Tag Archives: safety tips

9 Household Hazard Prevention Tips

Uncategorized, , , , , ,


Millions of Americans are injured or even killed by preventable household hazards annually. Sometimes it just takes a few safety tweaks to lower the danger level in your home. Some of those tweaks include:

  1. Go flameless – thousands of home fires are started each year by flames from candles that have tipped over or haven’t been properly extinguished. You may not like synthetic flames as much as the real thing, but such a small change could mean the safety of your family and home.
  2. Be step-safe – accidental falls affect over 1 million American adults annually. Many of these falls can be prevented by using extra caution when on the stairs or a ladder, as well as stepping on a dry mat when getting out of the bath or shower.
  3. Minimize the cargo – Falls also commonly happen when people carry too heavy a load of laundry or other items. Carrying lighter loads of laundry (especially when walking up or down stairs) can drastically reduce your chances of a nasty fall inside the home.
  4. Know the numbers – Does everyone in your family know the number for poison control? They should. How about the local fire station or health-line? Aside from 9-1-1, it is good to know (and teach your children) all the safety numbers that could help in a pinch. It is also a good idea to put these numbers in your child’s phone, if they have one.
  5. Childproof the kitchen – There are many measures you can undertake to ensure the safety of your children around the kitchen. Check them out in our post on Kitchen Safety!
  6. Have safety strategies in place – Your family should have emergency plans such as a household evacuation route in case of a fire or other emergency. You should practice these plans occasionally to ensure everyone knows exactly what to do.
  7. Watch the sockets – Unfortunately, around 2,400 children are shocked or burned by electrical outlets annually. So, if you have small children, you may want to invest in socket covers (spring-loaded electrical socket covers that help prevent tampering).
  8. Check water temp – According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 3,800 Americans are scalded by too-hot tap water each year, many of whom are children. It is always a good idea to test the water before jumping into the bath or washing your hands. It is particularly important to test the water before bathing your child. A step further in scald-prevention would be to ensure your water heater is set below 120°F.
  9. Check your alarms – Most people have plenty of functioning fire alarms, but do you also have a carbon monoxide detector? If not, you should invest in a quality one soon to ensure those levels don’t silently (and fatally!) creep too high. You should also periodically ensure you have new batteries in all your detectors and that they are functioning optimally.

That concludes our look at household safety! Keep an eye out for medication safety next! Thanks for visiting DocChat!

12 FDA-Recommended Makeup Safety Tips

Allergies, Uncategorized, , , , ,


We recently wrote about the bacterial dangers posed by using old mascara, so we thought it would be a good idea to look at some other important FDA recommended cosmetic safety tips:

  1. If you have any irritation or reaction from your makeup, no matter how small, stop using the product immediately and seek medical attention if necessary.
  2. Don’t try to water down or add anything to your makeup (never use saliva!), it could introduce more bacteria into the container.
  3. Always read the label and follow any directions or expiry dates listed on your products, unless the makeup seems dirty or changes color before the expiry is up, then throw them out.
  4. If you see dust or dirt on the makeup container, wipe it clean before opening. In many cases, if your makeup has been collecting dust it may be safer to toss it and update your collection.
  5. Only use aerosol sprays in well ventilated areas.
  6. Never share your makeup, while it sounds like a fun concept, it introduces another person’s bacteria or potential contagions to your products, and eventually to your skin.
  7. Always wash your hands thoroughly before applying makeup as you are inviting the day’s bacteria into your eyes and on your skin if you don’t.
  8. If you ever have a contagious skin infection or eye infection, be sure to throw away any makeup you used during that time and restock.
  9. Don’t store makeup in places that reach temperatures above 85°F, or they may spoil quicker.
  10. Never use hair dye on your eyelashes or eyebrows, there is no FDA regulated dyes or tints approved for use around the sensitive eye area yet.
  11. Only apply mascara or eyeliner in a safe area, never while on a moving vehicle as one tiny scratch with the wand could lead to eye damage or infection.
  12. Try to use clean brushes every time and not contaminate your makeup with dirty tools or fingers.

Those With Sensitivities Should Take More Precautions

If you have allergies or sensitive skin, use extra caution with makeup, as the FDA does not test or regulate cosmetics that are sold (but it does collect data on reactions and problems and suggest label adjustments). Some common makeup ingredients that could be bothersome to those with sensitive skin include: propylene glycol, parabens, and preservatives like phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde and hydantoin. It may be a good idea for those with allergies to opt for makeup with more pronounceable ingredients, such as certain organic brands.

So, best to practice caution than to wind up being sorry! Thanks for visiting DocChat, remember, our board certified physicians are standing by 24/7/365 to help you with any health-related inquiries!

Healthy Halloween habits

Uncategorized, , , , ,

Halloween is supposed to be full of scary fun and games, but it can get real-life scary pretty quickly if your child has an allergic reaction, eats treats that have been tampered with or has an unfortunate accident when it gets dark out, so there are a few tips that could help your whole family enjoy the fun of Halloween without the hazards!

Spoooooooky Safety Tips

  1. Really impress upon your little one the importance of not eating anything until mom or dad takes a look. Smaller kids are more likely to chow down on something without realizing it contains a serious allergen, or a young person may take a bite of a homemade item that could potentially have been tampered with. The best rule of thumb is “no treats until they are approved!”
  2. Be sure to ensure everyone is wearing reflective stickers or clothing so they will be seen by drivers in the dark.
  3. Ensure costumes do not inhibit eyesight, such as masks or hats that can slip to cover the eyes. It is also a good idea to make sure the child can move freely without risk of tripping over their costume.
  4. Avoid buying your child costumes that have sharp objects like swords that your child can fall on, or those that are flammable. Flame-resistant wigs and costumes are the way to go.
  5. Think about using battery operated candles in your jack-o-lanterns so a passerby can’t bump into it and start a fire.
  6. While colored contact lenses may look cool, they can cause permanent eye damage or even blindness, so it is important to run any decorative contact lenses by an optometrist before using them just for a costume.
  7. Ensure all children 12 and under are accompanied by an adult.

Tips for Teens

Children old enough to go trick-or-treating without adult supervision should be sure to follow these rules:

  • Plan the route with their parents before going out and stick to it
  • Have a group of at least 3 and stick together the whole evening
  • Stick to usual trick-or-treating hours of 5-9:30 so as not to run into late-night dangers
  • Have a cell phone on you for emergencies
  • Put your phone in your pocket and look where you are walking!
  • Carry a small flashlight on you
  • Scan your surroundings continuously for suspicious followers or cars that may not see you
  • Do not enter any homes or vehicles to get Halloween candy

Well, that concludes our Halloween safety tips, we here at DocChat hope your family has lots of spooktacular holiday fun!