Tag Archives: Safety

Fourth of July Sparkler Safety Tips + Free Fourth of July Safety Printable

June 30, 2015Holiday, SafetyFourth of July, Safety, SparklersAlicia

Out of all the injuries and burns sustained on Fourth of July, children suffer an estimated 30 percent of them. Sparklers, likely your child’s favorite do-it-yourself firecracker, are the culprit of most of the unfortunate injuries.

Teach your kids these do-it-yourself firecracker safety tips before heading out to play this July 4th!

Never light a firecracker or sparkler without an adult nearby
Only hold one sparkler at a time!
Hold the sparkler at arm’s length – not close to your body.
Running, throwing or jabbing a friend while holding a sparkler is a no-no!
Dump used sparklers in a bucket of water to cool them off – they’re still hot even after going out.
Stand at least 10 feet away from friends when playing with sparklers and firecrackers
Got dry grass or pine straw in your yard? Don’t light sparklers and firecrackers near these areas!
Keep your pet indoors. Loud noises can frighten your pet!
Clean up after the fun! Sparklers and other do-it-yourself firecrackers can leave messes and hazards your parents and neighbors shouldn’t have to deal with!
Enjoy your Fourth of July!

Download and print our free Fourth of July Safety Printable!

Keep the fun going after Fourth of July with 2-3 crafts projects, including supplies, delivered to your mailbox every month, from Kiwi Crate!
Go to bit.ly/kiwicratejuly4 and use code FIREWORK40 to get 40% off your first box!

Take The KEY Pledge And Be Entered To Win $2500!

October 18, 2013Cleaning & Cleaners, SafetyAmerican Cleaning Institute, laundry, SafetyAlicia

If single-load liquid laundry packets are not safely stored out of reach and sight of young children they can attract dangerous interest from curious little ones. While single load liquid laundry packets are proven to be very effective in cleaning our kid’s dirty, grimy clothes, keeping them safely away, out of reach and sight of small children is the best method to prevent accidents from happening including unintended ingestion and exposure to the eyes.

In July I announced that I am working with the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) on a sponsored campaign to help spread the message about laundry safety, especially when it comes to using, storing and handling single-load liquid laundry packets. Today I’d like to expand on that and share more safety information and tips from a safe laundry room and routine that child safety expert, Kimberlee Mitchell, recently shared with us.

Have children? Chances are that your laundry room is one of the most used rooms in your home. Did you know that your laundry room is also a potential danger zone? In addition to the possible hazards like a hot iron being knocked off the ironing board or closing a tiny hand in the washing machine door, the laundry room is often where many household cleaning products are stored.

Your young children should not be allowed into the laundry room area, it is not a playroom. The best way to prevent accidents from taking place is to keep it an off limits room If this is not possible, always store household cleaning products, including single-load liquid laundry packets, up high out of reach and sight, preferably behind a locked cabinet or drawer.

Making Safety a Top Priority in the Home

Speaking from experience as a mom of two, small children like to imitate the adults in a household. Now if only they would imitate them when we actually want them to! If you are doing laundry then naturally, your young kids will want to help. Many parents allow toddlers to help by letting them add the laundry detergent to the washer or assist with removing clothing from the dryer.

These are chores that are typically delegated to “mommy’s little helpers”.

Instead of this type of activity it would be better to think of tasks that take place outside of the laundry room environment. Then they will not be exposed to household cleaners such as detergents and bleaches which could pose a hazard.

Parents should make the laundry room an Off Limits area of the home. Instead of bringing kids into a hazardous area take the freshly cleaned laundry to another room and then have your children help you as you sort and fold the clothing.

If you prefer to dry your laundry on an outdoor line the kids could be encouraged to help with this task as well. This would be a good way for both you and your child to enjoy some bonding time on a bright, sunny day.

KEY PLEDGE for Parents

Every parent should become aware of how important it is to take the KEY pledge to a safe laundry room and routine. Signing up is easy to do, and you will be making a pledge to put safety first to ensure you and your family are clean and safe.

As a bonus, each individual who agrees to take the KEY pledge will have their name automatically entered in a sweepstakes contest. The winner will receive a grand prize of $2500***.

You can commit to the safety and health of your child by taking the KEY pledge today!

When you take the KEY pledge your household will be added to those listed on the site’s heat/tracking map. This is a quick and fun way to determine how many consumers in your state have also agreed to follow a safe laundry routine.

Pledge your support for a safe laundry room and routine and you just might be the one who wins the $2500 prize***

Always Follow these Simple and Safe Laundry Rules

Kimberlee suggests that even adults should never handle single load liquid laundry packets with wet or damp hands.
After you purchase single-load liquid laundry packets, as soon as you bring them into your home, store them safely away up high, out of reach and sight.
Never let your child handle or play with any single-load liquid laundry packets.
Keep the single load laundry packets and other household cleaning products out of a child’s sight. “Out of Sight Is Out of Mind.”
Leave the original safety labels on the containers and make sure that you understand the directions before using single-load liquid laundry packets.
Store single load laundry packs in locked cabinets or on shelves that are too high for a child to reach.
Keep your laundry room as clutter free as possible so you can always have a clear view of any reachable surface to make sure nothing harmful was left within your child’s reach.
Teach each child in your family that colorful single-load detergent packets are not something to be played with, they are not toys and must be left alone.
*In the event of an emergency keep the Poison Control Center phone number (1-800-222-1222) – available at all times.

Child Safety Expert Kimberlee Mitchell Weighs In

Kimberlee Mitchell is the owner of a California baby-proofing company named “Boo Boo Busters”. She is also recognized as a devoted child safety expert.. Kimberlee has provided baby-proofing services to more than 5000 homes in California and is happy to be able to lend her voice and support to the KEY Pledge campaign.

Kimberlee has also been collaborating with the ACI on a laundry safety video series which will be rolled out over the next couple of months. Every parent or caregiver with young children needs to watch this eye-opening video to learn about the proper storage, usage and handling of single-load liquid laundry packets. Education and awareness is KEY to avoiding unintended ingestion and eye exposure. View video #1 here: http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/safe_laundry_room.aspx

Sweepstakes information:

***NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

Ends on December 31, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Open to legal residents of 50 U.S. and DC, 21 and older. Void where prohibited. Official Rules:http://www.keypledge.com/Keypledge/TermsConditions.html.

My participation with American Cleaning Institute is compensated. All opinions are my own.

Single-Load Liquid Laundry Packet Safety Tips and Take the New KEY Pledge Today!

July 11, 2013Cleaning & Cleaners, Health, Safetylaundry, Safety, Single load laundry packsAlicia

My 13 year old does his own laundry and I am absolutely thrilled about that. I have decided however, not to push my daughter who is 7, into helping me with laundry until she’s a few years older, despite her desire to help. I am a believer that parents should not put their kids at risk just to learn something that they can just as easily learn when they are older and more capable of remembering the proper techniques. You wouldn’t teach a 1-year-old to ride a bike or an 11-year-old to drive would you? My personal belief is that you should consider waiting until your child is about 10 years old before you teach him how to do laundry and hand over laundry responsibilities to him or her.

It is important to make everyone aware of the need for safety when using, storing, and handling the new, concentrated packs of single-load liquid laundry packets. Single-load liquid laundry packets, when handled, used, and stored properly are a convenient, easy-to-use product to help get your laundry done more efficiently and effectively.

The convenience of these products is a boon to adults but it’s important to remember these packets contain highly concentrated detergent and need to be treated like any other household cleaning product, stored safely up and away – out of sight and reach According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), in 2012, poison centers received reports of 6,229 unintended exposures to highly-concentrated packets of laundry detergent by children 5 and younger..Thanks to ACI (American Cleaning Institute) there is now a safety education program aimed to equip consumers with the proper education and awareness on how to properly use, handle and store singleload liquid laundry packets. The name of this consumer program is the KEY Pledge Laundry Safety Campaign.

Parents should take the American Cleaning Institute’s KEY Pledge keypledge.com, because we all play a KEY role in laundry safety. Parents, caregivers and adults can all BE THE KEY to a safe laundry room and routine; we should all be aware of the simple, safety steps when it comes to properly using, storing and handling the new single-load liquid laundry packets to ensure our family’s safety.

And by taking the KEY Pledge, you will have access to the following:

Track KEY pledges and follow pledge progress across the nation and in your home on a heat map. Check out how your area is doing!
Enter a sweepstakes** for a chance to win a $2,500 grand prize to help makeover your laundry room

Single-load Liquid Laundry Packets Safety Tips

Do not let children handle laundry packets
Do not puncture or pull packets apart
Store out of child’s sight and reach
Keep the packet’s package closed and in a dry place
Packets quickly dissolve upon contact with water, wet hands, or saliva so it is necessary to keep them dry

Here are a few additional safety tips to keep in mind when you have single-load liquid laundry packets in your household with children:

1. If there is a reason to believe a child may have been exposed to the contents of a single-load liquid laundry packet call the Poison Help Line immediately. The # is 1-800-222-1222.

2. Store these packets in the same safe manner as you would store any other household cleaning product such as drain cleaners, toilet bowl products and bleach.

3. You know that a child should wear a safety belt when riding in a car. Parents are also aware that they should teach children safety measures when they are crossing a street. Treat the handling and use of single-load liquid laundry packets with this same degree of concern and caution.

4. Take the time to carefully read the warning statement on laundry products. Even if you have been using one of these cleaning products for months (or years).

Be safe. Be careful. Be responsible. Education is the KEY to your family’s laundry safety.

All children are different; even your own children. You might think that because your first child didn’t try to get into the laundry detergent or other cleaning supplies, that your youngest will be the same and so you store cleaning supplies in a less safe place than you might if your first child did have issues with getting into things.

Don’t think that way. Just because your first child always looks twice before crossing a busy street, doesn’t mean that your second child will think the same way, right? You get what I’m saying.

Keep your home safe for you and your children. Visit keypledge.com and pledge to be the KEY to a safe laundry room and routine.

Highway Guardian Might Save Your Teen’s Life – @HwyGuardian

August 22, 2012New posts, SafetyHighway Guardian, Safety, teen drivingAlicia

My son is twelve years old and it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be driving in as little as four years. I can’t imagine I’ll be ready to set him free on the roads then.

For those of you with kids (or a husband) who puts the pedal to the metal, there is a product available that you will appreciate. It’s called the Highway Guardian and it limits drivers to 73 miles per hour.

You might be thinking that your child wouldn’t possibly get up to 73 miles per hour.

But think about it..

Does your teen drive on the highway?

Does your teen drive at night when the roads are empty and they are more tempted to drive fast?

Does your teen drive with other teens in the car?

If so and if your child is human, then he/she could quite possibly attempt to drive at speeds over 70 miles an hour which in my book is unacceptable for any child under the age of 30. 🙂

Highway Guardian product information — Highway Guardian device

Highway Guardian is a GPS-based speed-limiting device that is easily installed on your teen’s car by any novice mechanic. The device limits the car’s top speed to 73 MPH by controlling the fuel injection system through preset parameters. The $299 price tag will surely pale in comparison to the bill you get when your child gets in a car accident as a result of driving too fast and most definitely to any physical or emotional injuries that are caused as a result as well.

Did you know that..

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens?

40% percent of those crashes are speed-related.

Have the confidence and assurance knowing that your teen’s car will not reach dangerously high speeds on the highway. Invented by Police Officers who are also parents, Highway Guardian sets a new standard in automotive safety.

Learn more about Highway Guardian here.

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4 Baby Proofing Products Every Home Should Be Equipped With

June 18, 2012Age 0-1 year, Age 1-3, Safetybaby gate, baby proofing, crawling, outlet plug, Safety, table corner protectorAlicia

Before a baby even starts to crawl, parents should begin baby proofing the home. Speaking from experience, there are many things an infant can get into. Many parents, like myself 12 years ago, wonder where to start when it comes to the safety of their child. I quickly learned that power cords, a sharp table corner, cabinets, electrical outlets and the pool if the family has one, are some of the dangers parents may want to start baby proofing first.

Parents can baby proof electrical outlets by using plastic outlet plugs. Outlet covers are cheap and available in any store that sells baby items. Electrical outlets are extremely dangerous. I should know.. I put a bobby pin in one when I was a child. It is very important to baby proof all outlets in your house by using outlet plugs. Outlet plugs are difficult for a baby or toddler to remove but parents are able to remove them easily.	Example: Safety 1st Deluxe Press Fit Outlet Plugs
There are table corner protectors to soften sharp edges of coffee tables, end tables and counters. My daughter, now 6, has had her fair share of head-to-table encounters if you know what I mean. She has always been on the more clumsy side than my son was so we went all out on the baby and child proofing supplies during her clumsy years.	Example: Safety 1st Expandable Table Edge Bumper
Cabinet safety locks and latches keep small children out of cabinets that contain dangerous products. Cabinet locks can be found in the baby section of most retail stores and are easy to install. Cabinet safety locks are relatively easy to install and make it so that parents and older children are able to get into a cabinet easily while babies and toddlers aren’t.	Example: Dreambaby Cabinet Safety Latches
Baby gates keep toddlers from going into areas they don’t need to crawl around in, like the backyard where the family pool is. The great thing about baby gates is that they can be stretched to fit different sized doorways. They can also be moved around to any doorway, insuring infant safety. At one time we had four safety gates installed around our house, including one on our front porch. You never know where your baby or toddler will venture off to so it’s better to be safe than sorry and install a baby safety gate wherever you think your baby should not wander off to.	Example: Dreambaby Extra Tall Swing Close Gate

There are also products to baby proof and conceal power cords that can be found in hardware stores and retail stores.

If parents still aren’t certain they have covered all the basics then they might want to consider contacting a local baby proofing company. The company would provide parents with all the products and materials they needed to make their home a safer environment for their child.Children get into trouble all the time. They are always sticking things in their mouths, taking a tumble down the stairs, poking hair pins into outlets and knocking their heads on sharp corners. This is why it is so important to make sure that the home environment is a safe haven before the baby becomes mobile.