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A Consumer Guide to Product Safety Recalls
CPSC Hotline Information
For Immediate Release;
Contact: Ken Giles
(301) 504-0580 Ext. 1184
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Each year, unintentional poisonings from medicines
and household chemicals kill about 30 children and prompt more than 1
million calls to the nation's poison control centers. National Poison
Prevention Week, which is March 19-25, 2000. aims to help prevent those
childhood poisonings by reminding people to check their homes now.
The three most important safety messages to prevent poisonings
are: (1) Use child-resistant packaging because it saves lives; (2)
Keep medicines and household chemicals locked up out of reach and out of
sight of young children because some children can open child-resistant
packaging; and (3) Keep the poison control center number next to your
telephone and call immediately if a poisoning occurs.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requires child-
resistant packaging for 28 categories of medicines and household
chemicals and is considering such packaging for a group of chemicals
known as hydrocarbons. "Child resistant-packaging saves lives," said
CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "For aspirin and oral prescription medicine,
special packaging has saved the lives of about 800 children since the
early 1970s."
However, child-resistant packaging is not child-proof. If a young
child swallows a medicine or chemical, parents must call the poison
control center immediately. Dr. Jess Benson, President of the American
Association of Poison Control Centers, said, "By treating poisoning in
the home instead of the emergency room, poison centers save the United
States $350 million annually."
In February, the President signed into law the "Poison Control
Center Enhancement and Awareness Act" to stabilize the funding of poison
centers. If Congress approves funding this year, the act will
financially stabilize poison center programs throughout the United
States.
National Poison Prevention Week is organized each year by the
Poison Prevention Week Council, a coalition of national organizations
working to prevent poisonings. According to William W. Bradley,
Chairman of the Poison Prevention Week Council, "National Poison
Prevention Week increases awareness of child poisonings by emphasizing
the responsibility of parents, grandparents, and other caregivers in
preventing poisonings. Children are curious, and they act fast. Keep
chemicals and medicines out of reach and out of sight. Poisonings can,
and should, be prevented."
At a news conference today, 4-year-old Aaron King and his mother,
Janis Guerney, told the story of his poisoning. Aaron swallowed some
hand-sanitizing gel from a pump bottle. His mother called the poison
center which recommended that she give him something to drink, watch him
for an hour, and not let him go to sleep. He is fine today.
Here are the basic poison prevention tips that every person should
check during National Poison Prevention Week:
- Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the container
securely after use.
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Keep all chemicals and medicines locked up and out of sight.
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Call the poison center immediately in case of poisoning. Keep on
hand a bottle of "syrup of ipecac" but use it only if the poison center
instructs you to induce vomiting.
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When products are in use, never let young children out of your sight,
even if you must take them along when answering the phone or doorbell.
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Keep items in original containers.
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Leave the original labels on all products, and read the label before
using.
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Do not put decorative lamps and candles that contain lamp oil where
children can reach them.
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Always leave the light on when giving or taking medicine. Check the
dosage every time.
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Avoid taking medicine in front of children. Refer to medicine as
"medicine," not "candy."
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Clean out the medicine cabinet periodically and safely dispose of
unneeded and outdated medicines.
To get a free packet of poison prevention publications, write to "Poison
Prevention Packet," CPSC, Washington, DC 20207.
 Consumers can also view a video clip about National Poison Prevention Week. It is about 13 megabytes long and the download time depends upon the speed of your Internet connection. (This video is hosted on the CPSC website.)
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