Chance for families across Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley to take part in scheme to reduce household accidents

Families across Burnley, Pendle and the Ribble Valley have the chance to take part in scheme to reduce the number of young children being injured by household cleaning products.
Families will be invited to take part in a new scheme to prevent household accidents involving cleaning productsFamilies will be invited to take part in a new scheme to prevent household accidents involving cleaning products
Families will be invited to take part in a new scheme to prevent household accidents involving cleaning products

Family safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ( RoSPA) is looking for help from organisations and health visitors in Lancashire to help reduce the number of young children being injured by household cleaning products.

Figures for Lancashire hospital admissions, for accidental poisoning of children under five-years-old, are significantly higher than the national average.

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The campaign, called Take Action Today, aims to reach families with under-fives, and those who participate will be helping to make sure that children across the North West are kept safe from accidental poisoning.

The campaign follows the scheme’s success in 12 areas of the UK including Liverpool, Birmingham, Bradford, Newcastle, Chester, Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Northern Ireland where 300,000 families have been helped to prevent poisoning and eye injuries.

To address this, RoSPA hopes to involve health visitors, early years workers, family nurses, school nurses, wellbeing advisors and those best placed to help children stay safe, happy and healthy, for the best start in life.

As part of the campaign, a handy magnetic notepad featuring key safety advice will be handed out to thousands of families.

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Ashley Martin, RoSPA’s acting 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.”

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

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* In the event of an incident, follow advice on the product pack and seek medical attention.

Further information on the Take Action Today campaign can be found at www.rospa.com

To inquire about taking part in the Take Action Today campaign please contact Jim Oram at [email protected]