by Babies and children need you to keep household chemicals and other harmful products away from them. The entai team stands ready to provide professional restoration services to any property affected by fire, water or mould damage.
The packaging used for household chemicals can come in all sorts of interesting shapes and colours which can be attractive to babies and small children. Keep products high up and locked up.
Child-resistant packaging is not child proof. Child-resistant packaging makes it harder for kids to open containers but there is no guarantee it will stop them. Keep products high up and locked up.
Use child safety locks on cupboards where chemicals are stored.
Never transfer household chemicals into food or drink containers. Children may not know the difference and they could eat or drink the contents.
Think about the places babies and young children can reach. For example, perfumes, sunscreen and lipstick in your bag can be easy to get into. Babies and young children can get very sick if they eat them.
Keep pets safe from household chemicals
Dogs are the most commonly poisoned pets: they can unknowingly eat large amounts of a hazardous substance, and puppies will chew anything and everything.
Cats lick their fur and paws so could accidentally swallow chemicals they have walked through or brushed up against.
Smaller pets like guinea pigs and rabbits can get into enclosed spaces where could be chemicals, for example, snail bait, and they like to chew on things.
Advice if you think your pet is poisoned
Look out for symptoms of poisoning: unusual licking, chewing or swallowing; unusual body temperature and breathing rate; lethargy, twitching or shaking; drooling, vomiting or diarrhoea. Tell your vet.
If you think your pet has been poisoned:
phone the vet
try and identify the poison by looking for chewed up material, empty containers, poison around your pet’s mouth
do NOT make your pet vomit if they are awake and alert; but always ask your vet.
Warnings and symbols on the label
Take the most care with products with DANGER, HARMFUL, POISON, WARNING or CAUTION on the label.
The words DANGER, HARMFUL and POISON are used for the most dangerous products. Products with WARNING or CAUTION are generally safer but may still be harmful.
It causes harm
For example:
highly flammable liquid and vapour
may cause respiratory irritation
causes skin irritation.
How to prevent harm
For example:
wear gloves or safety goggles
use only in a well-ventilated area
keep out of reach of children
keep cool and protect from sunlight
keep away from heat.
