Protect Your Family from Poisoning
Garage Safety Chemical Poisoning
Home Safety Council research shows the second leading cause of injury-related death in the home is by poisoning. Follow these guidelines to keep your family safe from toxins:
- Conduct an audit of every container in the garage to identify toxic materials. Toxic materials include:
- garden pesticides
- automotive fluids
- lighting fluids (for grills)
- paints
- paint thinners
- paint removers
- many household cleaners
- Dispose (properly) of as many toxins as possible
- Throw out products that are:
- unlabeled or of unclear usage
- past recommended usage date (printed on container)
- inadequately sealed; obsolete (example: servicing a product you no longer own or use)
- ineffective (example: you’ve switched to a better product)
- insufficient (example: not enough solvent to complete a task)
- Store all products in original containers and accordance with the manufactures recommendations.
- Never transfer toxic materials to glasses or food containers, where it can be mistaken as food/beverage.
- Store hazardous products out of the range of children, in locked cabinets where possible.
- Dispose of any product that does not have clear usage, clean-up and emergency response directions.
