Safety Is The New Cool, So Be Smart And Stay Safe As You Head Back To School!

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Aug 22, 2016, 04:23 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yes, it's cool to be safe. So let's talk about a few ways to keep safety on the brain as children head back to school for another year of learning, growing and fun. Check out these tips.

Helmets
So your child wants to ride a bike, skateboard, or maybe even scooter to school? That's cool, as long as he/she remembers safety first. So it's important that they wear the right helmet, that it fits right, and is worn every time they ride. Helmets are also important for various school sports.

Check out helmet safety and other great tips for your budding athletes here:

Baseball (9 Innings of Brain Safety in Baseball)
Football (4 Quarters of Football Helmet Safety)
Skateboarding

A word of caution to owners of hoverboards. Parents, think twice before allowing your child to ride a hoverboard to school. CPSC recently announced the recall of more than a half million hoverboards by 10 different companies due to a fire hazard. Helmets and protective gear are a must if they do use this device. For more information about the hoverboard recalls read here.

Playgrounds
You know what they say about all work and no play? It makes kids grumpy… and grownups too! Outdoor play is an essential part of the school day. But schools and parents need to be aware of the possible dangers on playgrounds. There are more than 200,000 hospital emergency visits each year due to playground injuries, most due to falls. Here are a few things to remember:

Have 9-12 inches of shock-absorbing material (wood chips, mulch, rubber mats) under the playground.
Don't let kids play on slides/surfaces that are burning hot!
Make sure there is no exposed hardware to catch clothing and no free hanging ropes attached to equipment.

Want more playground safety tips? Click here: CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook

Clothing
You may only have a few more months before cooler weather starts creeping in, and that means time to take out the jackets, sweaters and hoodies. Keep this safe tip on the brain.

Never buy/allow kids to wear clothes with drawstrings around the hood/neck—it's a strangulation danger!

Emergency Plan
Make sure kids know what to do in an emergency if you're not home!

Have an escape plan if the fire or CO alarm goes off. Have the kids practice it!
Teach kids to call 911 in an emergency.

Distracted Walking
Tablets, Smartphones, streaming music players, Aye Yai Yai! Technology really has a hold on our children these days.

Kids are getting hurt from texting and talking on their phone while crossing the street. We say, heads up!

Check CPSC.gov for recalls – especially, clothes, school supplies, and bikes.

Be sure to check out our ABCs of school safety video. Watch Video

Don't forget, it's cool to be Safe!

http://onsafety.cpsc.gov/

About U.S. CPSC:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.

Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at 301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.

CPSC Consumer Information Hotline
Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:
800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)
Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.

Media Contact
Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.
Phone: 301-504-7908
Spanish: 301-504-7800

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SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission