YOUR HOME IS DANGEROUS

The following was extracted from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's document #6004. For the complete document contact the CPSC at 1-800-638-2772.




CRIBS--Up to 1,800 babies per year may have suffocated on soft bedding. And there are about 50 deaths each year due to cribs with missing hardware.



WINDOW CORDS--There have been 173 deaths between 1981 and September 1995 caused by strangulations with blind or curtain cords.



BATHROOM--Since 1992 there have been 42 deaths of children under age 5 from medicines or household chemicals. There about 34 deaths and 3,800 burn injuries each year from bath water which is too hot. Between January 1990 and March 1995, there have been 34 deaths of children under age 5 in toilets. More than 300 children drowned in bathtubs, basins, showers and jetted bathtubs between 1973 and 1991. From 1983 to present 26 children died in baby bath rings and seats.



KITCHEN--Highchair accidents result in an estimated 9,300 injuries to children under age 5 in 1994 and the annual death rate from such highchair accidents (1988-1992) is 4. Annually there are about 22,000 thermal burn injuries involving stoves, about one third to children. In 1992 there were 220 range/oven fire deaths and 4,670 injuries. In 1993 there were 16,000 injuries to children under age 5 caused by knives.



OTHER LIVING AREAS--From 1980 through 1987 there were about 15 suffocation deaths each year to children under age 5 caused by plastic bags. In 1992 there were about 10,200 fires, 120 fire deaths, and 870 fire injuries from children playing with matches. And since 1992 there have been 42 deaths of children under age 5 from medicines or household chemicals.



SMOKE DETECTORS--In 1992 there were 472,000 residential structural fires, with 3,765 residential structural fire deaths. Of the 3,765 deaths, about 30 percent were children under age 15.



BABY GATES--An estimated 1,200 injuries to children under age 5 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 1994. No deaths.



ELECTRICAL OUTLETS--In 1992 there were about 5,100 outlet or receptacle injuries--almost half of these were children under age 5.



SMALL PARTS CHOKING HAZARDS--From 1980 through 1991 there were about 15 deaths each year to children under age 10 that involved balloons or small parts from children's products. Balloons account for about 6 deaths a year.