In 1961, the U.S. Congress declared the third week in March as National Poison Prevention Week. Why set aside a week each year to focus on this topic? Because poisoning is the leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S. More people die each year of poisoning than from either gun or car-related injuries. In 2022, U.S. poison centers responded to almost 2.5 million cases. The majority of the calls to poison control centers are made because someone has come into contact with a dangerous, or potentially dangerous, substance. More than 90% of those exposures occurred in the home. Make your home poison-safe by following these tips.
- Know the number. Save the Poison Help number (1-800-222-1222) on both your cell and home phones. All calls are free, confidential, and answered by experts—available 24 hours, every day.
- Read and follow labels and directions. If a substance is potentially hazardous, make sure you know how to both use and store it safely. This is especially important for medicine.
- Go through each room in your home and check them for potential poisons, then store them safely. Store the following products either up high, in their original containers, and out of sight of children, or in cabinets that have child-resistant locks.
Bathroom: Over-the-counter medicines, prescription medicines, vitamins, supplements, toothpaste, mouthwash, hair products, lotions and creams, soap, nail care and personal care products (i.e. contact lens disinfectants, hand sanitizers, etc.), cosmetics, rubbing alcohol, and all cleaning products.
Bedroom: Medicine, vitamins and supplements, cosmetics, perfume, jewelry cleaner.
Kitchen: Medicine, vitamins and supplements, dishwasher detergent, oven cleaner and other cleaning supplies, furniture polish.
Family Room: Alcoholic and THC beverages, button batteries, tobacco and marijuana products (especially liquid nicotine and THC edibles), matches, house plants.
Laundry Room and Garage: Bleach, laundry detergent and pods, kerosene and gasoline, paint removers and thinners, bug, rodent, and weed killers, antifreeze and fertilizers, any type of oil or lubricant, including fragrance oils, tiki torch oils, engine oil, etc.
- Detect invisible threats. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas. Inhaling it can lead to severe illness, or even death. Install carbon monoxide detectors in the hallway, near bedrooms, and at least 15-20 feet away from heating sources. Check their batteries twice a year.
- Prepare and store food safely. Food poisoning (foodborne illness) is caused by consuming food that has been contaminated by infectious organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or by the toxins they produce. Food poisoning strikes approximately one in six Americans (48 million) each year. Of that number, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 people die. Symptoms include upset stomach, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration.
Keep yourself and your loved ones safe from food poisoning by following four basic food safety steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
- Clean: Wash Hands, Utensils, and Surfaces Often
Scrub the entire surface of your hands with plain soap and water for at least 20 seconds—before and after you prepare food, and any time you may have come into contact with germs (after toileting or changing diapers, touching garbage or an animal, after blowing your nose, etc.).
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water, especially if they’ve held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
Rinse off produce, but don’t rinse meat, poultry, or eggs.
- Separate: Don’t Cross Contaminate
Keep raw meat, eggs, and poultry separated from other foods—while carrying in grocery bags, in the refrigerator, on separate cutting boards, and during preparation.
- Cook to a Safe Temperature
Use a probe thermometer to make sure that meat has reached a minimum internal temperature that is hot enough to kill harmful organisms.
Beef, bison, veal, goat, lamb, and pork:
- Roasts and chops 145°F
- Ground meat and sausage 160°F
Poultry (all forms) 165°F
Venison and rabbit 160°F
Egg dishes (quiche, etc.) 165°F
Casseroles 165°F
Leftovers 165°F
- Chill: Refrigerate and Freeze Food Properly
The bacteria that cause food poisoning thrive in temperatures between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C).
Set your refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer to 0°F (-18°C) or below. Verify the temperature by using an appliance thermometer.
Never leave perishable foods out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours. If the food has been left where temperatures are above 90°F (32°C) (like a hot car or summer picnic), refrigerate it within 1 hour.
Thaw or marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Freezing does not destroy harmful germs, but it does keep food safe until you can cook it.
