Consider these facts from the Center for Injury Prevention & Control, a division of the Center for Disease Control (CDC):

* For children, drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death (motor vehicle related injuries are number one).
* In 2006, there were 3,579 fatal unintentional drownings.
* In 2008, 72% of recreational boating fatalities were caused by drowning and 90% of the victims were not wearing life jackets.

The facts point to one obvious but important conclusion: being near water can be very dangerous. Fortunately, there are a number of safety measures one can take to ensure summer days near the water stay fun.

The water situations that present the greatest risks, change as a child ages. Children under one year of age most often drown in bathtubs, buckets, or toilets. Among children aged one to four, most drownings occur in residential swimming pools. The percent of drownings that occur in natural water settings increases with age. Most drownings among those over the age of 15 occur in natural water settings.

Adults have the responsibility of their own water safety and the safety of children. Here are some guidelines from the CDC for keeping everybody safe:

* Use pool fencing and barriers to restrict a child’s access to pool areas. About one in every 25 homes in the U.S. has a pool with inadequate protection / fencing!
* Use life jackets. A quick internet search found life jackets for less than $10.
* Do not use air-filled or foam toys such as “water wings” or “noodles” as a life jacket replacement.
* Refrain from drinking alcohol. Up to half of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation involve alcohol use.
* Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Bystanders who know CPR have been shown to improve outcomes in drowning victims. CPR training courses are offered by the American Heart Association (1-800-AHAUSA1), the American Red Cross, and many local fire departments. There are also good online sources for information.
* Go to public water locations with trained lifeguards.
* Bring a buddy. Always swim with a buddy that can help you if you need assistance, or alert others.
* Learn how to swim! It’s fun and will be a valuable lifelong skill.

With these simple precautions, you are ready to go out and have a great day with your friends and family.

While many kinds of vehicles, from golf carts to snow mobiles, are included in the Motorsport and Utility Vehicles category, the majority of injuries and deaths reported at the time of recall were attributed to All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) and Recreational Off-highway Vehicles (ROV or ROHV), the latter of which are also known as Utility Vehicles (UTV) or “side-by-sides.”

ROVs differ from ATVs in that they have a steering wheel, bench or bucket seats, seatbelts, foot controls, and a roll cage.  According to Wikipedia, UTVs are designed for a specific task such as a maintenance vehicle, but they are growing in popularity as a purely recreational vehicle.

UTVs, ROVs, and ATVs are all associated with numerous fatalities and injuries every year.  The CPSC already has voluntary standards for ATVs and is currently working on standards for ROVs.  In the meantime, recalls will continue as safety defects are discovered.  Sadly, it seems these recalls often occur too late.   For the Motorsports & Utility Vehicles product category, there were about 200,000 units recalled in 2009.  This averages out to approximately one death for every 4,000 recalled units!

Aside from the deaths associated with recalled products – in other words, products with identified safety defects – evidence shows that these types of vehicles are inherently dangerous.  Although that may not be an earth shattering statement, the numbers are alarming.  The CPSC reports that in one month, April 2010 alone, there were media reports of at least 40 ATV fatalities, including 12 children under the age of 16.  In another study covering the 2003-2005 period, ATV-related deaths peaked in July when 76 adults and 23 children were killed.

In April 2009, the CPSC began requiring ATV manufacturers and distributors to offer free, hands-on training through their dealers to first-time purchasers and age appropriate members of their immediate families within a reasonable time from purchase.  However, knowing these ATV guidelines provided by the CPSC will also go a long way toward staying safe.  Many of these basic rules also apply to UTVs and ROVs.

• Take a hands-on safety training course.
• Always wear protective gear – especially a helmet
• Do not drive a single-rider ATV with a passenger, or ride as a passenger.
• Do not drive ATVs on paved roads.
• Do not permit children younger than 16 to drive or ride adult vehicles.
• Choose an age-appropriate vehicle for your child.

Have a good time and remember to always be safe!

There are numerous tip-lists about poison prevention online, most of which focus on keeping potentially dangerous products out of reach or locked up. These are important steps and, with toddlers and preschoolers in the house, should not be taken lightly. If you have been putting off child-proofing your home because your child(ren) are too young to walk, or because you feel your child is under constant supervision, now is the time to install latches on cabinets and put up high any chemicals in your garage. Before you can blink, baby will be curiously exploring – often right under your nose. Also, don’t forget travel cases and handbags, especially of visitors; make sure they are out of reach as well.

For children old enough to understand, knowledge can be the greatest protection. The best publication we have found for tips on how to talk with children about poisons was drafted by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). It will teach you how to describe poisons and explain what to do and not to do in language your children will understand.

It is recommend that one not place carriers on a high surface such as a table or counter, as vibrations (not to mention older children, excited pets and rushing parents) can cause the carrier to slide to the edge and fall. It is equally important that the straps be fastened anytime baby is in the seat. One of our WeMakeItSafer team-members tells this story:

“Our four-month-old son was resting in his infant carrier, unbuckled, as we had done a hundred times before. I went to move him and accidentally knocked the dining chair. Out of instinct, I reached for the chair, which caused me to slightly tip the carrier, causing my son to fall three feet to the kitchen floor. Luckily he was fine, but the nightmare of watching him being rolled into the CAT scan will haunt me forever.”

Our teammate was incredibly lucky. A study conducted by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine looked at medical records of just one emergency room over a 1.4 year period and found 62 infants had been treated for infant carrier falls. “Of these patients, 87.1% were not buckled into their carriers.” Over a third of the infants had to be hospitalized with everything from contusions to skull fractures and even one who had to undergo a craniotomy.

On top of general precautions, parents should take the time to make sure that their car seats and carriers have not been recalled.   While WeMakeItSafer does include baby carriers that have been recalled by the CPSC, we do not yet cover recalls by the National Highway and Trarfic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  This will change soon, but until then, you can check NHTSA recalls at http://www.nhtsa.gov/ .

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced that nearly one million GE coffee makers are being recalled due to a fire and burn hazard to consumers.  In this case, Walmart says it received 83  reports of incidents with the maker, including one significant kitchen fire.  However, safety problems with coffee makers are not uncommon.  In the past five years there have been approximately 25 other recalls of coffee makers and each recall can be for more than one model.  Some of the recalled coffee makers brands include Black and Decker, Bunn, Philips, Signature (Costco), Kenmore, Jura, Orchestra, KitchenAid, Hamilton Beach, Krups, and Tim Hortons.

To find out if your coffee maker or has been recalled, view images of recalled coffee/tea/espresso makers and kettles and check the details to make yours is safe.  I just checked my Gevalia coffee maker.  It hasn’t been recalled although there are two Gevalia recalls.  Next on my list – making sure my friend checks out her Kenmore coffee maker which looks like it may have been recalled in 2008.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), “‘Little Leaguer’s elbow’ and osteochondritis dissecans affect pitchers and other players who throw repetitively. Continuing to throw may lead to major complications and jeopardize a child’s ability to remain active in a sport that requires throwing.”

To prevent the problem, AAOS recommends no more than 200 throws per week, including all practices and games, and a pitcher should not throw for more than three or four innings in one game.

A child should stop pitching immediately and seek medical attention if there is any pain or locking in the elbow or if range of motion becomes restricted.

Unsafe and recalled children’s products are, unfortunately, a big problem for today’s parents.  WeMakeItSafer research estimates that 214 million potentially dangerous children’s products have been recalled and remain in circulation and could be in use currently.  (See the Children’s Products Recall Report for more recall statistics.)  To offer parents some relief, from now until February 20, Toys”R”Us, Inc. is promoting its “Great Trade-In” event to help replace unsafe baby products with new ones.

Bring used baby products to Babies”R”Us and Toys”R”Us locations nationwide and, in exchange, get 25% savings on the purchase of a new item from select manufacturers.  Toys”R”Us, Inc. spokeswoman Katie Reczek said the company disposes of the used items it receives.  This ensures that products cannot be put back into circulation.  Toys”R”Us consulted with product safety organizations, who gave the company this advice regarding disposal.

Stores are accepting these used items:

• Cribs
• Car seats
• Bassinets
• Strollers
• Travel systems
• Play yards
• High chairs
• Toddler beds

Because all used items are going to be destroyed, Toys”R”Us is not prepared to help you determine if your used item has been recalled. With each recall, however, various remedies are provided.  Use our Product Recall Search to find photos of recalled products and search easily by the brand name of the product you own.  Our recall product page will tell you, for example, whether you should contact the company for a free repair kit or whether you could return it to the store where you bought it.

“The identification of 19 ingested stay-tabs at a single children’s hospital suggests that such occurrences are not uncommon,” said Lane F. Donnelly, M.D the study’s lead author.

Sixth Pacifier Failed to Meet Federal Safety Standards This Year

Today, the CPSC announced a recall of “Bobby Chupete” pacifiers because of a potential choking hazard.  According to the CPSC, over 600,000 of these pacifiers were imported by Grand World Inc.  Although no connection is mentioned in the recall announcement, very similar pacifiers sold under the name, “My Baby Soother,”  were recalled last month, also due to a choking hazard.   The My Baby Soother version was distributed by T & L Trading.

In the My Baby Soother recall, the CPSC stated that “T & L Trading has refused to recall these pacifiers,” and therefore issued the warning itself, urging distributors and retailers who purchased the “My Baby Soother” pacifiers from T & L Trading to call the agency.   There were 16,500 pacifiers included in the T & L trading recall.

As we try to piece this together, several questions come to mind:

• Who manufactured the pacifiers? Is it the same entity in both recalls?
• Was T & L Trading also an importer, or did it purchase pacifiers from Grand World Inc.?
• Are there more distributors, more importers?
• How many units did the manufacturer(s) make?

The CPSC is surely investigating this matter, and we will keep you posted as we learn more.

In addition to these two recalls, consumers should review the photos of other recent pacifier recalls.  There have been four other pacifier recalls in 2009 alone.  In January, 38,000 flashing pacifiers were recalled.  Although marketed as a toy for older children, if mistakenly given to an infant or toddler, the pacifier could cause serious injury or death.   In April, about 40,000 pacifiers imported by Healthtex were recalled.  These Zoo pacifiers have animal cartoon figures as handles.  In July, about 700 Jaloma pacifiers were sold in the New York and New Jersey area and were recalled because they have a mouth guard and ventilation holes that are too small.

One pacifier recalled in March under the Baby Necessities brand involved about 2,900 pacifiers.  Subsequently, the Los Angeles importer, OKK Trading, agreed to pay $665,000 in a provisional penalty settlement that resolved previous import and export violations, many of which resulted in recalls, but does not appear to cover this most recent pacifier recall.  In the settlement, the CPSC alleged that OKK Trading knowingly imported and sold pacifiers, which violated the prohibition on small parts and and various other children’s toys, rattles and games that were in violation of numerous federal standards including lead paint limits.

Check to make sure pacifiers you own have not been recalled at WeMakeItSafer.com. Then, sign up for WeMakeItSafer’s e-newsletter by sending an email to InformMe@WeMakeItSafer.com. Twice a month, you will receive images of recent recalls in your inbox.   A quick glance will ensure you remain aware and your family stays safe.

Check your closet and make sure your parents and grandparents check as well.  Blair LLC and CPSC expanded the earlier robe recall to include additional chenille garments, including jackets and sweaters.  Blair has received several reports of the chenille garments catching fire, including nine deaths, most of which involved seniors who were cooking at the time.

See all images for this recall.

With the recall expansion, about 300,000 articles of clothing have been recalled. All four of the clothing items were sold for $20 to $40.

]]> http://wemakeitsafer.com/blog/2009/11/more-deaths-prompt-expanded-recall-of-blairs-chenille-clothing/feed/ 0