As of April 5th, Chicago became the first governmental body to ban the sale of crib bumper pads within its borders, as well as internet sales of these products to addresses in the city. Sellers will be fined $100-$500. Consumers can report illegal sales by calling 311.

We at Safety Matters want to educate parents and caregivers about the reasons behind the ban, the new crib standard, and other safe sleep measures. A crib is the one place babies are left unattended. A bare crib that meets the current safety standards is the best way to insure they will stay safe.  Please see the Safety Matters website safety resources section for more info on Tips for Safe Sleep for infants.

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby’s safety in his/her crib, don’t hesitate to call me directly at (773) 281-BABY [2229].

Here’s to Safe Babies and Have a very Safe Day

Larry

The Pool Safely campaign recommends critical water safety steps to help prevent drowning and non-fatal submersion injuries in residential and public pools and spas:

Staying Close, Being Alert and Watching Children in and Around the Pool

• Always watch your child when they are in or near a pool or spa
• Teach children basic water safety tips
• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments
• Have a portable telephone close by at all times when you or your family are using a pool or spa
• If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first
• Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors

Learning and Practicing Water Safety Skills

• Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim
• Learn to perform CPR on children and adults, and update those skills regularly
• Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency

Having the Appropriate Equipment for Your Pool or Spa

• Install a four-foot or taller fence around the perimeter of the pool and spa and use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask your neighbors and community groups to do the same at all residential and public pools
• If your house serves as a fourth side of a fence around a pool, install door and window alarms and always use them
• Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water
• Ensure any pool and spa you use has compliant drain covers, and ask if you do not know
• Maintain pool and spa covers in good working order
• Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm
• Have life-saving equipment such as life rings and reaching poles available for use

At SafetyMatters, we encourage all parents and families to review these recommendations and go to the Pool Safety Campaign for Families Web Site for more information.  I will be focusing on a specific element of residential pool safety for the coming weeks in my blog.  In the meantime, if you have any questions about your home pool or spa, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at info@safetymatters.com or call 1-800-972-3306 and ask for Larry Stone, Safety Matters President and Founder.

Like small children pets are curious creatures and you may want to keep them in or out of certain areas of your home for their safety and the preservation of your home.  Think about it…

• Kitchen Cupboards and Drawers are just asking to be searched and dangerous tasty nibbles discovered;
• Furniture, windows and cherished items can be placed out of harms way;
• And, new carpets, rugs and furniture can be better preserved by simply removing the temptation!

You can protect your pet by having Safety Matters Home Safety Professionals recommend and install custom and industry-leading gates that best fit your needs and the style of your home.  Larry Stone President and Owner of Safety Matters will conduct your evaluation, guiding you to the most problem areas and offering a solution that best fits your home.  Then, our Installation Professionals will ensure that the gates and any other pet safety equipment you require are installed quickly, safely and meet the utmost quality standards.

Safety Matters can help you prevent any injury to your pet or damage to property while letting your pet retain a sense of freedom to explore and enjoy his home like any other family member!  Call 1-800-972-3306 or submit a Home Safety Evaluation Form today to schedule an in-home FREE Safety Evaluation.

I have been childproofing homes for about 25 years, and the worst hazards are those that parents don’t see as a hazard at all.  Staircases and stairwells, electric outlets – these need to be addressed but at least most parents know so.  Dressers, bookcases, televisions, and other furniture can be the unknown killers because we don’t think of the hazard they can pose in the home.

Between 2000 and 2010, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received reports of 245 children ages 8 or younger being killed after a TV or heavy furniture fell on them. Most of those deaths, 169, involved falling televisions, according to a report released by the commission in September.

It’s both inexpensive and easy to fix this problem in your home.  Safety Matters carries a number of straps and other restraint products that can affix a TV to its stand and then the stand to a wall.  Similar straps are used to attach furniture and bookcases to the wall as well.

I implore you to review the pdf document spotlighting various products on the Child Safety Info page of my website.  And, contact Safety Matters (773-281-BABY [2229] or 800-972-3306) today to receive a free in home safety evaluation.  This is one risk you definitely don’t want to take for your children or any children in your home.

Today marks not only Halloween but also the last day of Window Safety Month, and I didn’t want to let it pass without a few words about the importance of keeping your window coverings safe for little ones in the home.

Every year I see several injuries or near tragedies when children pull or yank on unsafe blinds or other window treatments.  Even if you have cords that don’t meet the most stringent requirements out there, you can update them for FREE to be safer for your children.  Read on for more info…

The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings dedicated to educating consumers about window cord safety.

As part of its ongoing public information campaign to increase cord-safety awareness, WCSC regularly disseminates news and informational materials through the media and through partnerships with various public and private organizations concerned with child safety, health and well being.

WCSC also provides consumers with free cord-retrofit kits via an on-line order form and its toll-free number at 1-800-506-4636.

The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.  Please click here for a press release issued by the USCA on September 8, 2011 announcing Safety Matters as a recipient of the award.

Recognition is always great, but when it is provided as a reflection of our commitment to the community where we have done business for over 20 years, it means even more.  As anyone who knows me knows, Child Safety is more than a business for me – its a mission and passion.  Thank you to all those customers, parents, partners and friends who continue to make it possible for me to live out this passion thru my work at Safety Matters.

As a community partner in the CPSC Pool Safely campaign, I want to make sure everyone knows that injuries and accidents happen even when the pool has been closed. It’s critical that you have a pool cover that is safe, meets standards and is in quality condition as you close the pool this year.

Following are key steps to closing your pool safely – last but not least being making you have an appropriate pool cover inspected and installed.  As always, contact me, Larry Stone, at 1-773-281-BABY if you have any questions or would like a quick pool cover inspection as you move into the winter season.

Steps to Winterizing Your Pool Safely

• Balance the water chemistry: Approximately 3 – 7 days prior to closing the pool, adjust your water balance within the ranges below: pH: 7.2 – 7.6 Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppmCalcium Hardness: 180 – 220 ppm
• Shock the pool with a Chlorine Shock or a Non-Chlorine Shock, at least 1lb per 10,000 gallons (follow package directions). Allow the chlorine level to return to 1.0 – 3.0 ppm before adding any winter algaecide and your pool cover. Chlorine tends to break down both algaecides and [floating] pool covers.
• Remove skimmer baskets, wall fittings, cleaners, solar blankets, ladders from the pool.  Put these in a safe location during the winter. Don’t coil pool cleaners hoses tight.
• Lower water level in pool. Using the filter pump, or a submersible pump, lower the level 12″ – 18″ below the skimmer for mesh covers, and 3″ – 6″ below the tile for solid, floating covers. If you are using an Aquador skimmer cover on aboveground or inground pools for some vinyl lined pools, the water level will not need to be lowered.
  
• Drain all pumping, filtering, heating and chlorinating equipment. Every pump, filter, heater and chlorinator has drain plugs to allow water to drain out. All water must be drained or blown out or it will freeze and crack. After draining, D.E. filter grids or Cartridge filters should be removed and cleaned thoroughly. If the filter and pump is small enough to remove it and store it indoors, this may be desirable. If not, using a small amount of air from a shop vacuum, compressor or Mighty Vac is good to blow out any water that may still be in the equipment.
  
• Lubricate. Fall closing of the pool is a good time to lubricate the pump lid o-ring o-rings with Magic Lube. If you have a push-pull valve (also known as a slide valve) on the filter, lubricate it’s o-rings as well. If you have a gas heater with cast iron plugs, lubricate these threads or leave the plugs in after draining to prevent rusting.
  
• Clean pool. Skim pool, vacuum pool, brush pool. Leaf rake (bag) types skim nets are best. Also useful for scooping large amounts of leaves/debris from pool floor. If pool is especially silty or has lots of algae, Vacuum Pool to Waste. This means to bypass the filter, and vacuum dirt from floors/walls out the backwash line. This prevents constant clogging/cleaning of filter. Place the multiport filter valve on drain to waste position (usually 2pm, if viewed as a clock face) If you have a push-pull filter valve, or a cartridge type filter there is no easy way to vacuum to waste, except for cutting the pipe coming out of the pump and then reconnecting afterwards. Brush the pool thoroughly. The pool should be as clean and clear as possible before covering.
  
• Winterize the plumbing to and from the pool. If you have an inground pool, you should blow out the lines using a Mighty Vac to blow air from the skimmer, through the equipment, and back to the pool. Then plug the lines at the pool using expansion plugs. If you don’t blow the lines, add Swimming Pool Antifreeze into the line (follow package directions). Above ground pools usually just need to disconnect the hoses to and from the pump and filter, and plug the wall outlets.
• Add winterizing algaecide and other floaters. Remember not to add algaecide and shock at the same time. This tends to result in the chlorine breaking down the algaecide. High chlorine levels can also be harsh to floating solid pool covers. For winter chemical kits, click here.
• Cover the pool.A tight fit of your pool cover is essential. Your cover should not have holes or gaps where leaves and debris may enter the pool.  You can opt for mesh or solid safety covers for your in-ground pool.  Safety Matters can advise you which is most appropriate for your needs upon inspection.  To look at all the various automatic pool covers available to you go to http://www.allsafepool.com/automatic-pool-cover-images.html.  Safety Matters is able to install these and many other pool covers depending on your needs.