A new environmental health guide for consumers is now available from Health Canada: Hazardcheck. The guide provides good, basic safety information about keeping a home safe, including how to read labels on household chemical products, and the importance of adequate ventilation.
Hazardcheck provides information on 3 main topics, i.e., how to:
- improve indoor air quality – e.g., by avoiding second hand smoke, monitoring for carbon monoxide, testing for radon and minimizing humidity levels to reduce mould risk;
- reduce lead exposure – e.g., in lead pipes, paint, and even reducing dust; and
- safely use consumer products – e.g., by turning down the volume on personal music systems and avoid purchasing noisy toys. Provides links to product safety warnings/advisories for consumer products and cosmetics.
Hazardcheck also includes links to several websites that explore the issues in greater detail.
The site has additional information for specific vulnerable populations, including:
- Seniors: extreme heat, air pollution
- Children: safety, smoke-free homes, indoor air quality (e.g., mould), lead
- Individuals suffering from respiratory diseases, like asthma.
Consumers can subscribe to receive consumer e-alerts, which include advisories/warnings and product recalls, as well as information about consultation documents concerning consumer product safety.
Jackie Campbell and Dianne Saxe