pressure medications, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, antidepressants, attention deficit disorder medications, dietary supplements, diphenhydramine, bleach, and laundry packets.

CPSC’s preliminary data from March through September during the COVID-19 pandemic found that hospital emergency room treatment rose sharply for severe injuries related to cleaning agents (84%) and soaps and detergents (60%) compared to the previous year.

There is some good news on this issue. The CPSC reports that child poisoning deaths have decreased by more than 80% since the Poison Prevention Packaging Act went into effect in 1970. The PPPA requires manufacturers to secure certain medicines and hazardous household chemicals in child-resistant packaging.

The CPSC offers the following tips and resources to avoid poison dangers:

Medicines

Do not store medications in unsecured containers. Keep medicines closed tightly in their original bottles with child-resistant caps and store them securely away from children. The elderly also are at risk of mistaking medications.

Unfinished or unused medicines should be discarded properly. Check with a pharmacy or local police.

Liquid nicotine

Always store liquid nicotine in its child-resistant packaging, tightly seal the container after each use, and store it securely away from children.

Cleaning products

Keep household cleaning products, hand sanitizers and other items that are sold in child-resistant packaging in their original packaging and away from children and vulnerable elderly

Batteries

Coin-size button batteries are a danger if ingested. Do not leave products with accessible button batteries within reach of children. If the battery compartment does not have a screw closure or is damaged, keep the product out of reach; use strong tape to help secure a battery compartment.

Carbon monoxide

Fuel-burning products such as portable generators, furnaces, and cars, produce carbon monoxide, a deadly, colorless and odorless gas. Always operate portable generators outside and away from open doors, windows and vents. Keep generators at least 20 feet away from the house.

Poison help line

Keep the National Poison Help Line Number, 800222-1222, handy in case of an emergency.