Family Guide
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 02:05
Written by Daisy Wakefield

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Safety in the home while living in Shanghai is a topic that needs visiting and revisiting as children grow from babies to toddlers and onward. Some of the issues are the same as those facing parents in their home countries, such as padding the corners of coffee tables and adding safety gates on stairs. Others require more vigilance, such as the dangers of lead in paint and other chemical pollutants.

For safety supplies, Toys ‘R’ Us, Wise Kids Toys, and Ikea are good places to start. They all carry such items as corner pads, door jambs, electrical socket plugs, drawer and cabinet locks, and safety gates.

Since most Shanghai residents live in high-rise apartment buildings, window safety must be considered. Make sure that all windows and doors leading to balconies are properly secured and that small children cannot open them unassisted. Make sure that windows are restricted to a certain width of opening. Screens are useful for keeping mosquitoes out, but cannot be depended upon for safety. Train Ayi’s about window safety as well.

Air filters can be used to filter out pollutants and airborne particles. Be aware that the better ones are costly and require filter replacements.

Lead can be found in painted walls, furniture, and toys. The only way to determine if there is an unsafe level of lead is with imported lead testing swabs. Bring some from your home country for use.

Other chemicals such as benzene and ammonia can be tested by specialized laboratories. Buy mattresses and sofas from a reputable store, as these items can otherwise contain unsafe levels of formaldehyde.

Most Chinese homes use gas burners and gas water heaters. Have your gas appliances serviced annually, and bring a battery operated carbon monoxide indicator from your home country.


Alen Air: a less pricey air filter that still does a great job [???]

Beijing Clean Air (86 10 5135 8522, 139 1030 4399 Steven Xu, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

IQ Air, 618 Gaojing Lu, Qingpu (5119 1310, Service Hotline: 400 650 1266, www.theiqairstore.com) is an air filter company that, although pricey, is excellent.

Shanghai Standard Labs (6237 2858, www.standardlabs.cn, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) conducts in-home air testing.

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