Button Batteries
“It turns out this is one of the most damaging and dangerous things that my beautiful boy could have ever swallowed. It does not get much worse than this.” – Mother of an 8 month-old baby boy.
New campaign launched to inform families on battery safety
The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) and the British and Irish Portable Battery Association (BIPBA) are launching a joint awareness and information campaign on button cell safety, designed to provide expert information and guidance to parents and professionals working with children and families on how to handle button batteries safely.
Button cells, the small round silver batteries powering growing numbers of household products, have been linked to serious injuries among small children, with lithium cell batteries a particular concern as they are larger and have a higher voltage. The new industry-charity collaboration will help parents, carers and professionals understand the risks and keep children safe.
The information campaign will include joint safety messaging on social media and websites, a safety fact sheet and support for professionals to run community-based activities with parents.
CAPT is the UK’s leading charity specialising in preventing childhood accidents. Katrina Phillips, CAPT’s Chief Executive, said:
“Toddlers are hugely curious and love to explore. But if they swallow a button battery, and it gets stuck in their throat, the battery’s energy can react with bodily fluids to create caustic soda. This can burn a hole through the throat and cause serious internal bleeding or even death. This initiative with BIPBA shows the value of business and charity working together, drawing on our compatible strengths to reach more families and keep children safe.”
BIPBA is the trade association for the portable battery industry in the UK and Ireland. Members include Panasonic, Duracell, Energizer, Sony, GP Batteries and Varta.
Frank Imbescheid, BIPBA’s Chair, said:
“This is an industry first and has never been done before in the UK. We take the safety of consumers very seriously and are delighted to partner with CAPT.We will work together to ensure that parents, families and healthcare professionals have the right information to keep children safe. Battery manufacturers are continuously working to reduce the risk of ingestion through various initiatives. We however recognise that more could be done to communicate this and our partnership with CAPT enables us to reach a much wider audience and provide information and guidance.”
For advice on button battery safety, visit CAPT’s website or the British and Irish Portable Battery Association.
Contacts:
BIPBA: 0207 457 2018
CAPT: 0207 608 7360
