Baby-proofing big business
Bucks County Courier Times
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Baby-proofing the house has become big business not only for the companies that produce home safety products, but for a growing number of baby-proofing professionals.
“Child safety has become a big issue,” said Mark Gottlieb, who runs Upper Southampton's Safe at Home Baby-Proofing. “These days, you've got both parents working, they're living in larger homes than before and there's more reliance on babysitters.”
Gottlieb started his baby-proofing business 11 years ago. It is a full-time job. His services include safety gates for stairways, latches that secure cabinets and drawers and door locks.
“I have grandchildren myself and you really need to be aware of child safety [issues],” he said. “People aren't aware of all the little pitfalls.”
Gottlieb said he started his business just as baby-proofing professionals were organizing the International Association for Child Safety. The nonprofit trade group promotes education about child safety issues and provides a forum for companies to communicate with each other.
“There were 42 companies when I joined. Now there are 150,” he said.
Every year, about 2 million children under the age of 5 are treated in emergency rooms for injuries that occur at home, according to the association.
Gottlieb serves Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania and Camden County in New Jersey. He has clients fill out a survey about their homes and then he provides them with a list that shows what baby-proofing options are available and how much each one costs.
“The customer can pick and choose what they want to do,” he said.
For do-it-yourselfers, stores like Babies R Us, which has locations in Falls and Bensalem, stock a variety of baby-proofing products.
They include straps that prevent furniture from toppling over, corner guards that attach to the edges of tables and other items, outlet covers that prevent children from shocking themselves, knob covers that stop them from turning on the stove and toilet seat latches that keep the lid down.
“Safety items are always very popular,” said Babies R Us spokeswoman Jamie Beal. “They sell very well. September is [National] Baby Safety Month, but these are always big things [people buy].”
Serious household accidents have occurred locally.
Among them is a January 2005 accident in which a 3-year-old Abington girl was killed when a large, mirrored wardrobe fell on her. Following the accident, the girl's parents — Judy and Bob Lambert — founded the Katie Elise Lambert Foundation in their daughter's name.
Since the nonprofit was started, it has worked to raise awareness of various household dangers and has pushed pediatricians to cover baby-proofing topics during children's checkups.
Common child injuries
- Falls, usually on steps or from furniture or windows
- Accidental poisoning
- Burns from the stove, hot liquids, steam or from electrical current
- Choking
- Drowning
- Finger and head entrapments
- Toppling of furniture or appliances such as TVs
Source: International Association for Child Safety.
John Anastasi can be reached at 215-949-4170 or janastasi@phillyBurbs.com.From:http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/147-05252008-1539065.html
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