July e-news

Welcome to the July edition of Kidsafe Victoria’s e-news. This month we have some information on how to prevent burns and scalds, how to reduce the risk of fires in your home and some safety tips for anyone who is heading to the snow. We also have the most recent product recalls. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook for regular safety tips and updates – happy reading and stay safe!

Our top tips for preventing burns and scalds this winter

Burns and scalds are a major cause of serious injury for children. They are among the most distressing injuries that a young child can receive – they cause intense pain, often require long-term treatment and can cause lifelong disabilities and scarring.

The major causes of burn and scald injuries include hot water (e.g. in the bath), hot liquids (e.g. tea and coffee), hot food (e.g. two minute noodles and soups) and electrical appliances (e.g. heaters).

Keep your kids safe this winter with our top tips for preventing burns and scalds:

• Always keep hot drinks out of reach.
• Avoid holding your child or nursing your baby when having a hot drink.
• If possible, restrict access to your kitchen, especially during meal preparation times.
• Make sure that cords and saucepan handles are out of the reach of little hands.
• Ensure your water delivery temperature is set to a maximum of 50ºC.
• Always check the water temperature before bathing your child. The maximum recommended bathing temperature for children is 37 ºC- 38ºC.
• Always run the cold water first and turn it off last when running a bath, to cool the spout.
• Ensure that you have guards installed around fires and heaters.

Please read our burns and scalds factsheet for more information.

Home Fire Safety 

With more time spent inside during the cold winter months, it’s important to follow a few easy steps to minimise the risk of fires in the home:

• Never leave cooking unattended on the stove.
• Check when you last serviced the heaters in your home – they should be serviced by a professional every two years.
• Never smoke or dispose of cigarettes indoors.
• Never leave candles or oil burners unattended.
• Ensure that you have working smoke alarms installed. Test your smoke alarms to be sure that they are working properly.
• Undertake a home fire safety audit and develop a home fire safety plan.

For more information on home fire safety please click here.

Snow Safety

Many of us will be heading to the snow with our kids this winter. Although snow sports are great fun, they also have a high risk of injury. Skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing are the most common sports associated with injury and the majority of injuries occur from falls and collisions with objects or other people.

Common risk factors for injury, particularly while skiing and snowboarding are:

• A lower level of experience. Beginners are more likely to fall than more experienced skiers.
• A younger age. This is generally due to a lower level of experience. 
• The absence of, or incorrect use of safety equipment e.g. not wearing a helmet increases the risk of head injuries.
• The characteristics of slopes. Skiing or boarding on a slope with an unprepared surface may increase the risk of injury. A slope with a degree of difficulty outside of the skiers experience may also increase the risk of injury.

Click here to read more about how to keep your kids safe at the snow.

Product Recalls

Nebula Trading- LED Fidget Spinner (Featured on groupon.com.au May – June 2017) 

The toy does not have secured battery compartments. If young children gain access to the button batteries and ingest them, they may suffer internal burn injuries, which can result in serious illness and even death. Customers should stop using the product and contact contact.groupon.com.au and use reference code LED01 to return the products (free of charge) and receive a full refund. For more information please click here.

Ozo E-Store- Child Car Booster Cushion 

The product does not comply with labeling, branding or user instruction requirements of AS/NZS 1754. Consumers should contact the supplier to arrange for a full refund. For further information, consumers can contact Ozo E-Store by calling 03 9988 7666, by emailing service@ozoestore.com.au. For more information please click here.

Kaleidoscope Australasia- Le Toy Van Petilou Bunny Train and Stacking Train Woodland Express

Small parts may detach from the toys and pose a potential choking hazard to children. Consumers should stop using the products immediately and return them to the place of purchase for a refund or exchange. If purchased online, consumers should contact the place of purchase for reply paid details. For more information about the Bunny Train please click here. For more information on the Stacking Train please click here.