Shirley Niemeyer, Extension Educator
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
Protect children from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning:
Have fuel-burning appliances, furnace flues, and chimneys checked once a year.
Never use gas ovens or burners for heat; never use barbecues or grills indoors or in the garage.
Never sleep in rooms with unvented gas or kerosene space heaters.
Don't run cars or lawnmowers in the garage.
Install in sleeping areas a CO alarm that meets UL, IAS, or Canadian standards.
Protect children from contaminated fish and polluted water
Be alert for local fish advisories and beach closings.
Contact your local health department.
Take used motor oil to a recycling center; properly dispose of toxic household chemicals.
Learn what's in your drinking water - call your local public water supplier for annual drinking water quality reports; for private drinking water wells, have them tested annually by a certified laboratory. Call 1-800-426-4791 or contact www.epa.gov/safewater for help or your local Cooperative Extension office or the Health Department serving your area.
Safeguard children from high levels of radon
Test your home for radon with a home test kit
Fix your home if your radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. For help, call your state radon office or 1-800-SOS-RADON.
Protect children from too much sun
Wear hats, sunglasses, and protective clothing.
Use sunscreen with SPF 15+ on kids over six months; keep infants out of direct sunlight.
Limit time in the mid-day sun - the sun is most intense between 10 and 4.
Keep children and mercury apart
Eat a balanced diet but avoid fish with high levels of mercury.
Replace mercury thermometers with digital thermometers.
Don't let kids handle or play with mercury.
Never heat or burn mercury.
Contact your state or local health or environment department if mercury is spilled - never vacuum a spill.
Parents and others caring for children can order more information and tips to protect children from environmental risks. To order Tips (5.75" X 9.75" or Growth Chart formats), please call 1-800-490-9198 or order via the Internet at: www.epa.gov/ncepihom. The publication numbers for these documents are:
Tips (5.75" X 9.75" Spanish and English) EPA 100-F-02-004
Growth Chart (English) EPA 100-F-02-005
Growth Chart (Spanish) EPA 100F-02-009
This week continue the hazard analysis you started last week. Then discuss ways you can eliminate these hazards in your environment. Then go to unlforfamilies.unl.edu, click on TIPS and feedback and let us know what you think.
Sources: Shirley Niemeyer, Ph.D. Professor, Extension Specialist Housing & Environment, University of Nebraska. Adapted in part from EPA Tips to Protect Children from Environmental Risks.
