Many
things inside and outside the
home can put kids in danger. In
an effort to educate parents,
family members, guardians and
caretakers about common child safety
hazards, HKQ Kids has produced a
series of TV commercials highlighting
a number of potential
hazards and how to avoid them.
Below you will find each of them
listed by category with
additional tips for keeping your
kids safe.
Cut food into tiny pieces,
especially round-shaped food
like hot dogs that can clog
airways
Avoid all hard candy, gum, nuts
and other good that can pose a
choking hazard
Teach young children not to put stray objects into their
mouths
Keep your floors clean of small objects, such as marbles, small office supplies or other choking
hazards
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TIPS
TO AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING
Install carbon monoxide
detectors in all sleeping rooms
Use only UL-approved detectors
Check batteries once a year to
ensure proper working order
Have fuel-burning appliances, including oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters,
fireplaces and wood stoves, inspected by a trained professional
once a year
Make certain that flues and chimneys are connected, in good
working condition, and not
blocked
Choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever
possible
Read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel-burning
device
Don't
sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space
heater
Don't idle the car in a garage, even if the garage door to the outside is
open
Don't
use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short
time
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TIPS
TO AVOID DEADLY FURNITURE FIRES
Make sure the furniture you buy – especially beds and pillows – are
fire-retardant
Keep all matches and lighters
out of reach of children
Put smoke detectors in all
bedrooms and other locations
throughout your house
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TIPS
TO AVOID PLAYGROUND INJURIES
Make sure playground equipment
is surrounded by adequate fall
zones
Make sure surfaces around
playground equipment are soft
and uniform
Look for broken equipment or
missing parts
Watch for tripping and
entanglement hazards
Be alert for playground
equipment that can tip over
Make
sure there are guardrails on elevated surfaces such as platforms,
ramps and bridge-ways
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TIPS
TO AVOID SPORTS INJURIES
Make sure your child’s team has a certified trainer
Make
sure the coach has a track record of good
judgment
Make sure protocols are established for all types of
injuries
Make sure protective equipment is in use and up to
date
Get
your child a a physical to make sure
he/she is healthy before starting
to play a sport
Make
sure your child has the right shoes, gear and equipment
Make
sure your child drinks lots of water
Make
sure your child warms up and
stretches properly
before practices and games
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TIPS
TO AVOID ATV ACCIDENTS AND
INJURIES
ATV drivers should be at least 16
years old
ATV drivers should always wear approved helmets with face and eye protection
ATV drivers and supervising adults should complete approved ATV safety courses
Riding on public roads, or with a passenger, should be strictly prohibited
ATV drivers
should not use alcohol or other
substances when
they ride
They
should always maintain a safe distance between
riders; tailgating can lead to collisions and
injuries
They
should ride with others and let someone know where
they are riding; they should
never ride alone
They
should obey the laws
They should stay on trails designated for
ATVs
They should be informed of local weather conditions, and dress and equip
appropriately
They should know the area
they are riding in and be aware of its potential
hazards
They should always ride at a safe and responsible
speed
They should know
their abilities and not exceed those
levels
They
should check all equipment
before heading out to make sure
it's in good working order
They should carry a map of the trail or area
where they intend to travel
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TIPS
TO AVOID SWIMMING POOL ACCIDENTS
AND DROWNINGS
Never leave a child unsupervised in the
pool
Keep rescue equipment and a cordless or cell phone nearby in case you need to call
911
Don’t use inflatable swim aids like floaties, only approved life
vests
Don't allow
kids who can't swim in or around the
pool
Children younger than 4 should always be accompanied by their parents in the
pool
Enclose your pool with high fences, which can be
locked; do not leave the pool open and accessible
to any children
Spas and
hot tubs must also be avoided, especially in the case of younger children who are susceptible to
overheating
Every parent should be
familiar with basic CPR techniques in case of any
accident
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TIPS
TO AVOID SUMMER CAMP INJURIES
Check to see if the camp is accredited by the American
Camp Association.
Make sure it has a high staff-to-camper ratio.
Make sure medical staff and equipment are on site 24/7.
