Clean Out More Than Your Clutter This Spring: Rid Your Home of Potential Hazards NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/23/06 -- Do more than just a little cleaning this spring -- make safety a priority in your home. Accidental injury has surpassed disease to become the number one cause of death among children ages 14 and under in the United States, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, a non-profit organization. Keep your little ones safe and sound this season. Prevent unintentional household injuries by taking these simple, preventative measures: Bedroom -- Make sure cribs are properly assembled and meet current safety standards, and that crib mattresses fit snugly. -- Always keep cribs and other low-standing furniture away from windows. Window covering cords can be potential strangulation hazards if curious tots get hold of them. Consider installing cordless window coverings in children's bedrooms and play areas, or retrofit mini-blinds, shades and draperies made before 2001.Visit www.windowcoverings.org for a free retrofit kit or call 1-800-506-4636. Living Room/Dining Room -- Secure all bookcases, shelving and heavy furniture. Place heavier items on lower shelves and in bottom drawers. -- Many houseplants are poisonous, and pots are heavy, so keep them out of reach of little hands. -- Use plug protectors for all unused wall outlets. Bathroom -- To prevent bathwater scalds, set the thermostat of your hot water heater no higher than 120 degrees F. It takes just three seconds for a child to sustain a third degree burn at 140 degrees F. -- Always request child-resistant packaging for medicine, but go a step further by making sure medicine cabinets are locked at all times. Even items that may seem harmless can be dangerous to a child. Kitchen -- Keep sharp knives and other utensils well out of reach and make sure that knife blades are pointing down when placed in a dishwasher's cutlery basket. -- When cooking, always use the backburners, turn pot handles toward the back of the stove and keep hot foods and liquids away from young children. -- And make sure microwaves are out of reach of children as well; the vast majority of microwave burns among children are serious scald burns. The Window Covering Safety Council is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings. Consumers wishing to retrofit rather than replace their older window coverings can order free retrofit devices through WCSC's website at www.windowcoverings.org or its toll-free phone line at 1-800-506-4636. *Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under.