Minimizing school injury Published Aug. 22, 2008 5th Bomb Wing Safety MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- As schoolchildren return to the classroom after summer vacation, several hidden hazards await them. To minimize injury, use the following checklist: · Drawstrings on jackets and sweatshirts: There should be no drawstrings on hoods or around the neck. Drawstrings at the waist or bottom of jackets should extend no more than three inches to prevent catching in car and school bus doors or getting caught on playground equipment. · Loops on window blind cords: Cut the loop and attach separate tassels to prevent entanglement and strangulation in window blind cords. One child a month strangles and dies in the loop of a window blind cord. · Bike Helmets: Buy a helmet that meets one of the safety standards (U.S. CPSC, Snell, ANSI, ASTM, or Canadian) and insist children wear the helmet each time they ride their bike. About 900 people, including more than 200 children, are killed annually in bicycle-related incidents, and about 60 percent of these deaths involve a head injury. More than 500,000 people are treated annually in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries. Research indicates a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent. · Soccer goals: Make sure athletic director, coach or custodian anchors soccer goals into the ground so the soccer goal will not tip over and crush a child. · Playgrounds: Check surfaces around playground equipment at schools and parks to make sure there is a 12-inch depth of wood chips, mulch, sand or pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber or fiber material to prevent head injury when a child falls. Each year, more than 200,000 children go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms with injuries associated with playground equipment. Most injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment onto the ground. · Recalled toys: Make sure your child's school has up-to-date information on recalled toys and children's products. Schools, daycare providers, and parents can receive recall information via e-mail or regular mail free of charge by calling the CPSC hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. For more information, logon to: info@cpsc.gov. For questions or more information on school safety, call 5th BW Ground Safety at 723-2259.