Upgrade Hazard Labels for Baby Safety Month

As September approaches, manufacturers and retailers will likely be updating and checking the hazard labels on products, while consumers should be paying particularly close attention to the warning messages on their purchases. Why? According to Holiday Insights, as well as being a time to become a better person (National Courtesy Month and Self Improvement Month), enjoy favorite foods (Chicken Month, Honey Month) and celebrate passions (Classical Music Month, National Piano Month), September is also Baby Safety Month.

Every Baby Safety Month has a particular theme, and this year, it's A Room with A Safe View. Even the most eagle-eyed of babyproofers may overlook a household element that seems completely benign to them but could prove dangerous or even fatal to an infant. With this in mind, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association is working to protect babies against the hidden hazards lurking in the home, according to its Baby Safety Zone website.

Use Safety Labels to Highlight Dangers Hiding in Plain Sight

There are some babyproofing basics that are no-brainers - covering electrical outlets to keep tiny fingers away, padding hard surfaces and sharp edges, moving low-to-the-ground storage receptacles or ornamentation to safer heights and installing locks on ground-level cabinets and other things that can't be moved. Of course, if you can't recognize that something poses a danger, you won't take steps to neutralize it, which is where safety labels and the Baby Safety Month campaign come in.

2 Products That Should Definitely Include Baby Labels

The JPMA listed 10 hazards that can be tricky to identify on your own, including batteries, hot mugs, loose change, magnets and pot handles sticking out from the stove. We took a closer look at two of the risks and detailed how baby labels can help alleviate danger:

1. Detergent pods: Bright? Check. Packaged in something that resembles plastic? Check. Looks like the contents might taste delicious? Check. Candy? Far from it. Citing a statistic from the American Association of Poison Control Centers, Consumer Reports Magazine reported that poison control centers across the country received more than 6,000 reports pertaining to young children and detergent pods in the first six months of 2015. The detergent contained within the pods can cause harm if it comes in contact with the skin or eyes - and when it's inhaled or ingested, the consequences can be fatal. How can labels help? Laundry product packaging should clearly state the dangers of detergent pods - and given the fact that detergent and water can compromise the legibility of warning messages, using durable, waterproof labels is advised.
2. Cords and wires: In many ways, cords and wires run our lives. Without them, we wouldn't be able to charge our laptops and mobile devices, watch TV, play video games, keep food cool and warm it up later. However, if they're not properly secured, they can also take lives - young lives, at that - as they are a major choking hazard. Yes, even the fabric cords you use to draw your curtains can become a dangerous weapon if left within reach of a baby. How can labels help? Many products come with cords and wires, but even if these only compose a small part of the item, the associated dangers still need to be highlighted via packaging. When parents buy a new appliance or install a new set of blinds, the risk that wires and cords pose to their young children may not be top of mind, and it's up to warning labels to draw their attention to the issue.

September is here, but it's not too late to prepare for Baby Safety Month. Lightning Labels typically turns around product orders in 48 to 72 hours following proof approval.

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