Children in Oldham protected from cleaning product injuries in RoSPA campaign

Date published: 22 October 2020


Families in Oldham are being urged by the Royal Society for the Prevention Accidents (RoSPA) to take action to protect their children from the risks of household cleaning products.

The latest phase of the Take Action Today campaign, supported by Fairy, was launched yesterday (Wednesday).

This follows the scheme’s success in Birmingham, Liverpool, and other areas across the UK, where over 300,000 families have been helped to prevent poisoning and eye injuries. 

The campaign is now being delivered across the north west.

In Oldham, accidental poisonings accounted for 120 emergency admissions for 0-4-year-olds between 2016/17 and 2018/19. 

This is significantly above the average for the north west and the whole of England for the period.

As part of the campaign, a handy magnetic notepad featuring key safety advice will be handed out to families, by health visitors and children’s centres.

Ashley Martin, RoSPA’s public health adviser, said: “The notepad acts as a constant reminder in family kitchens to store cleaning products out of reach, out of sight and in a locked cupboard.

“Due to their inquisitive nature, children under the age of five are most at risk of accidentally swallowing or getting household cleaning products, like liquid laundry capsules, into their eyes.

"Even products with a child-resistant closure cannot guarantee safety - they only reduce the risk by delaying access to the product.”

Emma Gerrard, representative for Fairy Non Bio, said: “We are extremely pleased to be able to support the Take Action Today programme, to help spread the vital message that household cleaning and laundry products can be dangerous in children’s hands and must always be closed securely in their packaging and stored out of reach and sight.

"Together we hope to change parents’ and carers’ behaviour when it comes to safe use and storage of household cleaning products and drive a reduction in incidents in the north west of England.”

Catherine Buckle, a health visitor in Oldham, said: “We are looking forward to getting on board and supporting the Take Action Today campaign.

"The RoSPA campaign is a great idea to remind parents and carers of key home safety advice and encouraging them to keep all household and cleaning products out of reach of children.”

Take action today, put them away advice to parents includes:

•    Store household cleaning products out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard

•    Always store chemicals in their original containers

•    Never pierce or break laundry capsules or tablets

•    Always close the lid of any product

•    In the event of an incident, follow advice on the product pack and seek medical attention.

Further information on the Take Action Today campaign can be found at: www.rospa.com


Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.