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A child’s PFD or lifejacket is never a substitute for adult supervision.

With water season in full swing, your task is to keep the kids safe while having fun in and around the water. 

Here’s a fact: most people who drown never intended to be in the water. Many of them were simply enjoying boating activities or playing near the water. Since they didn’t intend to enter the water, they weren’t wearing a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD).

A staggering 90% of boaters who drowned were not wearing a PFD or lifejacket at the time of the incident (Canadian Red Cross Drowning Report).  So, while you’re choosing a lifejacket for the kids, get one for yourself, too.

Approved lifejackets or PFDs are a critical part of water safety. When boating, there must be an appropriate flotation device for every person on board the vessel. Most on-water enforcement agencies have a zero tolerance policy towards disobeying this regulation.

Children’s PFDs should be comfortable yet snug. Although, as parents we often try to economize by purchasing a slightly larger garment for our children to grow into, we should never do this with lifejackets. Loose, ill-fitting PFDs are dangerous.
PFDs for children can have special safety features. You may want to look for the following additional features when selecting a PFD for your child:

• Large collar for head support
• Sturdy, rust-proof zipper
• Draw string
• Waist ties or elastic gathers in front and back
• Safety strap that goes between the legs to prevent the PFD from slipping over the child’s head
• Buckle on safety straps and reflective tape
• Sound-signaling device (whistle) that you attach to your child’s PFD zipper for added safety.

Children need to try the jacket on at the store.  It should fit snuggly. Make sure that it does not slip over the chin or ears. If there are more than 3 inches between the child’s shoulders and the PFD, it is TOO big.

Have fun playing in and around the water this summer!

More information on sizing and selecting appropriate lifejackets is available from boatsmartcanada.com.  Équipe d’intervention médicale provides this information as a public service.  To learn more about Équipe d’intervention médicale visit us online at http://www.saintlazare911.com/ or call 450 455 5824.

Did you know that, if you have a garage sale, you are legally responsible for ensuring that the products you sell are safe? Whether items for sale are new or used, the seller has a responsibility to make certain that the products for sale meet Canadian safety guidelines. 

Holding a garage sale is a convenient way to recycle second-hand products.  But, if you sell an item that is hazardous, you could be liable in a civil court of law.
Many products for sale come under the Hazardous Products Act, administered by Health Canada.  Products intended for children are of special concern under the Act, and should be of special attention if you are planning a garage sale.

For shoppers, when you visit a garage sale, as well as for those who are planning to sell used items, Health Canada recommends that you examine items for safety:

·Make sure the item meets current regulations, is not damaged, has not been subject to a recall, is not beyond the manufacturer’s recommended age for use and is legal for sale in Canada.

·Check that all of the parts are present, that the instructions for use and care are available and that it is not beyond the life span set by the manufacturer.

·Make sure warning labels are still attached and that none of the parts pose a hazard.
Store owners selling second-hand products have the same responsibility.  

Even giving away damaged goods could get you in trouble with the law, as well as pose a danger to those who are on the receiving end of the transaction.  Under Canadian law, giving away certain unsafe items is viewed no differently than selling them. 

Safety is of high concern in the following list of items, all of which must meet safety guidelines: baby gates, baby walkers, car seats, cribs, loose-fitting children’s sleepwear, protective sports equipment, playpens, strollers, and toys.  Whenever buying or selling any of these items, ensure that you’ve examined them for safety.

Health Canada, who administers the Hazardous Products Act, emphasizes that damaged items should be thrown away, not sold at a garage sale.

For more information, contact Health Canada at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ or by calling (613) 957-2991.  Équipe d’intervention médicale brings you this information as a public service and is not affiliated with Health Canada.  Contact Équipe d’intervention médicale Saint Lazare at 450 455 5824.  In an emergency, the fastest way to get help is to call 911.