May 2014 / Good Health Starts at Home
Lesson Guide
Hazardous Household Products
Segment Time / Approximately 30-45 minutes.
For a shorter lesson omit activity on Dangerous Look-a-likes and some of the videos suggested.
Purpose / To identifyexamples of commonly used household products that can be hazardous to health and list actions to use safely or choose safer products
Audience / General consumer audience
Learning Objectives / Participants will accomplish the following:
Knowledge:Recognize that many household products are hazards to health and that children may be especially at risk.
Comprehension: Identify examples of hazardous household products.
Application:Demonstrate actions to protect the home from hazardous household products, e.g.:
- Posting the Poison Control Number
- Using products safely
- Selecting less hazardous cleaning products—including making your own green cleaning products
- Storing hazardous products (including medicines) safely
- Safe disposal
Instructor Lesson Materials /
- Healthy Homes—Hazardous Household Products Lesson Guide
- PowerPoint with Speaker Notes
- Help Yourself to a Healthy Home ( Extension/HUD booklet available in many languages) order or download from
- Publications/Handouts of choice (optional—see below for suggestions)
- Selected materials and supplies for demonstrations and activities (see below for suggestions)
- Name tags/tent cards for each student
- Pre/Post Tests and Evaluation form for each student
- Sign-in sheet, pens/pencils for participant
- Research References (see listed at end)
Participant Materials /
- Household Hazardous Products Pre and Post Test/Evaluation
- Pens/pencils/paper
- Help Yourself to a Healthy Home book
- Copy of PowerPoint slides (optional)
- Other selected student publications/resource materials (optional)
Equipment /
- Computer capable of operating a PowerPoint presentation
- LCD Projector and screen
- Speakers for computer (if showing videos)
- Extension cord and power strip (plus tape to tape down cords)
- Microphone (if you are inviting a guest speaker or have a large group/room)
- White board or flip chart and markers
- Internet connection to link to websites or videos
Helpful websites /
- US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
- Household Products Database—from the National Library of Medicine, a database for consumer audiences with links to over 11,000 consumer brands (cleaners, pesticides, lawn care, personal care products, etc.) Links to MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)
- American Cleaning Institute (educational materials about cleaning products in your home, videos and children’s lessons and publications)
- Up and Away, partnership with CDC about putting medicines away from reach of children
- EPA Design for the Environment
- Mercury disposal: Earth911: for locations
Publications/
Resource Materials (select most appropriate materials for your audience) /
- Help Yourself to a Healthy Home focus on chapter on Hazardous Household Products (required)
- Healthy Homes: Assessing Your Indoor Environment (with DVD)
- mms://wms.aces.edu/media/satellite/booth/eng_hh.wmv (strongly recommended) 24 minute video
- University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Green Cleaning
- Easy and Safe Cleaning for Your Home
- For children: Is Your Home A Healthy Home? Coloring and Activity Book
- Eco-Healthy Child Care: Household Chemicals
- Eco-Healthy Child Care: Plastics & Plastic Toys
- Purchasing “Green”—What Does It Really Mean? HEF593, University of Nebraska Extension
- Poison-proof Your Home: One Room at a Time
- Picking Safer Plastics:
Selected videos /
- Laundry packet exposures: (2:56)
- Video on children opening child-resistant medicine bottles
- EPA Design for the Environment products
Extended Activity / Dangerous Look-Alikes Activity
Objective: to bring attention to the danger of hazardous household products that look appealing to children (or adults with poor eyesight). Assemble some of the following products for viewing:
Dangerous Product / Look Alike
Blue sports drink / Window cleaner
Rat poison / Sunflower seeds
Red cold tablets / Red hot candies
Jerky dog treats / Beef jerky
Isopropyl alcohol / water
Antacid chews / Chewing gum
Powdered cleanser / Parmesan cheese
Cat/dog food / cereal
Apple juice / Floor cleaner
Gummy vitamins / Gummy candies
Nail polish remover / Colored drink
Moth balls / marshmallows
Chocolate laxative / Chocolate candy squares
Arthritis topical cream / toothpaste
Suggested show and tell demonstration tools
(select most appropriate materials for your audience) /
- Magnets or stickers and/or other educational materials by Poison Control Center (call your local Center for samples)
- “Green Cleaning” supplies:
- labels and waterproof markers
- empty spray bottles (one for each student)
- measuring cups
- vinegar
- water
- vegetable oil
- lemon juice
- peppermint, lavenderor other oils, cloves, orange peels (for fragrance)
- baking soda
- vegetable oil based liquid soap
- Pesticides, cleaning products and the MSDS that accompanies it (roach spray, rat poison, weed killers, etc.)
- Examples of householdproducts (or labels from bottles):
Also, try to collect an assortment of other products. Examples:
- Drain cleaner
- Oven cleaner
- Moth balls
- Hair sprays
- Nail polish remover
- Gasoline
- Dishwashing/laundry detergents—especially the pods (these can be attractive to children and dangerous if ingested)
- Examples of “green cleaning” products—those with third-party certifications like Design for the Environment
- Dangerous Look-Alikes Activity products (see above under Extended Activity)
- Assortment of different plastic products. Assemble products with different recycling codes. Include those with #3 (may contain phthates) and those with #7 (that are not marked BPA-free) to show differences in types of plastics. Assemble in a bag and pass around the room and have participants describe the different plastics and their relative risks.
Preparing for this Session
Hazardous Household Products
(This lesson assumes that an Extension educator will be the facilitator for the session. If an alternate facilitator or co-facilitator is used, be certain they have reviewed the material and are clear that Extension is tasked with presenting non-biased material).
Before the training:
- Several weeks in advance:
- Determine appropriate meeting location and time for the program.
- Contact a guest speaker at least a month in advance (optional)—if using, use Guest Speaker Confirmationform. For this subject area, consider asking someone from the Poison Control Center.
- Send out notices for training.
- Order handouts/reference materials if not making copies.
- At least one week before training:
- Read the lesson guide and PowerPoint materials. Review speaker notes and add notes if necessary.
- Review handouts/reference materials and supplementalmaterial carefully.
- Make copies of handouts for this session.
- Review the optional activities and assemble show and tell activity/demonstration tools. Visit a retail store and purchase demonstration supplies as needed or bring samples from home. See Suggested Materials and Supplies for Demonstrations and Activities.
- Download any videos on your computer.
- Day before Training
- Assemble snacks/beverages: water, sodas, crackers, fruit, plates, napkins, etc.
- Load course materials on computer/thumb drive.
- Day of Training
- Arrive at least 45 minutes in advance
- Set up computer/LCD projector/check speakers. Tape down cords.
- Set out references/publications, course materials. Either place on participants’ tables or place near registration table for students to pick up. Set out registration sign-in list.
- Set up demonstration tools on table or have in container for easy access.
- Set up whiteboard/large flipchart.
Presenting the Program
Hazardous Household Products
Important Instructor
Notes /
- Remember to use activities, demonstration of materials, and videos for a variety of teaching tools and to not be too dependent on the PowerPoint slides.
- Encourage participation and questions by the participants throughout the presentation. Be interactive with your learners.
- Provide personal stories when possible. People sometimes remember better when personal stories are shared either by you or by the participants.
- Good visuals will provide guided practice for the learning objectives of the lesson. Activities and demonstration materials can reinforce learning.
- The adult learner brings a background of learning and experience that contributes to learning. Many will have experienced some of these home hazards in their own homes.
- The purpose of this information is to empower people with knowledge so they will adopt healthy behaviors and to offer practical, low-cost action steps to solve problems.
- Emphasize the vulnerability of children for environmental health concerns. These are important concepts to remember:
- Children are not just little adults. Their organs (especially the brain) and immune systems are still developing, especially until about age 6. Their metabolic rates are faster. Pound-per-pound children drink, eat and breathe more than adults.
- Children’s behaviors keep them closer to the floor—where hazardous products may be stored under cabinets.
- Children are curious and young children cannot read labels. Hazardous household products may look like candy or food to them.
Training Agenda
Hazardous Household Products
Segment / Time / Activity / Materials
Sign-in and Introductions / 15
minutes /
- Make sure everyone has signed the sign-in sheet. If participants didn’t sign in upon entering, pass around the sign-in sheet.
- Introductions (including yourself) or get-acquainted activity of your choice.
- Completion of pre-test by participants
Pre-test
Introduction and Objectives / 1 / Review Learning Objectives
Review Publication(s) that you will be using and distributing for the presentation.
Help Yourself to a Healthy Home and Poison-proof Your Home: One Room at a Timeare suggested publications for this presentation.
Explain that today’s topic is part of a larger goal of making your home a Healthy Home / PowerPoint slides 1-4
Publications:
Help Yourself to a Healthy Home
Poison-proof Your Home: One Room at a Time
What are hazardous household products? / 1 / Ask:
Has anyone ever thought about possible health hazards of common household products? Have students identify examples. / PowerPoint slide 5
Why do we care? / 2-5 / Discuss:
- There are many products found in a home that can be health hazards
- Why children are more vulnerable
- Statistics of poisonings of children
Video:
Laundry packet exposures: (2:56)
Name some hazardous household products / 3 / Demonstration Activity: on a whiteboard, list by room of the house some products that can be health hazards / PowerPoint slide 7
white board
Poison-proof Your Home: One Room at a Time
Risks of hazardous product / 1 / Discuss:
varying degrees of risks:
- Toxic or poisonous
- Corrosive
- Explosive or reactive
- Flammable or combustible
Actions to protect the home from hazardous products / 1 / Discuss:
4 ways to minimize risk:
- Use Safely
- Use Less
- Store Safely
- Safe Disposal
Use safely / 5 / Read the Label
Caution words:
- Caution
- Warning
- Danger
- Danger-Poison
Demonstrate:
Various samples of household products and their labels. Pass these (preferable empty bottles) around the room and have participants read the labels aloud.
If internet connectivity, look up products on the Household Products Database (or print out ahead of time).
Discuss ways to use products safely
- Don’t mix products
- Ventilation
- Personal protection
- Pump sprays vs. aerosols
- NO bug bombs/foggers
- NOT around children
800-222-1222
Discuss: dangers and uses of chlorine bleach / PowerPoint slides 10 - 13
Supplies/demonstration tools:
Hazardous Product Examples:
- Chlorine bleach (priority example)
- Drain cleaner
- Oven cleaner
- Moth balls
- Hair sprays
- Nail polish remover
- Gasoline
- Dishwashing/laundry detergents (especially pods)
Poison Control educational materials (magnets, stickers, etc.)
Use Safely: Plastics / 5 / Discuss ways to safely use household products in plastic containers. Minimize use of:
- Plastics containing BPA (Bisphenol A)
- Plastics containing phthalates
Supplies/demonstration tools:
Assortment of various plastic products.
Publication:
Picking Safer Plastics:
Use Less / 3-5 / Discuss ways to minimize exposure to hazardous products by using less:
- Buy less quantities
- Safer alternative cleaning methods
- Prevention methods
Show: video on Design for the Environment products
Demonstration Activity:
Make your own “Green” cleaners. If possible, give each student an empty spray bottle.
Have students select a cleaner to make; label it. / PowerPoint slides 16-17
Publications:
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Green Cleaning Recipes
Easy & Safe Cleaning for Your Home
Supplies/demonstration tools:
Less toxic products (such as Design for the Environment, Green Seal)
Video:
EPA Design for the Environment products
Green cleaners:
- Labels and waterproof markers
- empty spray bottles (one for each student)
- measuring cups
- vinegar
- water
- vegetable oil
- lemon juice
- peppermint, lavender or other oils, cloves, orange peels (for fragrance)
- baking soda
- vegetable oil based liquid soap
Store Safely / 5 / Discuss:
Safe storage of hazardous products:
- lock up hazardous products
- ALWAYS keep in original containers
- Keep medicines out of reach of children
- Away from household wells
- Child-resistant containers (nothing is child-proof)
Optional activity:
Dangerous Look-Alikes
Assemble some of the products listed for viewing to demonstrate importance of storing safely.
Ask class participants if they can think of any other examples. / PowerPoint slides 18-20
Video:
Video on children opening child-resistant medicine bottles
Supplies/demonstration tools:
Dangerous Look-Alikes
(products listed under Extended Activity), examples: red hot candies, red cold medicine tablets, chocolate laxative, chocolate squares, blue sports drink, blue window cleaner, etc.
Safe Disposal / 2 / Discuss:
- Recycling at hazardous waste collections
- Reading labels for disposal instructions
- Recycling products containing mercury
- National Drug Take-Back Days
Safe mercury disposal information:
Earth911:
Review / Review action steps to reduce exposure to hazardous household products:
- Use safely
- Use less
- Store safely
- Safe Disposal
Evaluation / 3 / Administer Post test/Evaluation / Pre/Post test
Evaluation form
Prepared by Laura Booth, 2014, Healthy Homes Partnership Coordinator, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University. May 2014.
Sample news release or radio spot
Hazardous Household Products
Many household products can be dangerous to your health. According to the EPA, a typical house in the U.S. has about 100 pounds of hazardous household products. Many times these products are stored under kitchen and bathroom sinks or in the garage and accessible to children. In 2000, nearly 20,000 children were exposed to or poisoned by chlorine bleach. And in 2013 there were over 10,000 children exposed to hazardous chemicals contained in the colorful laundry pods.Every day there are over 10,000 calls to Poison Control Centers in the U.S. Very young children and older adults may be even more at risk to hazardous products because of inabilities to read labels. Hazardous household products can be lots of things—bleach, rat poison, mothballs, oven cleaner, drain cleaners, mercury in light bulbs and even medications.
(agency name) is sponsoring a program at (time) on (date) at (location) . This program covers hazardous household products. The program covers using safer products, such as making our own less-toxic cleaners, the importance of reading labels, and safely storing and disposing of hazardous products. Additional helpful resources will be given. For more information or to register for the program call or email (agency name) at (phone number) or (email address).
Guest Speaker Confirmation Form:
Hazardous Household Products
Speaker:Today’s Date:
Presentation Date & Time:
Location:
Location Directions:
# Of Expected Participants:
General Audience:
Background: / The Hazardous Household Products workshop you are speaking at provides consumers with information on how take action to make their homes healthy and safe. Your experiences may help people to understand one or more of the following: hazards contained in many common household cleaners, pesticides, personal hygiene products, medications, etc. The importance of the Poison Control Centers. Please share information that will help people to take action steps so they can have a healthy indoor environment.
Thank you language:
Other info: / Please let the workshop coordinator know of any audiovisual equipment or other needs you might have at least 2 business days prior to the presentation.
Hazardous household products workshop coordinator contact info:
Thank you for agreeing to share your expertise on hazardous household products
Hazardous Household Products
References:
Bisphenol A (BPA) Information for Parents.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (October, 2012). Health Hazards Associated with Laundry Detergent Pods—United States, May-June 2012. Retrieved from:
Read the label first! Protect your household. (2000). Washington, DC. EPA, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The Eco-Healthy Child Care Program
University of California San Francisco School of Nursing Institute for Health and Aging. (2013). Green Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting: A Curriculum for Early Care and Education. Retrieved from:
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