Poisoning Prevention: Prevention Tips
Safety Tips for
You and Your Family
Unless
otherwise noted, the safety tips below were adapted from the American
Association of Poison Control Centers, Poison Prevention Tips, 2002 and the
CDC Perspective in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion National Poison
Prevention Week: 25th Anniversary Observance MMWR, 1986.
Make your home safer:
- Post
the poison control number 1-800-222-1222 on or near every home
telephone.
- Store
all medicines, household products, and personal care products in locked
cabinets that are out of reach of small children.
- Know
the names of the plants in your house and yard. Identify poisonous plants and place them out of reach of
children or remove them.
- Be
aware of any medicines that visitors may bring into your home.
Make sure your visitors do not leave their medicines where
children can find them easily, for example in an unattended purses or
suitcase.
- Monitor
the air quality in your house. Place
carbon monoxide monitors near the bedrooms in your house.
(CPSC, 2002)
- All
combustion (fuel burning) appliances should be professionally installed
and inspected annually. (CDC, 1995)
- Check
your house for lead-based paints. Contact
the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD to receive more
detailed information. (CDC, NCEH 2002)
Use poisonous products
safely:
- Always
store household products in their original containers.
Do not use food containers such as cups or bottles to store
chemical products such as cleaning solutions or cosmetic products.
- Always
read the labels before using a potentially poisonous product.
Never leave the product unattended while using it and return the
product to the locked cabinet when you are finished.
- A
light should be turned on when giving or taking medication.
- Avoid
taking medicine in front of children because they tend to imitate
adults.
- Do
not call medicine candy.
- Follow
directions on label when taking medicines. Be aware of potential
interactions with other medicines or alcohol and never share
prescription drugs.
- Turn
on the fan and open windows when using chemical products.
- Wear
protective clothing (gloves, long pants, long sleeves, socks, shoes)
when spraying pesticides and other chemicals.
- Never
mix household and chemical products together. A poisonous gas may be created when mixing chemicals.
- Do
not burn fuels or charcoal or use gasoline-powered engines in confined
spaces such as garages, tents, or poorly ventilated rooms (CDC, 1982).
What to do if a
poisoning exposure occurs:
- Remain
calm
- If
you have a poison emergency and the victim has collapsed or is not
breathing call 911. If you
have a poison exposure and the victim is alert call 1-800-222-1222.
Try to have the following information ready if possible:
- the
person’s age and estimated weight
- the
container or bottle of the poisonous product, if available
- time
that the poison exposure occurred
- your
name and phone number
- Follow the
instructions from the emergency operator or the poison control center
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Poisoning
Prevention in Your Community
National Poison
Prevention Week occurs annually during the third week of March, and it
provides an excellent opportunity for communities to raise awareness about
unintentional poisonings and teach prevention steps to avoid poison
exposure. Communities can
observe the week by participating in activities that inform their residents
about how to keep their children and other vulnerable persons safe from
unintentional poisoning. Additional information is available at the website
of the National Poison Prevention Week Council.
National Lead Poisoning
Week occurs during the fourth week of October.
The goal of the week is to raise awareness about lead poisoning and
urge people to take precautions to minimize exposure to lead.
Additional information is available at the National Lead Information
Center through its website
or by calling (800)-424-LEAD.
One way to ensure that
the children in your community learn how to keep themselves safe from
poisons is to incorporate poison prevention into your community’s school
curriculum. Possible lesson
plans are available from the American Association of Poison Control Centers website
and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign website.
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References
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) Web Site, National Center for Environmental
Health (NCEH) Fact Sheet “What Every Parent Should Know About Lead”
Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/faq/cdc97a.htm
Accessed 3/22/02.
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Unintentional Carbon Monoxide Poisonings in
Residential Settings –Connecticut, November 1993- March 1994.
MMWR 44(41); 765-7, 1995.
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Perspectives in Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion National Poison Prevention Week:
25th Anniversary Observance.
MMWR 35(10): 149-152, 1986.
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Perspectives in Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion Carbon Monoxide Intoxication – A Preventable Environmental
Health Hazard. MMWR 31(39);
529-31, 1982.
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