HAZARDS IN GARDEN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31231, 1 December 1966, Page 22

HAZARDS IN GARDEN

Many Child Victims

There are too many accidents among children playing in the garden, says a press release from the Health Department. The responsibility for their safety lies with the parents. Newspapers all too frequently report a young child being run over by a backing car, or an infant’s death in a drain or a pond. Young children can drown in only two inches of water. Therefore, any open drains, ponds, or creeks must be properly covered or fenced off.

Garden tools should be locked away when not in use. Tools that are seemingly harmless, such as rakes, spades, and saws, can maim a young child. More dangerous home tools or machinery such as an axe or a circular saw can cause death while dad is having a cup of tea. A garage where parents keep all those “good things to play with” is always an attraction to children—especially the boys. Don’t store any dangerous objects (these include poisons) in the garage—which is so often left unlocked.

For your own benefit, too, always read the label on spray and insecticide containers and carry out the instructions carefully. Always keep these materials in their original containers in a locked cupboard, and burn or bury them once they are empty, or just wrap them well in paper and place at the bottom of the rubbish tin. Then, again, how many gardens contain poisonous plants unbeknown to the owner? All district Medical Officers of Health have plentiful supplies of a free leaflet that describes the common poisonous plants. It is surprising how many there are. Rats and flies love rubbish. Burn all your rubbish paper in an incinerator. All other refuse should be well wrapped up and put in a bin with a well-fitting lid. For a small child, outside the gate there is another dangerous world. Keep all your gates closed with a catch that little fingers cannot open. And see that there are no holes in the hedge or the fence.

Make a point this week-end of checking on the safety of the garden. Carelessness can cause untold suffering for a family and its children.