Children & Building Sites

The following practical advice for parents and will help keep children safe this summer:

• warn children against playing in dangerous areas, including building sites;
• make sure you know where your children are going, and when they will be back;
• encourage them to play only in safe areas such as playgrounds

The example below demonstrates just how easy it is for children to be killed/injured during construction projects:-

A two-year old child fell 30ft from scaffold placed around social housing. He received life threatening head injuries. The scaffold had been erected to replace windows and carryout other refurbishment work on a block of flats in north London.

A nine year-old boy was killed and another injured when they were crushed by a heavy steel water pipe being rolled by a group of children. Pipes were being stored in an area open to the public, whilst awaiting installation. They were not fenced off and had not been adequately secured to stop them being rolled.

Smoke Alarms

Your smoke alarm should be tested once a month. Just get Mom or Dad to press the test button to see if it works.

If your smoke alarm runs on batteries, they need to be replaced at least once a year. Pick a day, any day of the year, maybe even your own birthday, and for a present, give your smoke alarm fresh juice.

Have a look around your house. You should have at least 1 working smoke alarm on every floor, and at least one outside each sleeping area.

Kitchen Safety

If you’re called away from the cooker – by the phone, or by someone at the door – take pans off the heat. It’s the easiest thing in the world to forget about them.

Keep the oven door shut.

Always clean the grill pan after using it.

Don’t let yourself be distracted whilst cooking.

Don’t put oven gloves or tea towels down on the cooker after you’ve used them.

Don’t cook if you’re affected by alcohol or prescription drugs.

Keep electrical leads away from the cooker and water

Water Butt Safety Lid

Harcostar Child Safety Lid For Water Containers

Remember our previous article about water butt safety? Well, we have found a product that can help you keep children safe and stop them falling into any water butt.

Manufacturer’s Description
The child safety lid can be fitted to all water butts that have a diameter of 380-385mm. It helps give peace of mind when storing rain water and will also prevent pets and wildlife from displacing the lid too.

The Harcostar water storage system is manufactured in the United Kingdom using recycled material for all their containers. All accessories are designed to be fitted easily to the new water storage containers.

Ladder Stay

 

Ladder Stand Off/Ladder Stay with Wheels and ‘V’ Notch for corners [Misc.]

We have found a very useful product that will keep you safe when you are using a ladder at home.

Wheels that assist in running up the wall and stop sideways slip

A central vee-notch which enables the ladder to be used on corners

Electric Socket Covers

These sturdy plastic Electric Socket Covers are so easy to fit, and once in place they will prevent grandchildren gaining access to the electric sockets in your home. They also secure your essential appliances such as fridges, freezers and computers from being switched off or unplugged either accidentally or mischievously.

Simple Security at Home
There’s no need for an electrician: all you need to do is fit the Electric Socket Cover over your double wall socket – just loosen the screws, slide the cover into place, and tighten the screws up again. The spring loaded front will flip open when you turn the key, giving you access to your plugs, then clicks shut to lock.

• Easy to fit
• Comes with 2 keys
• Fits double socket
• Strong construction
• 2 Year guarantee

Availble at: http://www.50plushealth.co.uk/index.cfm

Child Safety Blanking Plugs

These are designed to protect young children from inserting their fingers in to live 240 volt plug sockets, these blanking plugs are a must for any conscientious parent or guardian. The blanking plugs sit securely in the socket to make it difficult for young children to pull them out, yet not so tight as to prevent access to the socket by adult hands.

UKayed Safety plug protectors 10 pack- protects childrens fingers from plug sockets £1.99

WA45 UK safety plugs, set of 5 – blister £3.49

Water-Jel Technologies

Hi John,

I just stumbled across your website and thought you would be interested in the following.

Please let me know if you’d like a sample of Burn Jel Plus (made by Water-Jel Technologies which is used by firefighters and EMS workers). This product is perfect to keep around in case of accidental burns.

Thanks,

Amy

 —–

Exclusive Supplier of Burn Care Products to the U.S. Military Delivers Safe and Effective Treatment for At-Home Use

When a household burn occurs, every second counts Doctors warn patients, especially parents, to be prepared!

It can happen in the brief moment you look away from the stove, or answer the phone while running a bath.  Every 25 seconds someone in the United States is burned or scalded in their home, according to the American Burn Association and the Burn Foundation, with more than two million burn injuries reported each year in this country.  Children under five years old most frequently experience burn injuries in the kitchen, with the bathroom being the second most common area.  Hot water scalds are the leading cause of accidental death in the home for children under five and account for 60% of the burn injuries in children under 14. 

The statistics are sobering, yet many people know little about treating burns or are prepared with appropriate first aid materials in their homes.  Fortunately, Water-Jel Technologies, the world’s leading provider of professional burn treatments used most by EMS workers, has developed Burn Jel Plus, an effective and easy-to-use over-the-counter treatment for minor burns.

Using the same water-based, water-soluble technology as Water-Jel’s professional products, Burn Jel Plus also contains Lidocaine for fast-acting pain relief.  It provides controlled cooling of the burn site by acting as a heat exchanger.  Burns are an evolving injury in which tissue damage can increase until the burn temperature is lowered enough to stop the burn process.  Burn Jel Plus is particularly efficient at lowering the temperature of a burn because heat is released through the outer surface of the gel and into the air, resulting in rapid heat transfer out of the wound. 

“It is essential to quickly and consistently cool the area when a child gets burned,” says Dr. Daniel Rifkin, a pediatrician at Penn State Children’s Hospital, assistant professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, and former volunteer firefighter. “Even simple burns from hot water or coffee can lead to ongoing skin injury if the heat is not removed rapidly.”

As anyone who has run their hand under cold water after a burn can testify, that method has its limitations. When heat is transferred from the wound through evaporation of the water, the surface temperature lowers. But heat emanating from deep within the burn rises to counteract the cooling effect of the evaporating liquid, which then requires a new application of water. This explains why the relief from holding a burn under a running faucet is only temporary.

“You can hold a hand under a faucet, but how do you hold a knee or shoulder or face of a child under running water if he is too big to lift?” asks Dr. Rifkin. He also warns “using a wet paper towel is impractical and ineffective as it heats up quickly and valuable time is lost while you’re re-soaking it.  Other home remedies such as butter, ointments and creams may even exacerbate the wound because they cause more damage by trapping heat in the burned skin and creating a risk for infection.  Ice, butter, or other food substances should also never be applied to a burn.”

Burn Jel Plus can safely be applied to the face or other skin surfaces. It is now widely available across the country at stores including CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Wal-Mart at the suggested retail price $8.99.

For more information visit: www.BurnJelPlus.com

About Water-Jel Technologies 

For over 25 years Water-Jel Technologies has been the leader in the burn care industry.  The company is the exclusive supplier to the U.S. military and Water-Jel products have been used everywhere from battlefields to oil refineries to manufacturing and utility facilities throughout the United States and the world.  When covering the London bombings of 2005, TIME Magazine pictured a victim on the cover with a Water-Jel product on her face. Water-Jel products are standard supplies for emergency medical technicians around the world.

Using home power tools safely

Hand and power tools are a common part of our everyday lives and are present in nearly every home. These tools help us to easily perform tasks that otherwise would be difficult or impossible. However, these simple tools can be hazardous and have the potential for causing severe injuries when used or maintained improperly. Special attention toward hand and power tool safety is necessary in order to reduce or eliminate these hazards.

• Overloaded sockets. Avoid overloading a socket or an electrical circuit. Fires can occur when overloaded wires become hot.
• Cables. Ensure the cable run is kept well out of the way from the cutting blade. Do not use equipment with a damaged cable.
• RCD. Seriously consider the addition of a circuit breaker.
• Safety Wear. Always wear the appropriate safety equipment for the tool e.g. Goggles, safety gloves, etc. No loose clothing.
• Fingers. Keep finger well clear of any cutting blade. Always use devices such as g-clamps to hold pieces being cut.
• Instructions. Always follow the manufacturers instructions for the tool to be used.

Child safety around the garden

Keeping children safe in all aspects of life is important, but this especially applies in the garden. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the potential dangers lurking in the garden environment. From drowning in ponds and harmful plants or insects to accidents and misuse of tools, garden dangers are real and should be a cause for concern. Teach children how to prevent these hazards by educating them on garden safety.

Make sure your kids know good plants from bad ones. Teach them never to eat any plants without the explicit consent of an adult. Point out any unsafe plants that may sting or prick them in the garden and elsewhere, such as rose bushes, holly and cactus plants. In fact, it may be a good idea to avoid these plants altogether if you have young children.

Teach children about bees and other stinging insects, including caterpillars, and how to avoid them. They should be made aware of their habitats and favourite hangouts as well. Explain to children not to touch or swat at these creatures. Also, make sure children always wear shoes outdoors and in the garden. Do not let them wear bright clothing or fragrances, which can attract stinging or biting insects.

Do not use power tools or lawnmowers when children are nearby. Likewise, don’t leave garden tools unattended. While it’s ok to provide them with tools of their own, be sure they are specifically designed for children and only used with adult supervision. Teach children the proper way to use them and when, and put them up after each use, teaching your children to do the same. Always help children if sharp tools are to be used, such as pruning shears.

Although it’s better for everyone, especially the environment, not to use chemicals pesticides or fertilisers, if you must do so keep them away from children. In fact, lock them up.

Be cautious when it comes to staking up plants and using structures like trellises. Use tall stakes rather than small ones to prevent accidents or injuries. Children love to climb. Make it clear that only suitable play structures, such as monkey bars, may be used for climbing. Do not allow climbing on structures such as fences, or trellises, which can lead to falls and other accidents.

Finally, always encourage children to wash their hands after being outdoors and in the garden. Germs are the number one cause for many illnesses.

One of the easiest ways to instil garden safety in children is to start teaching them the basics at a young age and throughout their growing years. Try to be creative and keep the learning process fun. For instance, create a chart using pictures of safe and unsafe garden practices. Take them on frequent nature trips to help them become familiar with local plants and insects. Anything that you can think of that might strike up interest in your kids will help. After all, no one knows your children better than you do.