Embrace the holiday spirit, but be mindful of hidden dangers that could dampen your celebrations. The festive season is a time for joy and togetherness, but it’s crucial to stay aware of potential hazards that may lurk in the midst of your merry-making.
Bruce Ruck, managing director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, emphasizes the need for caution during this bustling time. “The holiday season is in full swing, and we’ve already had calls related to accidental exposure to products commonly found at home during the holidays,” he warns. Seemingly harmless items can turn into serious threats, potentially causing irreversible harm.
Every household harbors potential poisons, from decorations and plants to toys and food. The New Jersey poison control center is particularly concerned about hazards like cleaning products, medicines, carbon monoxide, disc/button batteries, and small magnets that often go unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Mishaps tend to occur when we’re busy and not fully attentive to our surroundings. According to Ruck, “It only takes seconds for common, everyday items to go from safe to dangerous.” To keep the holidays merry and bright, here are some safety tips to prevent accidental injuries:
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Secure Potentially Dangerous Items: Provide guests with a safe space, preferably locked, to store potentially harmful items such as marijuana edibles, medicines, vapes/nicotine products, and hand sanitizers.
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Be Cautious with Ornaments: Exercise caution with antique ornaments and those not made in the United States, as they may be decorated with harmful lead paint.
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Avoid Burning Certain Items: Refrain from burning wrapping paper/foil, garland, or tinsel, as inhaling the fumes can be harmful.
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Choose Safe Plants for Decoration: Decorate with plants that are not poisonous, especially if you have young children or pets.
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Handle Baking Extracts with Care: Keep baking extracts out of reach of kids and pets, as they often contain high levels of alcohol.
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Use Snow Spray Safely: Only use snow spray in well-ventilated areas to prevent inhaling potentially harmful fumes, and keep it away from flames.
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Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Ensure working CO detectors on every level of your home to safeguard against the silent killer, carbon monoxide.
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Keep Batteries and Magnets Away: Keep lithium disc/button batteries and small magnets out of sight and reach of kids and pets to prevent choking hazards and internal damage.
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Monitor Alcohol Consumption: Be aware of alcohol consumption, especially with unfinished drinks, to prevent accidental poisoning in kids and pets.
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Practice Food Safety: Follow simple food safety steps to prevent food poisoning by cooking foods to the right temperature.
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Beware of Water-Absorbing Gel Balls: While not toxic, water-absorbing gel balls/beads pose a serious threat, especially to young children, people with developmental disabilities, those with dementia, and pets.
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Protect Pets from Harmful Items: Keep items dangerous to pets, such as chocolate, candy, xylitol-containing products, bread/dough, fatty meat scraps, raisins/currants, alcohol, medicine, and recreational or illegal drugs, out of sight and reach.
If you suspect someone has come in contact with something dangerous, don’t hesitate to contact the New Jersey Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 for immediate medical treatment advice. Remember, poison control centers are a vital resource available 24/7 for everyone – children, teens, and adults alike. Let’s ensure a joyful and safe holiday season for all!
