Child Safety Week
Parents are today being warned to be extra vigilant about where they store potentially harmful products which appear to have childproof caps.
On the first day of Child Safety Week, Nottingham campaigning group APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) says most containers holding products classed as ‘mild irritants’, such as dishwashing powder, are not childproof, as the law only requires the tops to be ‘difficult’ to open.
“Understandably, parents may assume there is no way their child could take the caps off any products under the kitchen sink and in the cupboards,” says APIL chief executive, Denise Kitchener. “But while medicine bottles must have child-proof caps, the mild irritants kept under the kitchen sink such as dishwasher powder, which are still potentially harmful – do not. Being ‘difficult’ to open is no deterrent for an inquisitive three year old.”
Denise said every year, around 26,000 children under five are taken to hospital with suspected poisoning.
“It may sound like common sense, but parents should make sure all bottles and containers are out of sight and out of reach, even those which may seem harmless. Never assume that all domestic products are childproof.”