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Archive for the ‘safety’ Category

Keep kids from open windows as weather turns warmer

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

The weather is supposed to turn rainy and a mite colder tomorrow, but, today, it’s still sunny and warm — enough so that you might feel the urge to pop open your windows. However, these open windows pose hazards to children and the Connecticut Department of Public Health is asking that you take steps to keep kids away.

In a press release, the DPH cited stats from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimating that about twelve children 10 years old and younger die each year, and more than 4,000 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for window fall-related
injuries.

To protect your little ones, the DPH offers the following tips:
• Never depend on screens to keep children from falling out of windows.
• Open windows from the top, not the bottom, whenever possible.
• Keep furniture away from windows to discourage children from climbing near windows.
• Install window stops so that windows open no more than four inches.
• Install window guards to prevent children from falling out of windows.
• For windows on the 6th floor and below, install window guards that adults and older children
can open easily in case of fire. For windows on the 7th floor and above, install permanent
window guards.
• Look for guards that have bars no more than four inches apart.
• Window guards screw into the side of a window frame. They are sold in different sizes for
various sized windows and adjust for width. Guards must meet requirements for spacing and
strength, and those that allow for escape in case of emergencies must be difficult for very
young children to open.

The Cinnamon Challenge isn’t child’s play

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

Cinnamon (pictured above) might be delicious in small doses, but ingesting too much at once, as in the Cinnamon Challenge, can carry risks.

If you’re like me, maybe you’ve heard in passing about the “cinnamon challenge,” which entails swallowing a tablespoon of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without drinking any liquid. The stunt has caught on with many young people, and has even spawned a series of harrowing YouTube videos featuring teens and tween tentatively putting spoons of cinnamon in their mouths, then gagging and spitting huge brown spice clouds at the camera.

For some time, experts have warned that the challenge carries serious health risks and, this week, an article in the journal “Pediatrics” offered further proof that the Cinnamon Challenge isn’t child’s play. The article states that swallowing a large quantity of cinnamon can lead to choking, aspiration or lung damage. “In humans, the fibers and other components of cinnamon can … cause allergic and irritant reactions, including acute symptoms and temporary, if not permanent, lung function changes,” the report reads.

Locally, experts echoed the idea that the Cinnamon Challenge is a strange and scary phenomenon with real potential consequences. Though Dr. Jacob Hen, Jr., chief of pediatric pulmonology at Bridgeport Hospital, hasn’t treated any kids for challenge-related problems, he said he wouldn’t be surprised if he starts seeing cases at some point. “We deal with kids trying all sorts of crazy things,” he said. “We’re well aware of this as a long-term and short-term health problem.”

He said, even if kids spit up the cinnamon, they inhale a decent quantity of it, which can have serious consequences. In addition to lung damage, possible health risks from the Cinnamon Challenge include inflammation, acute asthma symptoms and scarring. “Cinnamon is an irritant,” Hen said. “I personally love cinnamon, but I have too much of it, it burns.”

The Pediatrics article goes on to say that a rising number of “challengers” required some help after their adventure. In 2011, the American Association of Poison Control Center received 51 calls related to the Cinnamon Challenge. In the first six months of 2012, there were 178 such calls and about 30 of them required medical attention. The surge in calls between 2011 and 2012 coincided with a rise in Cinnamon Challenge videos on YouTube.

So why would kids latch onto this as a craze? The experts are at a loss. “It does seem strange,” said Victoria Richards, assistant professor of medical science at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. “I don’t understand a lot of things kids do for attention.”

However, she, like other experts, knows that gobbling a significant quantity of a caustic spice is not a good idea. “Spices weren’t meant to be inhaled or ingested in a certain way,” Richards said.

Leapfrog Group updates its controversial safety scores

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 by:Amanda Cuda

Earlier this year, the nonprofit Leapfrog Group, run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, caused a stir when it released its Hospital Safety Score, which gives hospitals a letter grade based on their performance on 26 hospital safety measures.
Of the 2,652 hospitals to receive a score, 729 received an “A,” 679 earned a “B” and 1,243 earned a “C” or below. In Connecticut, 12 hospitals got a “C” and only four got an “A.”

Well, today Leapfrog released updated report cards and, in Connecticut at least, the news is mixed. The number of hospitals getting an “A” went up — to six. But the number of “C” hospitals also increased, to 13.

Nationwide, the numbers changed as well. Of the 2,618 hospitals issued a score, 790 received an “A,” 678 got a “B” and 1,004 earned a “C.”

The new grades represent a few changes, including the fact that the Leapfrog system now includes “D” and “F” ratings. Previously, the system stopped at “C.” In new rankings, 121 hospitals got a “D” and 25 earned an “F.” Happily, no Connecticut hospitals received Ds or Fs.

In addition to adding the D and F grades, the update also accounts for new data, and a modified methodology.

Some Connecticut hospitals benefited from the new system, including Stamford Hospital and Yale-New Haven Hospital, which both went from a “C” to a “B,” and Danbury Hospital, which got upgraded to an “A.” Others found themselves busted down a grade, including Greenwich Hospital, which went from an “A” to a “B.” Others stayed consistent, including St. Vincent’s Medical Center, which maintained its “A” and Bridgeport Hospital, which held on to its original “C.”

The measures used to determine the grades include rates of infections, falls, complications and other problems at hospitals, as well as adherence to safety practices, such as proper staffing levels and hand-washing. Leapfrog representatives have said that the point of the scores is to draw attention to the issue of hospital safety. At least 180,000 patients are killed every year from errors, accidents, injuries and infections in American hospitals.

However, some criticize these and other ranking systems saying that, while they can be a help in choosing a hospital, they shouldn’t be the only determining factor. At any rate, you can find the updated scorecard by visiting http://www.hospitalsafetyscore.org/.

Fourth of July is tomorrow. Please don’t blow yourself up.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 by:Amanda Cuda

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, and you know what that means: Someone’s losing a hand. Well, hopefully not, but experts are cautioning that people stay away from consumer fireworks.

In Connecticut, it is illegal to offer for sale, sell at retail, use, or explode fireworks. Sparklers and fountains are legal to buy and sell, but only by those 16 years of age or older.

Need more reasons to leave fireworks to the professionals? According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2010 alone, an estimated 15,500 reported fires were started by fireworks and 8,600 fireworks-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms across the nation. The associations also claims that there are more fires on a typical Fourth of July than any other day of the year. Fireworks account for two out of five of those fires.

The Fire Protection Association urges that the only safe way to enjoy fireworks is at a public display conducted by trained professionals. And if you do attend a display, you should still be vigilant. Never let children (or anyone else for that matter) pick up leftover fireworks that might be laying on the ground and may still be active.

To view the full Fire Protection Association report and for more information about NFPA and firework safety, visit www.nfpa.org/fireworks.

Survey: More than half of teen drivers talk or text behind the wheel

Thursday, June 7, 2012 by:Amanda Cuda

A high percentage of the state’s teen drivers talk or text on their phone while behind the wheel, according to the 2011 Connecticut School Health Survey.

The results of the survey — administered to more than 6,000 high school and middle school students across the state — were released Thursday by the state Department of Public Health. Students are asked about a variety of behaviors, including sexual activity, alcohol and drug use and cigarette use. Students are also asked about their driving behaviors, and more than half (53 percent) of those surveyed said they talked on a cell phone while driving at least once in the month before taking the survey.

In further bad driving behavior, about 50 percent of teen drivers admitted to texting or emailing while driving at least once in the month before taking the survey. Also, about 10 percent of high school students said they rarely or never wore a seat belt as a passenger and about one out of every 10 high school seniors reported drinking alcohol and driving in the month before the survey. About one in four said they had recently been a passenger of someone who had been drinking alcohol.

State health officials report that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.

The Connecticut School Health Survey is administered in two parts, the Youth Behavior Component (YBC) and the Youth Tobacco Component (YTC). The YBC surveys high school students and monitors public health risk behavior and the YTC survey high school and middle school students about their use of and exposure to tobacco. In 2011, 4,299 middle and high school students completed the YTC and 2,058 youth completed the YBC. The YBC contained the questions about driving behaviors.

For more on the Connecticut School Health Survey, visit http://www.ct.gov/dph/cshs.

Local hospitals get mixed results in safety ranking

Wednesday, June 6, 2012 by:Amanda Cuda

Nearly half of the hospitals in the country got a “C” or lower in patient safety, according to ranking system released Wednesday by the independent national non-profit the Leapfrog Group.

The group, run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, have established the Hospital Safety Score, which gives hospitals a letter grade based on their performance in 26 measures of publicly available hospital safety measures. The measures include rates of infections, falls, complications and other problems at hospitals, as well as adherence to safety practices, such as proper staffing levels and hand-washing.

Of the 2,652 hospitals to receive a score, 729 received an “A,” 679 earned a B and 1,243 earned a “C” or below. In Connecticut, about 14 percent of hospitals received an A grade, 45 percent got Bs and 41 percent got Cs. None appeared to get a “Grade Pending” score, given to hospitals scoring less than a C.

Locally, St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport and the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven got As. Bridgeport Hospital, Yale-New Haven Hospital and Milford Hospital were among those receiving Cs. Griffin Hospital in Derby received a B.

The the database is at hospitalsafetyscore.org, but be patient — the site keeps crashing, due to a huge volume of hits (420 a minute, I’m told)

State Police’s S.A.N.T.A.S. also know if you’ve been naughty or nice

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda

The holiday season is officially upon us. And you know what that means — our good friends in the law enforcement community are setting up their holiday efforts to make sure we’re enjoying the season within the safe and legal limit. Here is the press release from the Connecticut State Police on its Operation S.A.N.T.A.S. Also, note that there will be roving patrols on Interstate 95, between Stamford and New Haven, and on routes 8 and 25, between Bridgeport, Trumbull, Shelton, until the end of the year.:

“The Connecticut State Police today launched the 2011 Holiday enforcement program in an attempt to save lives and prevent injury as the Christmas/New Years holiday season approaches. Operation S.A.N.T.A. S-top A-nother N-eedless T-ragic A-ccident is the major holiday accident and injury prevention message from the Connecticut State Police.

This combined accident reduction effort (C.A.R.E.) involves all State Police Departments across the U.S. The focus of this enforcement will be on the drivers behavior that most frequently causes accident. Enforcment will also attempt to rid the roads and highways of drivers who will drive under the influence, speed, and fail to wear seatbelts.

DUI enforcement will increase dramatically during this holiday season. Traditionally at this time of year many holiday celebrations such as house and office parties take place. Many of these parties MAY include the consumption of alcohol. Some partygoers will not designate a non drinking driver and will neglect to remember that mixing alcohol with driving any motor vehicle is unwise, dangerous and illegal. State Police Troopers have scheduled DUI sobriety checkpoints and enhanced DUI enforcement operations on the roads and highways all across Connecticut.

Emergency Services & Public Protection Commissioner Reuben Bradford said, “Our State Troopers are trying to save lives and keep all of our roads and highways safe”. “Remember mixing alcohol with driving a any vehicle is a dangerous combination for everyone, and illegal in our State”.

No one looks forward to spending time in a jail cell, a hospital, or something worse during the holidays. Connecticut State Troopers will be out in force to try to keep drunk drivers off the roads. Troopers are asking the public to join our effort, if you are planning to consume alcohol at a festive event, make plans in advance for a non drinking driver to bring you home. If you spot a suspected drunk driver, call 911 and report it to the police, this is a true emergency.

Distracted driving, cell phone use and seat belt enforcement will be an important part of “OPERATION SANTA”. People talking on cell phones, not wearing seatbelts, exceeding the posted speed limit cause crashes. Help the Connecticut State Police keep all roads and highways safe. DUE TO SNOW 2010 OPERATION SANTA WAS CANCELEED NO STATS AVAILABLE.”

How to be festive without burning down the house

Monday, December 19, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda

If you’re still putting the finishing touches on your holiday decorations, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission would like to remind you that, this time of year, being safe is just as important as being festive. The commission reports that about 12,500 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for injuries directly related to holiday decorations, lights and Christmas trees.

Candles cause about 11,600 fires each year, resulting in 150 deaths, 1,200 injuries and $173 million in property losses. And Christmas trees are blamed on about 300 fires each year, resulting in an average of 10 deaths, 30 injuries and more than $10 million in property damages.

Help keep your holiday carnage to a minimum, with these safe decorating tips from the CPSC:

If you’re choosing a real tree, make sure it’s fresh. It should be green. The needles should be hard to pull from branches, and the branches shouldn’t break when bent. The tree also shouldn’t lose many needles when its trunk is tapped on the ground.
If you’re using an artificial tree, make sure it is labeled “fire resistant.” This doesn’t mean the tree if fire-proof, but it should resist burning.
Keep artificial and real trees away from heat sources.
Use only flame-resistant decorations to trim your tree.
Lights, whether used indoors or outside, should be tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, which means they comply with safety standards.
Check all lights for broken and cracked bulbs, frayed wires and loose connections.
Don’t attach more than three standard-size sets of lights on an extension cord.
Do not overload extension cords with any decorations.
Avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable or that could pose a choking hazard for a young child.
Never hang stockings or other decorations above a fireplace with an open flame.
Move candles away from anything that can catch fire and never leave them unattended.

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