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ACCESSING SAFE GOODS AND SERVICES – WHAT YOU CAN DO
As consumers we should be instructed in the proper use of goods and should be informed of the risks involved in intended or foreseeable use. Vital safety information should be conveyed to consumers wherever possible.
Ideally, Governments should encourage manufacturers, and importers to adopt the appropriate measures, including legal systems, safety regulations, national or international standards, voluntary standards and the maintenance of safety records to ensure that products are safe for either intended or normally foreseeable use.
However this is not always the case. Today's consumers must now do all that we can to ensure our safety and that we get value for money. Here is some helpful information to ensure you buy products that are safe and use them in a safe manner:
Baby Items
- Check that crib slats are not too far apart; infants can slip between them and be strangled. If the mattress doesn't fit snugly, infants can become entrapped and suffocate.
- Ensure there are no drawstrings around the hood and neck of children's upper outerwear clothing, such as sweatshirts as they can catch on playground and other equipment, and can strangle young children.
In the House
- Make sure that halogen torchiere floor lamps have glass or wire guards over the bulb shield and the bulb as they can prevent fires that occur when flammable materials like curtains get too close to the lamp.
- Furniture made from vinyl, wool or thermoplastic fibers (nylon, polyester, olefin, acrylic) resist ignition by burning cigarettes better than other fiber types (cotton, rayon). The resistance of fabrics made from cotton, rayon or linen to smoldering cigarettes depends on the weight of the fabric. The heavier the weight of the fabric, the more likely the fabric will burn.
- Make sure all spaces between the guardrail and bed frame of bunk beds and all spaces in the bed headboard and footboards of the top bunk are less than 3 1/2 inches. Make sure there are guardrails on both sides of the top bunk as children can become entrapped and strangle in the bed's structure or wedged between the bed and a wall and suffocate.
- Look for hair dryers with large rectangular shaped safety plugs. These immersion protection plugs prevent electrocution by shutting off the current if the hair dryer comes into contact with water.
Preventing Fires
- Locate nightlights away from beds where the bulb might touch flammable materials. Look for nightlights that bear the mark of a recognized testing laboratory.
- If you try to re-charge a battery not intended to be re-charged, the battery can overheat and rupture. If you have a rechargeable battery, be sure to use the proper battery charger intended for the size and type of battery you have.
Remember, the power is yours!
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