Public safety: protecting you and your family from poison

ST. GEORGE — Did you know over one million poisonings involving small children are reported to poison centers each year? Even more serious poisonings and deaths occur in teens and adults. But with the right preparation, most poisonings are preventable.

March 20-26 is National Poison Prevention Week. To help keep you and your family safe, here are some poison safety tips you can implement in your home and workplace right now. (Source: Utah Poison Control.)

1. Add poison control as a contact in your cell phone. This is probably the easiest step, and you don’t even need to move from your couch to do it. Add “Utah Poison Control” as a contact with the number 1-800-222-1222. If you think you or someone around you has ingested poison, you can call poison control for help. The number is a 24-hour hotline with poison information and assistance. The operator will ask you questions like the exact name of the product taken, the age and weight of the person, when the poison was taken, etc.
2. Place a poison help sticker by each phone in your home or workplace. You could even write it on a sticky note by the phone. You can also request free materials at utahpoisoncontrol.org or by phone at 801-587-0600.
3. Store all household products and medicines out of reach and out of sight of small children and pets.
4. Store all medicines separately from household products and household chemicals away from food.
5. Always read the label before using and follow the instructions on medicines, cleaners, pesticides, automotive, lawn and garden products for their proper use.
6. Never store potential poisons in containers used for eating and drinking. Store all potential poisons in their original, labeled containers. Leave the original labels on all products.
7. Never refer to medicine as candy to a young child.
8. Avoid taking medication in front of small children.
9. Turn on a light when taking or giving medication.
10. When you are using household chemical products and medicines, never let them out of your sight, even if you must take them along when answering the telephone or doorbell.
11. Clean out your medicine cabinet periodically.
12. Use child resistant closures.
13. Remember that carbon monoxide exposures count as a poisoning.

Opioid and other drug overdose is another common source of poisoning in Utah. Here is more information about safe drug use, including a list of locations where you can safely dispose of old drugs: https://useonlyasdirected.org/

What better time that right now to do a quick check of your medicines and cleaning supplies to make sure everything is secured? For more information on preventing poisonings, go to poisoncontrol.utah.edu.