OnSafety is the Official Blog Site of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here you'll find the latest safety information as well as important messages that will keep you and your family safe. We hope you'll visit often!
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By CPSC Blogger on February 19, 2013
Blog en español
 Print and post or share this free poster in English and Spanish. Beginning Feb. 28, 2013, manufacturers and importers of infant and toddler play yards are required to test their play yards to ensure that they meet new federal safety standards.
Play yards are framed enclosures with a floor and mesh or fabric side panels. Most can be folded for storage or travel.
Play yards that meet the new safety standard must have:
- Side rails that do not form a sharp V when the product is folded. This prevents a child from strangling in the side rail.
- Stronger corner brackets to prevent sharp-edged cracks and to prevent a side-rail collapse.
- Sturdier mattress attachments to the play yard floor to prevent children from getting trapped or hurt.
The new play yard standard is one of many safety standards that CPSC has passed as part of the Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act, or what we call “Danny’s Law.” Danny Keysar was killed in Chicago in 1998 when a previously recalled play yard in which he was napping collapsed, suffocating him. This new play yard standard was completed in honor of Danny and his family.
In addition to the play yard safety standard, CPSC has issued mandatory safety standards for cribs, children’s bed rails, baby bath seats, baby walkers, infant swings and toddler beds.
CPSC staff is currently working on safety standards for bedside sleepers, hand-held infant carriers, bassinets, and bassinet attachments to play yards and will propose rules this year for strollers, soft infant carriers and infant slings.
If you use a play yard, keep it bare when you put your baby in it. Each year, CPSC receives reports of infant suffocation deaths. Some key causes of these deaths are the placement of pillows and thick quilts in a baby’s sleeping space and/or overcrowding in the space. Here’s more information on how to put your baby to sleep safely.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2013/02/play-yards-new-safety-rule-to-take-effect/
By CPSC Blogger on February 8, 2013
Blog en español
Two women are reported to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning recently in Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune. The newspaper reports that a faulty boiler is suspected. Elsewhere, in Oxford, Conn., a man reportedly died due to high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) found in a home where he was housesitting. The dogs in the house died, too. (Connecticut Post, 1/30/13).
These reported deaths are just two of the regular, tragic reminders we see that carbon monoxide is a killer. In fact, CO is called the “invisible killer,” because you can’t see, smell or taste it. Don’t let this happen to you.
The best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home is to:
- Have fuel-burning home heating appliances – your furnace, chimney, water heater, etc. – checked by a professional every year to make sure they are working properly.
- Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and outside bedroom areas.
- If you use a generator when the power goes out, keep it outside, far from windows and doors. Do NOT use a generator in your garage.
Carbon-monoxide deaths are more common than you might think. According to a new CPSC report:
- There were an average of 169 unintentional, non-fire CO poisoning deaths each year between 2007 and 2009.
- 1/3 of the deaths were associated with carbon monoxide from heating systems, such as furnaces.
- More than 40% of carbon-monoxide deaths are from using generators, such as operating them in a garage or basement, which is extremely dangerous.
- Most CO deaths occur in the colder months of the year: November, December, January and February.
In addition to carbon monoxide risks, space heaters also need to be handled with extra care to prevent unintentional fires. Space heaters are associated with an average of 100 deaths each year between 2008 and 2010.
Just last week, local fire officials reportedly blamed space heaters for fires at homes in Portsmouth, Va. (via Fox 43-TV) and Bristol Township, Pa. (via PhillyBurbs.com).
- Turn the space heater off when you go to sleep or leave the room.
- Keep the space heater at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including curtains and furniture.
Have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside bedroom areas and inside each bedroom.
Look for additional life-saving information in CPSC’s Carbon Monoxide Information Center.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2013/02/be-safe-check-your-home-heating/
By CPSC Blogger on December 21, 2012
The deadline for child care centers, hotels, motels and places of public accommodation to comply with the new crib standards is coming up.
As a refresher: Beginning June 28, 2011, there are new new federal safety standards for cribs. All cribs made and sold after that date must meet these new standards, which prohibit traditional drop-side cribs, strengthen crib slats and mattress supports, improve the quality of hardware, and require more rigorous testing from entering the marketplace.
Cribs provided by child care facilities, family child care homes, hotels, motels and other places of public accommodation have until Dec. 28, 2012, to meet the requirements of the new standards.
Here are some materials that we have created to help you understand the new standards and what you need to do:
In addition, we continue to receive questions about the new standard. Many of your questions revolve around evacuation cribs and play yards.
Evacuation Cribs
Cribs in child care facilities, family child care homes and places of public accommodation must meet the requirements of the new federal safety standards for full-size or non-full-size cribs. The regulations do not offer any exemptions or exceptions for evacuation cribs, regardless of how they are used.
Play Yards
The new crib standards do not apply to play yards. CPSC recently strengthened the safety standards for play yards. This new standard will take effect in February 2013. From CPSC’s regulatory perspective, a play yard can be used in lieu of a crib. HOWEVER, some state regulations prohibit the use of play yards in lieu of cribs in a child care setting. If you choose to replace the cribs in your child care with play yards, please familiarize yourself with your state regulations.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/12/dec-28-crib-standard-deadline-fast-approaching/
By CPSC Blogger on December 13, 2012
A new CPSC data report shows that 349 people (84 percent of them children under 9) were killed between 2000 and 2011 when TVs, furniture, or appliances toppled over onto them. The 41 reported deaths in 2011 were the highest number reported in one year. That’s an increase from 31 in 2010 and 27 in 2009.
Here are excerpts from our Twitter chat in February with more information and safety tips from CPSC, Kids in Danger and Dr. Gary A. Smith of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Help teach all parents to prevent these tragedies. Share the poster above on Facebook. Pin it on Pinterest. Post it on Twitter. Print and post it for parents in your communities.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/12/cpsc-research-1-child-dies-every-2-weeks/
By CPSC Blogger on November 20, 2012
Blog en español
In 2012, CPSC staff has learned of about 500 incidents involving children and adults who were injured by single-load laundry packets like those shown above. Children have required hospitalization from ingesting the product due to loss of consciousness, excessive vomiting, drowsiness, throat swelling, and difficulty breathing (requiring intubation).
Do NOT let children handle laundry packets. Keep them locked up and out of a child’s sight and reach.
Read and Share this CPSC Safety Alert.
This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/11/single-load-liquid-laundry-packets-harmful/
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