Making Your Home Safer for Children and Pets
While many families are focused on keeping their homes sanitized during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to remember other home-related safety issues. More than 90 percent of poisonings occur in the home, according to the National Safety Council, with the majority of them happening to children younger than five years old. If you have young children, here are some ways to better safeguard your home.
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Install childproof locks on cabinets that contain medicines.
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Safely throw away old medicines and potential poisons. Never flush them down the toilet.
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Household, auto, lawn care, and pool chemicals, paints, laundry products, alcohol, and poisons should be clearly marked and stored in a safe place that children cannot access.
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Always store any potentially poisonous fluids in their original container. Never transfer them to household containers such as large plastic soda or milk bottles.
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Identify any households plants that could be poisonous if ingested and place in a safe area.
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Keep children and pets away from any lawns or landscaping recently sprayed with fertilizer or pesticides.
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Consider testing your home for radon gas exposure.
Learn more about how NJM is helping policyholders deal with the impact of COVID-19.
NJM Insurance Group’s Commitment to Safety
NJM’s enduring commitment to safety can be traced back to our earliest days — with a focus that has expanded from improving conditions in manufacturing facilities to helping keep customers safe on the roads and at home. NJM is a leader in personal and commercial auto, homeowners, and workers’ compensation insurance.
References:
“Prevent Poisoning and Drug Overdose,” https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/safety-topics/other-poisons.
“Poison Prevention for Big Kids,” https://www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_age/big-kids-5%E2%80%939-years/field_risks/poison
Amita Shroff, MD, “Tips to Prevent Poisoning at Home,” https://www.webmd.com/children/prevent-poisoning-home, (November 30, 2022).
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), “Poison Prevention Tips,” https://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/what-you-can-do/prevention-tips.