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How to prevent household poisonings

FALLBROOK – People never want to think of their homes as dangerous places, but the average home has its share of hazards. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38,000 people in the United States lost their lives to unintentional poisonings in 2014, while Express Scripts Canada reports that poisoning is the fourth-leading cause of injury deaths among Canadians of all ages.

While the statistics about poisoning deaths are alarming, the good news is that such deaths are preventable. The CDC, in conjunction with the American Association of Poison Control Centers, offers the following poison-prevention tips.

Medications

Take only prescriptions that are prescribed to you by a health care professional. Never take another person's medication, and do not take longer or more frequent doses than prescribed, especially with regard to pain medications.

Read all warning labels on medication bottles and read the additional one or two pages of information that accompany your prescription.

Turn on the light when taking medications so you know you are taking the appropriate dosage.

Dispose of unused, unneeded or expired medications.

Household chemicals

Read all labels before using household products that contain chemicals, such as cleaners and disinfectants.

Keep all products in their original containers so you have readily available access to the ingredients and directions whenever using the products. Such information can save lives should someone be poisoned or ingest a potentially deadly product.

Never mix products that contain chemicals, as doing so can create toxic gases.

Open windows and turn on ceiling fans or box fans when using household cleaners. Do not use such products in enclosed spaces.

Wear protective eyewear and clothing when using chemicals and/or pesticides to safeguard your body from exposure.

Storage

Store all medications and household products in places that cannot be reached or accessed by children or pets.

When taking medications or using household products, take children with you if you must answer the phone or when the doorbell is ringing. Even if the medicine or product will only be out of your sight for a moment, that brief moment is enough time for curious children to be poisoned.

Disposal

Follow the guidelines on the packaging with regard to the disposal of chemical products.

When disposing of medications, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises taking advantage of community-based drug "take-back" programs. If no such program exists, the FDA notes that almost all medicines can be discarded in the trash, but advises following the drug disposal guidelines available at http://www.fda.gov.

Thousands die each year due to unintentional poisonings, but men and women can take various steps to prevent those deaths from occurring in their homes.

 

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