The CPSC releases the "Top Five Hidden Home Hazards"

You  know the saying, “Home is where your heart is.” It’s also where there are a host of hidden hazards, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Every year, the commission says, 33.1 million people are injured by consumer products in the home. And many of these injuries come from products that the agency has warned about for years, everyday products such as TV stands, window blinds and magnets.

Determined to reduce these injuries, the commission is releasing its list of the home’s top five hidden hazards. At Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, we’ve written about these hazards before and, like the commission, we'll continue to publicize them in hopes consumers will take action.

MAGNETS
The facts: Since 2005, there has been one death and 86 injuries from magnets and 8 million magnetic toys have been recalled.
The problem: Today’s magnets can be very small and very powerful—so much so that when a child swallows two or more magnets or a magnet and another metal object, the items can attract through intestinal walls and get trapped in place. This can twist or pinch the intestines causing holes, blockages, infection and even death.
The solution: Watch carefully for loose magnets that may fall out of various toys and keep magnets away from children younger than six. Check any magnet toys to see if they’ve been recalled and, if so, stop using such toys immediately.

RECALLED PRODUCTS
The facts: Each year the CPSC recalls about 400 products.
The problem: Many recalled products remain in the home—and may be resold at thrift shops and garage sales. That’s particularly worrisome for many infant and baby products such as cribs and high-chairs that have been recalled for being an entrapment, entanglement or other hazard.
The solution: Check the Web site www.Recalls.gov to see if any products in your home -- or products you are about to buy -- have been recalled. And sign up for free-email notices of future recalls at  the CPSC's Web site.

TIP-OVERS
The facts: An average of 22 deaths and 3,000 injuries occur annually when TV stands, dressers, furniture and ranges tip over and crush young children. It’s a  growing problem, as deaths increased by nearly 50 percent to 31 in 2006.
The problem: Children climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on television stands, shelves, bookcases, dressers, desks and chests. If the furniture isn’t stable, it can tip over causing head trauma, injury or death. TVs placed improperly on top of furniture are a particular problem and items left on top of the TV or dressers can be particularly enticing to young children.
The solution: Make sure your furniture is stable on its own, and for added security, anchor TV stands, dressers and other pieces to the wall with an anti-tip restraint. Freestanding ranges and stoves should also have anti-tip brackets. And don’t leave toys or other attractive items atop climbable furniture.

WINDOWS AND WINDOW COVERINGS
The facts: An average of 12 deaths occur annually from window cords. And falls from windows cause nine deaths and 3,700 injuries annually  to children.
The problem: Children can strangle on window drapery and blind cords that can form a loop. And children can fall out of windows—screens offer no protection. 
The solution:  Parents should use cordless blinds or keep cords and chains permanently out of reach of children. Consumers should cut looped cords and install a safety tassel at the end of each pull cord or use a tie-down device and install inner cord stays to prevent strangulation. Never place a child’s crib or playpen within reach of a window blind.
     Parents of small children should install window guards or stops in their windows.

POOL AND SPA DRAINS
The facts: There have been 15 injuries and two fatalities reported between 2002 and 2004.
The problem: The suction from a pool drain can be so powerful it can hold an adult under water, but most incidents involve children. A body can become sealed against the drain or hair can be pulled in and tangled. Missing or broken drain covers are a major cause of entrapment incidents.
The solution: Every time you use a pool or spa, inspect it for entrapment hazards. Check to make sure appropriate drain covers are in place and undamaged. Pool and spa owners should consider installing a Safety Vacuum Release System that detects when a drain is blocked and automatically shuts off the pool pump or interrupts the water circulation to prevent entrapment.  Anti-entrapment /anti-entanglement drain covers may also be able to be retrofitted on existing pools.

While we applaud the CPSC for highlighting these safety issues, we also recognize that there are many more hazards that consumers may not be aware of that can endanger their families.  We will continue to use this blog to inform you of the issues you need to know to keep your family safe. 

For more information:
Magnets in toys attract scrutiny from CPSC, Congress

Latest recalls from the CPSC and FDA

Safety alert: furniture fails to meet tip-over standards

Keeping baby safe: Childproofing your home

Window falls a preventable risk to young children

Tragic incident highlights need for pool safety law

Comments

[Angelica Vallin]

I have to agree with Linda on that sometimes the most "trivial" things can kill you. Talk about a stupid way to die, just because you didn't think some magnets or a spa drain were important enough to worry about much less do something about! You'd definitely notice if your child were involved. Maybe there are more hazardous things, but life's also in the details.

[LINDA MCHONE COLLINS]

EVEN IF SOME OF THE DANGER WARNINGS ARE TRIVIAL~~AS POSTED IN COMMENTS~~IF THEIR LOVED ONE WAS AFFECTED, IT MAY BE WORTH THE EFFORT.
THINK SO?

[Jim Tubman]

Magnets have killed one person since 2005, and they make the list of the top five home hazards? Pool and spa drains killed two people in three years? This is not danger -- this is triviality. Falls on stairs kill many times more people than all these "top five home hazards" put together.

There is something pathetic about an organization that tries to alarm people over things that are minor irrelevancies when viewed in the context of all causes of mortality. If these are the very worst examples of dangerous consumer products in the home, then the low-hanging fruit on the tree of safety was picked long ago. If all the dangers described above were completely eliminated, it would barely be noticed.

[Ken Stremsky]

I hope parents and others will push retailers and manufacturers to make children's toys, clothing, and other products in the United States of America.

I hope parents and others will push retail stores to have surprise inspections of companies that make children's products that they sell.

I hope the Federal Government and State governments will hire a lot more safety inspectors to have surprise inspections of companies that sell children's products.