Reprinted from WCVB 5

BOSTON —A consumer watch group revealed the 10 top “Summer Safety Traps” Tuesday as examples of some of the many different types of hazards parents and caregivers need to avoid to safeguard children this summer.

Consumer advocates Joan E. Siff, president of W.A.T.C.H., and James A. Swartz, a nationally known trial attorney and Director of W.A.T.C.H., discussed their summer safety concerns, including some lesser-known warm weather safety traps and recreational products that they say parents should avoid to help prevent tragic accidents this season.

Safety concerns highlighted in the report also included backyard trampolines, inflatable recreational products, non-motorized scooters, moveable soccer goal posts, bicycle helmet straps, realistic looking toy guns and toys with small parts.

W.A.T.C.H.’s 10 “Summer Safety Traps”

TRAP: BABY POOLS
HAZARD: Potential for drowning
TO DO: Never leave baby pools and other containers with water unattended in your backyard–empty after each use and turn upside down so they cannot collect rainwater!

TRAP: FLOTATION DEVICES: WATER WINGS, RAFTS
HAZARD: Potential for Drowning
TO DO: Diligent supervision is required around water whether or not a child is using inflatable pool toys

TRAP: POOL COVERS
HAZARD: Potential for serious injury or death
TO DO: Regularly check all safety measures used around the home and backyard to make sure they are secure and adequate

TRAP: BACKYARD TRAMPOLINES
HAZARD: Potential for fractures, cervical spine injuries, and paralysis!
TO DO: Do not use backyard trampolines

TRAP: INFLATABLE AMUSEMENTS (bounce houses and more)
HAZARD: Potential for impact and other serious injuries
TO DO: Avoid inflatable bounce houses

TRAP: NON-MOTORIZED SCOOTERS
HAZARD: Potential for impact injuries, traumatic brain injuries, death
TO DO: The number of injuries from non-motorized scooters may be a compelling reason to avoid these toys altogether. But if your child is allowed to use non-motorized scooters, never let them ride near traffic or without the proper safety gear

TRAP: MOVEABLE SOCCER GOALS
HAZARD: Potential for fall and head injuries
TO DO: Make sure that soccer goals are properly anchored when in use and stored when not in use.

TRAP: DRAWSTRINGS & BICYCLE HELMET STRAPS on playgrounds
HAZARD: Potential for Strangulation
TO DO: Remove drawstrings from children’s clothing! Remove bicycle helmets while on playground equipment

TRAP: REALISTIC-LOOKING TOY GUNS
HAZARD: Realistic looking toy weaponry
TO DO: Realistic toy weaponry should never be sold as toys

TRAP: TOYS WITH SMALL PARTS
HAZARD: Potential for ingestion and choking injuries
TO DO: Be familiar with the types of choking and ingestion hazards associated with toy injuries and deaths in the past! Check toys for long slender parts, pieces that could easily break off, and soft materials that could be ingested and block a young child’s airway