A lot of poisoning happens in the home and office, and it is crucial to adopt simple ways of avoiding it from happening. There are lots of items that can cause poisoning, which include medication, makeup items, care products, fertilizers, chemicals, alcohol, cleaning products, and lots more. It is important to prevent poisoning from occurring and here are the major reasons
- More than 90 percent of poisonings occur in the home.
- It doesn’t matter a person’s age or career anyone can be poisoned
- More than 60% of poisonings happen to children younger than 5 years of age.
- Poisoning is the major cause of injury-related deaths around the world
What you should know
It is estimated that about 5,000 children die every year as a result of poisoning, and a further 6 million get seriously hurt from it. More than 1.5 million adults are also affected by poisoning each year as well.
Best Ways in Preventing Poisoning
Medication
- Keep potentially poisonous medicines locked and out of reach of children
- Do not share prescription medication with others.
- Do not remove medication from their original containers, keep them properly labeled and stored
- Mouthwash should be kept away from children
- Ensure you do not prepare medication or administer medication in the dark
- Properly discard empty drug containers
Household Products
- Keep all products in their original containers and label them properly
- Keep potentially poisonous household items locked and out of reach of children
- Do not place poisonous household items in food containers
- Cosmetics and toiletries should be kept out of reach of children
- Laundry products must be properly labeled and kept out of the reach of children
- Do not put cleaning products in old soda bottles or containers containing food labels
- Be cautious with items such as hairspray, perfume, shoe polish, nail polish remover, and hair dye
Carbon Monoxide
- Install a carbon monoxide detector at home close to your furnace and bedrooms.
Chemicals
- Keep all chemicals and potentially poisonous substances properly labeled, locked in high cabinets out of the reach of children.
- Do not create dangerous gas by mixing household items and chemicals
- Keep automotive products out of reach of children
- Do not leave cleaning products unattended to while cleaning the home
- Properly discard used batteries
Art Supplies
- Art products that are a mixture of chemicals can be dangerous if not correctly used. Make sure you read art supplies and follow proper instructions
- Do not drink or eat while making use of an art product.
- Do not put arts products in another container
- Wash your skin thoroughly after contact with art products.
- Ensure you clean equipment, wipe your desk, tables and counters.
- Do not place art products in other containers. They should be in their original containers.
Food Items and drinks
- Ensure your hands and counters are adequately washed before preparing food
- Store food items at the proper temperatures and refrigerated foods should not be left above 40 degrees F (5 degrees C).
- Use clean utensils for serving and cooking
- Use safety latches for all cabinets used in storing poisonous and hazardous materials
- Do not let children get access to keep drink containing alcohol
Insects, animals, and plants
- Observe your surroundings to ascertain if there are poisonous snakes, insects, and plants and take measures to eradicate them.
- Fumigate your premises
- Check the label on any insect repellent and ensure you do not inhale them while applying.
- Do not place rat poison on the floor at home.
What to do if someone ingests a poisonous substance
- If you or someone else have swallowed a poison, remove the remaining substance in the mouth. After that, give about 2 ounces of water to the affected person.
- If the poison occurred on the skin, quickly remove any contaminated clothing and rinse skin thoroughly with large amounts of water.
- If the poison is inhaled poison get fresh air as soon immediately.
- If the poison occurred in the eye gently flush the eye for 10 minutes using medium-warm water as soon as possible
- Call your doctor immediately.