Posted by Charlotte Salter, on September 25, 2025.
Families in Nottingham are set to receive resources from the UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPI) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to help them take action to use and store household cleaning products safely.
The Nottingham launch of the Take Action Today, Put Them Away campaign, funded by the UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPI), took place on 1st September 2025. In Nottingham, accidental poisonings accounted for 60 emergency admissions for 0 – 4-year-olds between 2018/19- 2020/21.
This latest launch follows the scheme’s success in over 55 areas of the UK including Derby, Plymouth, Newcastle, Bradford, Lincolnshire, and Northern Ireland where over one million families have been helped to prevent poisoning and eye injuries.
As part of the campaign, a handy magnetic dry wipe planner featuring key safety advice will be handed out to thousands of families by health visitors and children’s centre staff.
Jim Oram, RoSPA’s public health project officer, said: “The magnetic dry wipe planner 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.”
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 are 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.”
Helen Hawksworth, Head of Clinical Service Children and Families and Natalie Sumner, Head of Clinical Service (Children’s) at Nottingham CityCare Partnership CIC, Nottingham’s largest provider of NHS community health services, said: “It is worrying that accidental poisonings account for emergency admissions in young children in Nottingham City, especially when most poisonings within the home could be prevented. With the support of RoSPA, we will be launching the Take Action Today, Put Them Away Campaign through a series of training sessions for our clinical staff. We are excited to use the toolkit provided, like the magnetic dry wipe planner and questionnaire to increase the knowledge of our clients, raise awareness of such a serious concern and keep our community safe.”
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.
Further information on the Take Action Today campaign can be found at www.rospa.com
For more details about the UKCPI, visit www.ukcpi.org
