WRDW-TV Special Assignment: Dangers in the Home

Federal law requires companies to meet a lot of requirements to keep you and your family safe when it comes to labeling chemicals. But, the law has trouble protecting you from putting those chemicals into other containers, like a water bottle. It may seem like a good idea at the time, but that quick convenience for your cleaning supplies could cost you or a loved one their life

Dr. Julie Jacobs treats patients in the Emergency Room at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, and sees what happens when a child swallows caustic chemicals.

“It’s very serious. It can cause a lot of respiratory issues as well as the esophageal burning. A lot of the kids either die from it or end up in the ICU,” she said.

She sees about a dozen kids a year come into the Emergency Room after being accidentally poisoned, and often, chemicals poured into sports drink containers are the culprit.

This important story on safe chemical storage also aired outside of Augusta, earning valuable media exposure for the Children’s Hospital of Georgia in 24 other states, including Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.