How to Prevent Poisoning Accidents in the Home
Home poisonings account for more than 6,000 deaths and 300,000 illnesses or injuries every year. In 1998, 6,300 people died from poisoning by solid and liquid toxins including drugs, houseplants, cleaning supplies, bug sprays, cosmetics and yard and pool chemicals. Another 500 died from gases such as carbon monoxide. With common sense and a little planning, these deaths and illnesses are preventable. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Keep a locked cabinet in your bathroom and kitchen to hold all drugs, hair products, mouthwashes, skin care products and cosmetics. In the kitchen, lock up cleaning supplies and food extracts such as vanilla or almond. Laundry products, yard and pool chemicals and bug and pet products should also be locked up.
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Store products wisely. Never put chemicals or medicines into other containers such as beverage bottles or cans. Don't store cleaning supplies or other hazardous substances with food items. Buy poison labels or just draw a big black X or red tape over anything dangerous that isn't clearly labeled as such. Never leave products uncapped. Put all batteries in sealed containers. Keep bug or rodent poisons out of reach.
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Put it away. Don't keep pills or other meds in your purse or pocket where kids might want to explore. Either keep the purses or coats out of reach or keep the meds elsewhere. Don't take pills in front of kids as they love to copy adults and don't ever refer to their medicine or vitamin is candy.
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Be careful with medications. Read all labels. Ask for large-print labels, if needed. Throw out old meds (flush them or dump them into coffee grounds; dispose of them as directed). If you can't open child-resistant caps, ask the pharmacist for another type that's child safe. Turn lights on when you take meds and double check the usage when you take them while you are ill or sleepy. Always check with your pharmacist for drug interactions if you are taking more than one at a time.
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Make sure your house and yard plants are not poisonous.
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Tips & Warnings
Know what to do in an emergency. In the event of poisoning (or suspected poisoning), get the original container in which the substance ingested was stored. Call your local poison control center (1-800-222-1222 is the national number, which will patch you to your local center) or your family physician. Keep syrup of Ipecac on hand in case it's recommended (don't take this without asking a doctor first as it's sometimes safer not to throw up poisons).
Tell your sitters what to do in case of emergency.
Have a good first aid kit in an accessible place.
Never store poisons or cleaning supplies in food or beverage containers.
Never tell children medicine is candy.
Never leave any medicines where kids could get at them.
References
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