CPSC is making progress in establishing a new safety rule for infant swings. Many of you moms and dads know these products well, as they have helped your baby fall asleep at 3 a.m., 3 p.m., and everywhere in between.
While working through the safety of these swings, CPSC staff has assembled some interesting information for new moms and dads:
First, when you bring your new baby home, remember that newborns and young infants don’t have the muscle tone or strength to keep their heads up. So, (…)
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Feb 3
Just in time for the cold weather, we have new information on carbon monoxide (CO) deaths associated with the use of consumer products.
In 2008 — the latest year for which we have complete data — there were about 190 unintentional non-fire CO-poisoning deaths associated with consumer products under our jurisdiction. The product associated with most of these deaths? Portable generators.
As more people use portable generators, the numbers of CO-related deaths have increased. In 1999 there (…)
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Jan 20
Working Smoke Alarms: Your Life May Depend On Them!
by CPSC Blogger ash embers fire fireplace smoke smoke alarmsFireplaces are a symbol of a warm and welcoming home. But using them improperly can lead to tragedies.
Tragedies involving fires pull at our heartstrings — like the Christmas morning fire that tragically killed three children and their grandparents in Stamford, Conn. (Source: Ct. Post)
According to the Connecticut Post, the family had used their fireplace that day. Stamford, Ct.’s chief fire marshal told the Ct. Post that the initial investigation determined that the fireplace ashes and (…)
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Dec 29
Small parts and small children can be a deadly combination. To prevent young children from choking, children’s toys and games, as well as balloons, have warning labels. These labels help you keep small things away from your little ones.
But what are small parts? And why should parents be concerned about them?
First, this is a small parts tester:
The cylinder is 2.25 inches long by 1.25 inches wide. That’s about the size of a 3-year-old’s throat. The opening is slightly wider (…)
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Dec 20
CLICK!
That’s the sound you often hear when you close the child-resistant cap on a medicine bottle.
Imagine this scenario: It’s the middle of the night and your sick child needs a dose of fever reducing medicine. You’re only half awake and caring for your child. You give your child the medicine and head back to bed.
CLICK. Did you hear it? Sometimes you won’t. But be sure the cap is closed tightly. Even in your most sleep-deprived hours, check the cap.
Most emergency room visits (…)
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Dec 14