Posted by Charlotte Salter, on November 27, 2019.
Families in Tamworth and Rugeley will receive advice about how to store and use cleaning products safely, in the latest phase of the Take Action Today, Put Them Away campaign, funded by the UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPI) and run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
The latest phase of the campaign is being launched today, Wednesday, November 27, 2019, with two events – one at the Wiggin Centre at Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital in Tamworth and then at Rugeley Community Centre.
This follows the scheme’s success in 25 areas of the UK including Birmingham, Liverpool, King’s Lynn, Nottingham, Newcastle, Bradford, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire and Northern Ireland where more than 300,000 families have been helped to prevent poisoning and eye injuries.
In Staffordshire, accidental poisonings accounted for 277 emergency admissions for 0 – 4 year olds between 2014/15- 2016/17.
As part of the campaign, a handy magnetic notepad featuring key safety advice will be handed out to thousands of families by health visitors and children’s centre staff.
Philip Malpass, from the industry’s trade body, the UKCPI, said: “Cleaning products are designed to be safe to use and to provide the clean and hygienic home we often take for granted today. The accidents we see involving young children and cleaning products are avoidable and whilst the severity of the injuries is generally low, we hope that this campaign will remind parents to follow the usage instructions on the packaging, and in so doing, avoid unnecessary accidents.”
Ashley Martin, RoSPA’s public health adviser, said: “The notepad acts as a constant reminder in family kitchens to store cleaning products out of reach, out of sight and in a locked cupboard.
“Due to their inquisitive nature, children under the age of five are most at risk of accidentally swallowing or getting household cleaning products, like liquid laundry capsules, into their eyes. Even products with a child-resistant closure cannot guarantee safety – they only reduce the risk by delaying access to the product.”
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s (MPFT) Families Health and Wellbeing Service’s health visitors and school nurses support 0-19-year-olds and their families in Staffordshire, will be leading the campaign throughout 2020.
Kate Cox, head of universal children’s services for MPFT, said: “We’re delighted to be working with RoSPA on the Take Action Today campaign. This forms part of a wider approach from our Community Development team to reach as many families with under-fives as possible and promote child safety, which has included providing unintentional injury training for professionals and holding safety promotion events throughout the county.”
Take action today, put them away advice to parents includes:
• Store household cleaning products out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard
• Always store chemicals in their original containers
• Never pierce or break laundry capsules or tablets
• Always close the lid of any product
• In the event of an incident, follow advice on the product pack and seek medical attention.
UKCPI is the leading trade association representing UK producers of cleaning and hygiene products from household soaps, washing powders, liquids, disinfectants, air care and polishes to the professional cleaning and hygiene products used in industrial and institutional applications.
It provides advice and guidance to manufacturers, distributors and users of cleaning and hygiene products. UKCPI also works in partnership with policymakers, the public and the media, to inform public discussions about cleanliness, hygiene and sustainable cleaning.
