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The first order of today’s EED is to be aware of how dangerous paper shredders are to children and pets. Put them out of reach of small children and pets! Unplug paper shredders when not in use. Don’t let young children help you by shredding your documents!

In a March 9, 2006 article in The Washington Post, Caroline E. Mayer writes a wake-up call to parents and early educators: don’t let young children use paper shredders! Somehow, "Pre-logical-thinking children are not conscious of the hazards to themselves, and, therefore, may not let go of the paper �" holding onto it as it is being pulled in." And thereby causing serious damage to little fingers. Dogs have suffered injuries because they try to taste the machine.

"The increased number of injuries, some serious enough to require emergency room disengagement, are partly brought about because of the increased sales of home shredders and because safety tests were run with objects larger than a toddler’s fingers.

"The industry is concerned and is in the process of alerting parents and others about the dangers to children and animals. The final guideline: “...Paper shredders and children to not mix.”

One can see how easily a child care program staff member could encourage children to help by feeding paper into a shredder. It’s a simple task and intriguing to watch the paper disappear. The final word, however, is, “Don’t do it. Don’t let children use the shredder.”

For a detailed account of the article, “Drive to Shred Documents Puts Kids and Pets at Risk,”by Caroline E. Mayer, The Washington Post, March 9, 2006, Page D1, go to http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/1022.

Contributed by Edna Ranck

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