Safety at Home

By Heather

According to a recent study conducted by UL, most Americans are still at risk for Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning. So, we’re dedicating our Safety at Home blog this month to raising awareness for basic prevention, inspection, and detection.

62% of survey respondents couldn’t correctly detect CO poisoning symptoms — which typically result in flu-like symptoms — and 70% don’t inspect common household sources of CO emission, such as a furnace or hot water heater, at least once a year.

Since CO doesn’t have an odor or color, a CO alarm and professional inspection are the very best ways to know if your home is safe.

Be ready to react when you DETECT a problem

• If a CO alarm sounds, don’t disable it. Immediately open windows and doors for ventilation and move to a fresh air location outdoors. Make sure everyone from inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel arrive.
• After a CO alarm sounds, always have a professional inspect your home so the source of CO can be identified, and have it fixed immediately.
• If anyone in the home is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning – headache, dizziness or other flu-like symptoms – immediately evacuate the house, call the fire department and seek medical attention.

More tips in this video.

Related post: CO poisoning mistaken for a haunting!

By Heather

Of course, the best advice for driving in a snowstorm is not to do it. If you can, just bundle up and stay inside. But that’s not always practical advice. Weather doesn’t come according to our plans. And parents don’t usually get “snow days.”

Driving will be slow even on well-treated surfaces and treacherous on roads that haven’t been plowed or sanded.

If you must be on the road during stormy, snowy or icy conditions, consider these helpful tips from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT)
BEFORE YOU LEAVE

• Check all fluids, make sure the radiator is winterized, maintain a gas tank above half-full and keep windshield washing fluid on hand.

• Pack a winter survival kit including an ice scraper and shovel, flashlight, jumper cables, flares, sand for traction, extra clothing or blankets, a first-aid kit and non-perishable food.
• Clear frost, snow and ice from all car windows and mirrors before driving.

DRIVING IN THE STORM

• Use the brake and gas pedal lightly when driving in icy conditions and watch for bridges, which freeze before roads.

• Do not use cruise control in icy conditions.

• Remember that exit ramps may be icier than the highway.  Allow extra stopping time.

• If you drive a 4×4 vehicle, remember that they tend to be heavier than cars and may take longer to stop. Don’t get overconfident in a 4×4 vehicle’s traction.
• Drive with headlights on, stay within the posted speed limits, never drink and drive, and make sure everyone is using a seatbelt.
• Obey warning signs, keep a safe distance between vehicles and use four-way flashers when stopped in traffic or traveling slowly.

ALWAYS STAY SAFE DISTANCE BEHIND PLOWS

• Plows will typically travel under 35 miles per hour and there is always a temptation to pass them. For safety purposes, stay a safe distance behind plows.
• Remember that the road in front of a plow is usually in much worse condition than the road behind a plow.

By Whitney

A winter storm, like the one endured by the folks on the East Coast recently, can really put your patience to the test.  When I imagine what I’d do with my two- and five-year-old for 48 hours without electricity and a yard filled with snow, my visions of cozy fireside story-telling last for 5 minutes, and then I begin to brainstorm how we’d fill the next twelve hours until bedtime. Sure hope my husband’s iPhone is fully charged!

UL has provided some recommendations for what families should have on hand in the case of a major storm.  Games for the children are on the list, as are other critical supplies, such as a gallon of water per person per day.  Check out the list (below) and be prepared.

Also, be prepared to spend lots of hours entertaining your kids indoors. Consider this tip from The Rookie Moms: Announce special storm-day rules. Eat cereal for dinner; fill the dining room with stuffed animals; use face paint; camp out on the floor in Mommy’s room in sleeping bags.

Put everyone to bed early and hope that tomorrow is a clearer day.

***

Storm safety kit contents

• First-aid kit
• Bottled water (one gallon of water per person/day for at least three days)
• Flashlights
• Batteries
• Non-perishable food
• Can opener
• Weather radio (battery-operated)
• Blankets
• Fire extinguisher
• Aspirin
• Any prescription medication(s) needed by family members
• Extra clothes
• Games to keep children occupied
• Corded telephone
• List of phone numbers for relatives, neighbors and utility companies
• A map to find the main shut-off valves for electricity, gas and water

Photo credit: Ben Hollingsworth on flickr.com

By Whitney

We live in an old neighborhood by California standards.  Most of our houses are 80 to 100 years old around here. Because of this, our pediatrician has lead testing for one-year olds as part of her protocol.

Toddlers explore their environments with their hands and mouths. It is not surprising to find a 14-month-old gnawing on a windowsill or baseboard.  If lead paint had been used on those surfaces, perhaps before you lived there, it’s possible that your baby could be ingesting it.

Lead is found in peeling paint, and the dust that it produces.  And now, with so many of our toys made overseas in unregulated environments, toys can also contain lead.

Lead in a child’s body can lead to medical problems; however, it can be detected by a blood test, and will reduce over time when the source of lead poisoning is removed.  If your pediatrician has not requested a lead blood test for your toddler, ask for one.

Photo by Go Far Jenny on flickr.com

By Heather

My baby boy is about to turn three and his big brother will turn five soon after. Each day, we speak about birthday presents and party guests while my mind simmers with plans for their bedroom.

Here’s the current state of their bedroom

First step, we’re repainting. I love the pastel wall mural that my mom painted for the baby’s room. We’re choosing no-VOC paint to limit the impact on air quality. [here are some great tips for safely painting your room]

Next up, storage. Any large bookshelf or cubby system will need to be safety-braced to the wall for earthquake safety as well as the protection of any little climbers. [tips on strapping it down]

Finally, new beds and mattresses. Both of them are tall for their ages, Milo is still sleeping in a crib and Holden curls up in a toddler bed. We’d love to save space by splurging on bunk beds, but it is still too soon for all that.  Top bunks are for kids older than age six (according to this helpful post on Consumer Reports).  Mattresses made from non-flammable materials are also a must – did you know UL is the only testing organization that certifies that mattresses are compliant with new open flame regulations? I’ll be sure to look for the UL Mark on my boys’ new mattresses to help all of us sleep better at night!

Stay tuned for the “after” pictures.

By Whitney

(Photo of Shaun White by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

In my living room last night, an in-depth discussion about this year’s Olympians resulted in much discussion about the bravery, fitness, technical skills and equipment used by the athletes.

The death-defying jumps, the speed, and the quick decisions are what separate us, the benchwarmers and couch potatoes, from them, the elite superstars.  They have mad skills, for sure.  But no matter their level of experience, they are all outfitted extensively with padding and headgear.

The next morning, following our first taste of the Olympic games this year, we drove by a skate park where my husband marveled at the number of tweens and teens who were skateboarding without helmets. “Unacceptable,” we agreed.

Safety equipment does not imply a lack of skills or a propensity to fall.  Just as wearing a seatbelt does not presume you are about to crash the car.  If you meet resistance from your kids when you enforce pads and helmet rules, point to the Olympic athletes as examples.

©IOC/Jason Evans

By Whitney

Riddle: What gas is silent and colorless, but deadly?  Hint: It does not come from your husband’s body.

The correct answer is carbon monoxide, and the fact is that most of us don’t know much about it. And unlike the gas that comes from our partners and children (and never from our own bodies, of course) it is odorless which means we can’t detect it ourselves.

Carbon monoxide, which goes by the abbreviation CO, can appear in our households when there is incomplete burning of fuel, such as propane, kerosene, gasoline, oil, natural gas, wood and charcoal.

So how can we reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning at home?

UL recommends a three-part strategy: INSPECT, PROTECT and DETECT.

INSPECT

Things to notice:

• Streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your fuel-burning appliances
• Moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace rooms
• Fallen soot from the fireplace or small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney

Action to take: have a qualified technician INSPECT your home once a year

PROTECT

Things to notice:

• Existing CO alarms should be tested monthly for battery life
• Alarms should not be installed directly above appliances that burn fuel

Action to take: Install UL-listed carbon monoxide alarms outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.

DETECT

Things to notice:

• If a CO alarm sounds, and the problem gets resolved, be on the lookout for symptoms of CO poisoning in your family members. These are flu-like and can include headaches and dizziness.

Action to take: Evacuate the house and move to a fresh-air location in the case of a CO alarm going off. Call the fire department.

For more information on CO safety tips, visit www.ul.com/consumers.

By Heather

During cold and flu season, many of us are taking extra pills and potions to get through the day.

Last weekend, my youngest son was taking a pink potion for his ear infections while my older son was taking cough syrup every twelve hours and my husband was taking ibuprofen every six hours to manage pain and fever. That’s a lot to keep track of.

If you are taking more than one medicine, there are a few smart tips to remember:

1. Read labels carefully to prevent over- or even under-dosing. ‘Nuf said.
2. Write down the time and dosage you or your kid took the medicine. If you are especially drowsy, taking more than one medicine, or on a care-giving team, writing down doses becomes critical.
3. Keep medicines closed and out of reach. Most medicines are child-locked but not all of them are. Some look virtually identical to candy.
4. Contact poison control [1-800-222-1222] if anyone ever takes too much medicine so that you can respond properly.

Stay safe and healthy out there. In the meantime, I’m doing my best to get all the guys in my house healthy and avoid catching what they have.

Related posts:
How to safely dispose of medicines
Take off shoes, wash hands

By Whitney

Is your car a diaper bag on wheels? Mine is. Packed with toys, snacks, and changes of clothing, my cluttered car gives me peace of mind: if I’m within walking distance of my car, I will never be stuck with wet or hungry kids.

Below the center console, I hide bags of pretzels and banana chips that I can dole out as needed. Tucked into the back pockets of the front seats are diapers, books, and drawing materials. And that storage pocket inside the door that was used for maps back in the old days? Well, with a GPS on one’s dashboard, that space can now be dedicated to packages of wipes, hand sanitizer, and paper towels.

In the glove compartment, I keep a small first aid kit. In the trunk, an emergency car kit with jumper cables, flares, and more first aid supplies. And hidden in the spare tire compartment, more energy bars, in case of a serious stranding situation.
What’s in your car?

By Heather

With the blizzards and power outages ravaging the East Coast, I feel very blessed for our mild Bay Area winters. I keep hearing tales of being snowed in from my loved ones.

While they’re busy stowing flashlights with batteries in every room and stocking up on canned goods, I hope they are staying warm and keeping safe.

Do you know you should never use a power generator in the house? Never ever. If you do, you can create a carbon monoxide (CO) hazard from the fumes building up.

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer.

(Click to watch video)

Protect your family, especially while they sleep. Purchase and install UL-listed CO alarms outside each sleeping area, including the basement. Read the instructions carefully to make sure you install it properly. Some smoke alarms can double as CO alarms. Just look for the UL mark to be sure the one you’ve chosen has been properly tested.

If you feel groggy, dizzy, or have unexplained headaches, call 911 or the poison control center [1-800-222-1222].