Spring Saftey Check

By Bonnie Owens on March 24th, 2009

Spring brings a wonderful sense of rejuvenation. The sun is shining, flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. The invigorated feeling most of us feel this time of year is great motivation to wipe away dust and get rid of clutter. This is also a great time to start fresh with some annual safety maintenance. Here are a few areas that may need updating to keep your kids safe.

Medicine Cabinet

Spring cleaning is a good time to get rid of left-over or half used prescriptions and any expired over-the-counter medicines that you may have.
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Fire and Gas Precautions

Replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Be sure to test your smoke alarms and CO detectors as well. You should also take time to review and rehearse your family’s fire escape plan.

Broken Toys

Many parents use spring cleaning as an excuse to go through and get rid of toys that their kids no longer play with. This is also a great time to check for broken toys that can’t be repaired. When considering toy safety, you should be especially watchful for:

splinters or sharp edges on wooden toys
weak or loose parts that could fall off and become a choking hazard
broken pieces
leaking batteries
loose screws and bolts, especially on things like playground equipment and ride on toys (bicycles, scooters, skateboards, etc.)
loose or exposed wires in electrical toys

Childproofing

Even if your home is well childproofed, with latches on cabinets, gates on stairs and covers on door knobs, you do have to regularly inspect them to make sure they are still working properly. Cabinet and drawer latches and locks are especially prone to wear and tear, which may allow your child to get in them and to any unsafe items you have stored in them.
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Recalls

Parents should always be watching for reports and alerts about recalled products, but sometimes you miss one here or there. Spring cleaning time is a good time to check and see if any toys or household products in your home have been recalled.

Car Safety

Check your child’s car seat to make sure it still fits and is installed properly. Consult your car seat user manual to make sure all of the straps are in the correct position. Is your child ready to move up to a booster seat? Are they ready to move out of a seat and to use regular seat belts? Check your state law’s age and height requirements to gauge whether your child has the appropriate car seat arrangement.
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