National Poison Prevention Week raises awareness of poison prevention nationwide during the third full week of March every year.
National Poison Prevention Week, observed every year in March, is an opportunity to highlight the dangers of poisonings for people of all ages and promote community involvement in poisoning prevention.
More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the Nation’s poison control centers. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, 93% of poisonings happen at home, and 45% of poisonings involve children under the age of 6. The majority of fatal poisonings occur among adults, especially older adults.
In 1961, Congress established National Poison Prevention Week to raise awareness, reduce unintentional poisonings, and promote poison prevention. Each year, there is a children's artwork contest to raise awareness about poisons and poison centers across the country conduct activities to raise awareness of the dangers of poisoning.
Here are some great ways your organization can participate in promoting National Poison Prevention Week this year:
- Hold a brown bag lunch at work to educate workers about potential workplace poisoning risks.
- Host a safety meeting or toolbox talk on the poisoning risks common to your industry, or another similar topic like Hazard Communication, Hazardous Materials, or First Aid for Poisoning.
- Send an email to staff to raise awareness about National Poison Prevention Week or post a flyer on a central bulletin board.
- Download Prevention Tips and Infographics on poison prevention topics and share this information with company personnel by email.
- Subscribe to and share relevant and interesting articles with employees from The Poison Post, created by Poison Control.
- Contact your local poison center by calling 1-800-222-1222 to find out what activities they may already be planning in your area and how your organization can help.
- Download the #EveryMinuteCounts social media campaign assets and share on your social media channels.
- Engage with poison prevention posts on social media. Like, comment, and share popular posts to get get the word out.
Anything can be poisonous if used the wrong way—even everyday household items. If you suspect a poisoning of a loved one, or if you have questions regarding poisons, call your local poison control center through the toll-free Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
When accidents happen with chemicals or medicine, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. Get help right away from a nurse, pharmacist, or other poison expert. If someone has trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency ambulance number right away.
To learn more about ways to keep people of all ages safe and help prevent poisonings, and to download materials you can share, visit the Poison Help website at www.PoisonHelp.hrsa.gov (or to view materials in Spanish).
Awareness campaigns, like National Poison Prevention Week, offer a great opportunity to safety management, business owners, and supervisors to highlight the commitment the organization has to worker health and safety. It doesn’t take a lot of time, money, or resources and it’s easy to participate. Consider sending an email from management to the staff, hosting a brief safety meeting, or post a flyer on a central bulletin board.
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