Keep poisons away from kids
Most accidents happen at home

National Childhood Injury Prevention Week is Sept. 1 to 7.

The L.A. County Department of Public Works’ Household Hazardous Waste Public Education Program is wants to educate L.A. County residents, parents in particular, regarding commonly used products that can pose potential dangers when stored improperly.

According to National Safety Council statistics, the number of circumstances and deaths from unintentional poisonings has increased by an average 270 percent.

More than 75 percent of the poisonings are accidental and most happen to children between the ages of six months and five years. Normal, healthy, curious children swallow, inhale or spill household cleaning products, medicines or personal care items, everyday, often with tragic results.

Consumers buy more than 250,000 different household products—and while these materials help at home, misuse can cause illness, injury and even death to children and others.

In 1998 alone, more than 1.1 million poisonings among children ages 5 and under were reported to poison control centers.

Statistics show that 90 percent of poisonings happen in the home—and most were preventable.

To learn more about the protecting children from the dangers of toxic products found in the home, please call (888) CLEAN-LA.