Back to School Safety Checklist

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Be aware of hidden, potentially deadly,
hazards lurking in and around schools

This Newsletter is my way of sharing information helpful to keeping you and your family safe, informed, empowered or entertained.
John Bisnar

As millions of children head back to school, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is helping parents, teachers, and caregivers look for hidden hazards to help prevent injuries and deaths to children. CPSC's "Back to School Safety Checklist" offers tips on making schools, childcare facilities and playgrounds safer.

Take a few minutes to check your child's school, childcare facility and playground for hidden hazards we don't always think about during this busy time of year. Use this checklist to make sure your children head back to school safely.

Hidden hazards include the following:

PLAYGROUNDS

Check the surfaces around playground equipment. There should be a 12-inch depth of wood chips, mulch, sand or pea gravel, or there should be mats made of safety-tested rubber or fiber material to prevent head injury when a child falls.
Each year, more than 200,000 children are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for playground-associated injuries. Most of these injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment.

DRAWSTRINGS ON JACKETS AND SWEATSHIRTS

Remove drawstrings on hoods or around the neck. Cut drawstrings at the waist or bottom of jackets and sweatshirts to 3 inches.
Since 1985, 22 children have died when drawstrings caught on school buses, playground equipment and other products.

LOOPS ON WINDOW BLIND CORDS

If the windows in your home, childcare facilities or schools have blinds, cut the loop on two-corded horizontal blinds, and attach separate tassels to prevent entanglement and strangulation in window blind cords.
Vertical blinds, continuous loop systems and drapery cords use looped cords to function. Do not cut these loops. Instead, install a permanent tie-down device.
To obtain free tassels and tie down devices call (800) 506-4636. About one child a month dies from strangulation with window covering cords.

BIKE HELMETS

Since a growing number of kids are riding their bikes to school, make sure they always wear their helmet. All bike helmets manufactured or imported for sale in the United States are required to meet the new federal safety standard set by CPSC.
Each year, more than 200 children are killed in bicycle-related incidents, and about 60 percent of these deaths involve a head injury. Helmet use can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent.

SOCCER GOALS

Anchor soccer goals into the ground to prevent them from tipping over and crushing a child.
Since 1979, CPSC has received reports of 24 deaths from soccer goal tipover.

RECALLED PRODUCTS

You and your kids can get up-to-date recall and product safety information by checking out CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov on your home or school computer.
Sign up to get free recall notices by FAX, e-mail or regular mailing by calling CPSC's Consumer Hotline, (800) 638-8270, or writing to CPSC, Washington, D.C. 20207.

Employee Profile

Lynn Grimm is in her fourteenth year of service to our clients. She has been an integral part of the expansion of Bisnar & Chase from a sole practitioner law office to a nationally recognized law firm with a large support staff. Without her skill and contributions, this growth could not have progressed so rapidly and smoothly.

Mrs. Grimm is the controller at Bisnar & Chase. Among her many functions she manages the trust accounts, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, cash flow analysis and taxes. Most importantly to our clients, she is in charge of reducing medical liens and disbursing settlement funds.

"I like the balance that I have of working in a stimulating environment and spending time with my children," says Lynn. She is married to her high school sweetheart and is the mother of two children. "I am proud to be working for Bisnar & Chase because of our commitment to delivering PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE to each client, in each case," Lynn adds.

Tip of the Month

To ensure a safe and happy 2003, here is the "around-the-house" safety tip that homeowners can resolve to follow this month:

September (Baby Safety Month): Check mini-blinds. Place cribs away from windows and blind cords out of reach of children to help prevent strangulation.

If you have important information, or an empowering or funny story that you would like to share with my readers please email it directly to me at: jbisnar@bestattorney.com.

--John Bisnar, Bisnar and Chase, LLP.