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Make Your Home a Safe Haven for Young Children

Practical Steps for Home Safety

Research Triangle Park, N.C., May 10, 2004 - Recent statistics show that 41 North Carolina children under the age of 5 died from unintentional injuries in 2002. Among children ages 1 to 4, unintentional injuries were second only to motor vehicle injuries as the leading cause of death in the state.

As part of Consumer Product Safety Month in North Carolina, Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) and the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) are teaming up to offer North Carolina parents and caregivers tips on how to prevent their children from becoming the next statistic.

"Our children are irreplaceable," said Insurance Commissioner Jim Long, who also serves as state chair of the North Carolina SAFE KIDS Coalition. "I strongly urge all families with young children to take the necessary steps to make your homes safer. Little hazards that adults generally overlook could easily prove fatal to our kids."

To help prevent unintentional injury to young children, the safety experts at UL and NCDOI offer the following guidelines for home safety.

In the Nursery

  • Keep drapery and blind cords, toy nets and wall hangings out of the reach of children. These items can entangle a child and become a strangling hazard.
  • Remove hanging toys from playpens or cribs when your child can push up on hands or knees, or at the age of 5 months, whatever comes first.
  • Use only UL-Listed nightlights and never install a replacement bulb with wattage greater than what the manufacturer recommends (usually 4-7 watts).
  • Make sure all bedding and clothing meet government requirements for flammability. Read the warning marking labels and packaging that accompany these products.
  • Remove any stuffed toys, pillows and loose bedding before your baby goes to sleep. They can all cause suffocation.
  • To prevent your infant from becoming trapped between the crib frame and mattress, choose a firm mattress that fits the crib frame snugly and securely.
  • Crib sheets should generously cover the mattress. Make sure the child cannot pull them loose.
  • Cribs should have slats no more than 2-3/8 inches apart. Corner posts should not extend more than 1/16 inch above the end panels, unless they extend at least 16 inches for a canopy. Make sure the crib has no sharp edges and no cutout areas in the headboard or footboard.

According to John Drengenberg, UL's manager of Consumer Affairs, older cribs that predate safety regulations can be particularly dangerous. "Cribs - primarily older cribs - are responsible for 35 strangulation or suffocation deaths each year," he warns. "What seems like a yard sale bargain or wonderful heirloom may in fact be a serious hazard."

Family Room/Kitchen

  • Install safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases.
  • Install UL-Listed electrical outlet caps.
  • Cover furniture that has sharp edges with cushioned corner guards.
  • Make sure electrical cords don't dangle out in the open.
  • Unplug unused electrical appliances and put them in storage.
  • Install stove-knob guards or a stove-front guard.
  • Keep cleaning products, chemicals and all pharmaceuticals in a locked or high cabinet.

Bathrooms

  • Never leave a young child alone in the bathtub.
  • To prevent accidental scalding, set your water heater temperature to 120 F. Test your baby's bathwater before putting him in the tub - the temperature should be between 96-100 F.
  • Secure a soft cover around the bathtub faucet to protect your child's head if she bumps into it.
  • Purchase and install a toilet lock to prevent accidental drowning of a curious toddler.

More safety tips and other resources for Consumer Product Safety Month are available at www.ncdoi.com.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety certification organization that has been testing products for more than 110 years. UL tests more than 18,850 types of products annually, and more than 19 billion UL Marks appear on products each year. Worldwide, UL's family of companies and its network of service providers include 60 laboratories, and testing and certification facilities.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance is the state agency charged with regulating the insurance business in North Carolina. NCDOI also houses the Office of State Fire Marshal and the North Carolina SAFE KIDS Coalition, two organizations that strive to prevent unintentional injuries and deaths. Commissioner Long has served as head of NCDOI and as state fire marshal since 1984, and as state chair of SAFE KIDS for eight years.

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