We probably all spend more time in the laundry room than we realize, but have you ever thought about how dangerous it could be for little kids? My son spent lots of time sitting on a stool watching his lovie, “Blue” – the blanket, spin around the washing machine and drier. When he got older he started wanting to open he washer door to get Blue out. I never thought much of it because it had a lock and of course he couldn’t get it open, or so I thought.
Recently I read this story about a toddler who managed to open the door of the front-loader as it was in its spin cycle. He was dragged inside and his arm was completely ripped off. His mom said his legs were hanging out of the washer and saw the washing machine door lying on the floor. His mother, Rachel Roberts, was able to call the ambulance and get her son, Lewis Lightfoot, to the nearby Leighton Hospital before being transferred to Liverpool’s Alder Hey children’s hospital. He’s had three operations and is doing well. His mother said she hopes that he’ll have a prosthetic arm and be able to live a normal life. “I want him to have a normal life.I don’t want him to feel left out.”
Then another story about a child dying after being trapped in a dryer. Somehow he was able to climb in the dryer and his twin brother turned it on. His father found him a few hours later.
I’ve always double checked the washer and dryer before I turn them on, because our cat tends to climb in if the door is left open. My kids are older now and I’m pretty sure I’d notice if they were inside one of the machines. I’ve told them not to play in or around them because it is dangerous. There are some ways to make your laundry room a little safer.
- Invest in locks for your washer and dryer. Locks are especially important for front-loading washers that look like a great place to crawl into to play.
- For extra security you can unplug the washer and dryer when they aren’t being used. This could stop them from being accidentally turned on with a child inside.
- Keep the laundry soap and iron up and out of reach from children.
- Make sure there is no sitting water in the washer. Make sure it drains completely. Kids can drown in as little as 1 – 2 inches of water.
