Escalator Safety

Frantic trips to the mall for holiday shopping result in people using escalators more often. During this busy season, officials emphasize escalator safety.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there are 6,000 emergency room-treated injuries associated with escalators annually: 75% because of falls, 20% occur when hands, feet or shoes are trapped.

Here are some steps you can take to help prevent escalator injuries, especially injuries to young children:

* Watch out for shoelaces, drawstrings, scarves and mittens that can get caught in escalators. The federal government has reached an agreement with a number of children’s clothing manufacturers to remove drawstrings from the necks and hoods of children’s garments.

* Remove drawstrings from children’s clothing.

* Hold children’s hands on escalators and do not permit children to sit or play on the steps.

* Do not bring children onto escalators in strollers, walkers or carts.

* Face forward and hold the handrail.

* Avoid the edges of steps, where entrapment can occur.

* Learn where the emergency shut-off buttons are in case you need to stop the escalator.

Toy Safety

The following tips will help consumers choose appropriate toys this holiday season and all year round:

* Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the recipient. Toys too advanced can pose safety hazards to younger children.

* Avoid toys with small parts, which could pose a choking hazard for infants, toddlers and all children who put objects in their mouths.

* Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly secured eyes, noses and other potential small parts.

* Avoid toys that have sharp edges and points for children younger than 8 years.

* Do not purchase electric toys with heating elements for children younger than 8.

* Read labels. Look for labels that give age recommendations and use that information as a guide.

* Check instructions for clarity. They should be clear to you, and when appropriate, to the child.

* Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys, which can cause suffocation, before they become deadly playthings.

Decoration Safety

* Use only noncombustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

* Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Use nonflammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.

* Avoid sharp or breakable decorations. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to try to eat them.

* Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass “angel hair.”

Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission