Mobile Personal Injury Lawyer - Safety

Pet Doors are a Danger to Small Children

Billy Cunningham — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:16:23 GMT

This past week in Mobile a 2 year old girl crawled out through a pet door and nearly drowned in the family swimming pool. Her mother had left her in front of the family TV long enough to go check on laundry. When she returned, her daughter was not there and her 7 year old brother spotted her in the pool. The family pulled her out and called 9-1-1. CPR was performed at the home by the paramedics and she was taken to the hospital. On last report she was in critical condition at the hospital. The only way she could have gotten out to the pool was through a pet door was all the other doors were locked and the alarm system was on.

A website has been created by Carol Ranfone who lost a 2year old son, Matthew, by drowning. She created http://www.petaccessdangers.org/ to provide access for the public to be aware of the problem. Her tragic story was followed by Good Moring America ABC News report on May 12, 2009. It is too bad that the Mobile family did not see that report or know of the website.

More than a hundred children have died or been seriously injured in the last decade after squeezing through tiny pet doors and getting into swimming pools or other dangerous places, new research has found. "What we see is a picture that's emerging which shows that the pet door is a really serious hazard in a home that no one has really had on the radar screen," said Sean Kane, of Safety Research and Strategies. The pet door that the Rafones had contained no warning that young children could get through them. The news report also demonstrated the possibility of children getting through these rather small door. You can view it here. Click here to see the demonstration.

In most states the law requires that if there is a known hazard in the use of a product, the manufacturer is obligated to either ‘engineer’ out the hazard, guard against the hazard (like a guard over a pinch-point) and/or warn against the hazard.

The manufacturer of the door that Matthew went through also makes a pet with a remote device attached to a pet's collar unlocks the door as the pet approaches. The door then locks again after the pet exits. In its marketing materials, the company touts that the electronic lock "will prevent children from leaving the home." I also read reports where some manufacturers supply a plate that go over the opening to prevent the pets access. Those certainly should be employed to keep children from gaining access.

If you have pet door and small children around, please take all safety steps you can to make sure they do not get out through the door undetected.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Billy Cunningham

Burn Safely This Fall

Pete Mackey — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:17:04 GMT

Fire is an alluring medium. Kids love it - so do adults. Watching kindling slowly take flame is like watching magic. The Fall means leaf and trash burning in back yards all across the country.

While everyone knows to watch kids around fire, there's a hidden danger that many folks are unaware of - chances are the gas can in your garage does not have a flame arrester installed in the spout. A flame arrester is a small ball or pane of wire mesh material that fits in the spout of the gas can. It lets the fuel flow out, but lowers the temperature below the flash point for the vapors in the can, which prevents explosions.. These arresters cost less than a dollar to install.

Still, you ask, why would anyone put themselves in that situation in the first place? Well, consider the following scenario and see if it rings any bells. You have been working around the yard all day. The weather is crisp and cool and dusk approaches. You had been burning leaves and tree limbs, but the fire went out an hour ago. Your son wants to start a fire and the idea of the warmth it will provide sounds good to you. So you decide to pour some gas on the pile, not realizing that there are still some smoldering embers ... That is the recipe for an explosion.

A few tips to remember:

- When you buy a gas can, buy one with an installed flame arrester.
- Never use gasoline as an accellerant. There are many safer alternatives.
- Make sure that your burn area is clear (overhead, as well) of flammable debris.
- Use an enclosed space (like a 55 gallon drum) instead of a pile. Cover the top of the space with a heavy mesh cover to keep sparks in.
- Don't burn on windy days.
- Keep the water hose handy.
- Never burn aerosol cans.
- If children have access to the burn area (and they probably will), make sure that they understand the danger present and then assume that they will not follow your instructions.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pete Mackey

Safe Sidewalks

Gaines Drago — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:23:56 GMT

8 Schools in the Mobile, Alabama, area are finally getting safe sidewalks around their campuses. The cost of this federally funded project was just over one million dollars. While the percentage of students who walk or ride their bike to school has dropped from nearly half to 15% this is a very positive step towards improving the health, and safety of our children. American children are far more obese than they were forty years ago. They get very little exercise at school and certainly very little once they return, so if they are able to ride their bike or walk to school this thirty minutes of exercise could make all the difference in the world. In addition, broken sidewalks can lead to injury and just look unsightly. It is a little step, but one in the right direction.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Gaines Drago

Your Dryer - Is There A Fire Inside?

Pete Mackey — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:10:03 GMT

I ran into a friend in court a few weeks ago who looked distressed. As we spoke, the cause of that distress spilled out - a fire had just about destroyed a weekend getaway he owns nearby. The cause - his dryer vent hose became obstructed with lint and overheated. Only an alert neighbor saved a total loss.

What really took me back was what his insurance agent told him when he reported the loss - his agency gets about one claim a month for a fire caused by an obstructed dryer vent. If you need any proof, check it out. There are steps that you can take to make sure that you and your family don't become victims:

Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.

Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the dryer again.

Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.

Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, which provides maximum airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow

Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool-down period at the end of the cycle. To prevent clothes from igniting after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in the dryer or piled in a laundry basket.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pete Mackey

Safety tips to remember for July 4th....

Troy Schwant — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:39:36 GMT

As the July 4th holiday approaches, many people will take to the road to celebrate our country's independence, and hopefully everyone will be able to their home safe and sound.

In order to make sure that happens, please remember the following safety tips:

Never Drive a car or boat while intoxicated. I know it is a simple reminder, but every year lives are lost on the roads and water because of alcohol. Nothing wrong with having a drink, just make sure someone else is behind the wheel.
Never leave a child in the car while you run a quick errand. With the tempatures reaching 100 degrees in most of the beach communities, leaving your child in the car just to grab a gallon of milk, or a pack of gum, could put your child's life at risk.
Be careful how you use your cell phone. Just today while driving back from the beach, I watched a young girl walking along side of the road, texting on her phone while she walked into the road. Luckily for her, the vehicle that was approaching was watching and was able to avoid striking her.
Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration can be a severe problem for many people during the summer months, if you are drinking alcohol, this only compounds the problem. Always have bottled water with you during the July 4th holiday.

Have a safe and Happy Fourth of July.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Troy Schwant

Rear-facing carseats

Pete Burns — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:45:50 GMT

Rear-facing carseats are substantially safer than front-facing car seats for children up to 3 to 4 years old. The following youtube video clip is 3 minutes and 28 seconds long. It graphically demonstrates the difference between the movements of a child’s head when in a rear-facing carseat versus a front facing carseat. http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/youtube/rear_facing.htm

For more information go to http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pete Burns