HOME SAFETY COUNCIL® ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE COMMENDATION AWARDS FOR PRODUCT INNOVATION

Leading Manufacturers Recognized for Developing Products to Improve Consumer Safety

Washington, D.C. – The Home Safety Council recently awarded its Commendation Awards for Product Innovation for Consumer Safety to 21 deserving companies. Product manufacturers from a variety of industries including home improvement, fire safety and interior décor were among the organizations that received the award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to home safety.

According to the Home Safety Council-commissioned study, The State of Home Safety in America™, home injuries cause an average of nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year. The Home Safety Council’s Commendation Award for Product Innovation for Consumer Safety was established in 2004 to acknowledge manufacturers for their contributions to reducing home injury risks by implementing proactive safety programs and developing innovative products that improve consumer safety.

“Manufacturers are a valuable partner in the Home Safety Council’s ongoing efforts to create safer American homes,” said Home Safety Council president Meri-K Appy. “This year’s award winners represent a wide range of home safety product innovations and all demonstrate a clear commitment to health and safety. We applaud their efforts and are honored to present them with this award.”

The Home Safety Council’s 2006 Commendation Award for Product Innovation for Consumer Safety winners include the following companies and their respective products:

Aearo Technologies – AO Safety® X-FACTOR® Eyewear: As one of the first safety product manufacturers to recognize that more accidents happen at home than in the workplace, AOSafety designed multi-purpose eyewear that successfully infuses style with safety. By creating everyday, all-occasion eyewear that protects and appeals to all age groups, genders and needs, AOSafety is encouraging millions of Americans who face hazardous materials every day to take their eye safety seriously.

American Valve – Low-Lead Brass Valves: As a leading producer of plumbing and heating products for residential, commercial and industrial markets, American Valve is the only full line manufacturer to take additional safety steps to reduce lead content in their brass valves and comply with California Proposition 65 standards.

Creative Specialties International, a Division of Moen – Flow Control Hand-Held Shower: Designed to make showering safer, the Flow Control Hand-Held Shower features an extra long hose to reach people seated in a bath chair; a push-button flow control to reduce water output during soap/shampoo application; an oversized, easy-turn spray control and an ergonomic, soft-grip, anti-slip handle with safety strap.

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company – Dupont Garden Products Long Lasting Mulch: An innovative replacement for traditional loose-fill mulching materials, DuPont’s Long-Lasting Mulch provides a safe and durable surface for indoor and outdoor playgrounds. DuPont’s Long Lasting Mulch is made from 100% recycled rubber tire buffings that results in aesthetically appealing simulated shredded wood mulch. The Mulch is derived from a proprietary shredding process that shreds only the outer tire tread area and the process is designed to stop prior to penetration into the steel belt zone. This along with additional quality control steps helps minimize the potential for metal debris.

EI Products – LimeLight Nightlight: EI Products has bridged the gap between a safe product and low-cost, energy-efficient, safe passage lighting. The new LimeLight nightlight, which for years has been one of the safer, most energy efficient nightlights available, now exclusively incorporates an integrated in-line safety fuse. These nightlights virtually eliminate the causes of more than 95% of all nightlight incidents reported, such as fires, electrical shock and falls due to poor visibility.

Heath/Zenith – Motion Activated Lighting: While many homeowners are increasingly looking to motion lighting as an automatic security solution, the idea of hanging industrial floodlights on the front of their homes is a major deterrent. The lighting experts at Heath/Zenith are committed to protecting America’s homes with their line of motion security light fixtures for homeowners demanding state-of-the-art technology to feel safe and secure. With the combination of a 240 degree sensor to monitor large areas and their Patented DualBrite lighting -- low level accent lighting that turns to high level security lighting when motion is detected -- Heath/Zenith’s fixtures shed light on whatever dangers are out there.

Holiday Creations – LED Light Strings: For holiday and summer use, the Holiday Creation LED light strings are cool to the touch, the bulbs do not break and they do not cause fire, shock or choking hazards. The light strings also reduce green house gases and are much safer than traditional incandescent light strings.

Interactive Medical Developments – MD.2 Personal Medication Dispensing and Tracking System: A state-of-the-art, fully-automatic medication dispensing unit that safely organizes, reminds, dispenses and monitors daily medications, the MD.2 Personal Medication Dispensing and Tracking System takes the worry out of medication management and allows users to maintain their safety and independence.

Johns Manville – JM Formaldehyde-free Fiber Glass Building Insulation: Sensitive to growing concerns about indoor air quality and environmentally-responsible building products, Johns Manville introduced the only complete line of formaldehyde-free fiber glass building insulation. The formaldehyde-free insulation helps promote better indoor air quality, a healthier indoor environment and, like all JM fiber glass building insulation, it is naturally nonflammable.

Kidde – Wireless Smoke Alarm System: An innovative product that makes it easy for families to upgrade the level of fire protection in their homes, the Kidde Wireless Smoke Alarm System features the only wireless smoke alarms listed by UL. The system uses radio frequency to link devices, so that when one alarm sounds, they all will sound regardless of where the fire started, giving families more time to escape safely. A voice sounder was also added to provide extra warning for children and older adults.

Maxitrol Company – Plug1 Gas Outlet: The Plug1 gas outlet makes it easy and safe to move, store, switch or disconnect gas appliances. A self-contained gas outlet offering multiple safety features, the Plug1 is a circuit breaker for gas. By simply pushing a standard gas plug into the Plug1 and flipping on the switch, gas, either natural or propane, is safely and efficiently supplied to the appliance. Gas will not flow with the switch in the OFF position. Under normal use, the gas plug cannot be pulled out of the socket with the gas switch in the ON position. Gas will not flow if the gas plug is not connected and the gas switch is in the ON position.

Morton Salt Company – 25-Pound Morton System-Saver Pellet Bag: Ergonomically designed and constructed in a manner that is safer for use by customers and Morton Salt employees alike, the 25-pound Morton System-Saver Pellet Bag was made to be easier for women and older adults to carry. Morton Salt‘s bag features a plastic handle, making it easier and safer to carry without overexertion. The handle helps to eliminate slips and falls, making it easier for people to carry the bag up and down stairs. The bag also has a perforated “easy open” feature, avoiding the need for knives, scissors or other cutting devices, thereby reducing injuries from lacerations.

MSA Safety Works – Small Faces Safety Glasses: Developed to accommodate the often smaller faces of women, children and some men, the Small Faces Safety Glasses are appreciably narrower than standard size glasses. With anti-fog and anti-UV lenses, the safety glasses are designed to help block debris and sunlight from entering the side of the glasses and to protect against high-impact projectiles.

Pass & Seymour/Legrand – P&S Tamper Resistant Decorator Receptacles: The first to develop a receptacle combining tamper resistant protection with decorative style, the P&S Tamper Resistant Decorator Receptacle is a simple and effective solution. Unlike plastic outlet caps – which children as young as two can quickly remove – or manually rotated shutters, the P&S Tamper Resistant Decorator Receptacles don’t inconvenience adults or compromise receptacle appearance, making them a natural fit for installation throughout any home where young children live or visit.

PEARL Protected – Permanent Escape And Rescue Ladder (PEARL): Committed to reducing the thousands of injuries and deaths caused by fires and other home emergencies, PEARL Protected created PEARL, a permanent escape and rescue ladder that is installed into the interior wall space beneath windows of second and third-story homes. In the event of an emergency, PEARL is always where you need it, when you need it offering a safe secondary escape option and peace of mind to homeowners.

Pioneering Technology Inc. – Safe-T-element™: The Safe-T-element™ cooking system is a patented technology that helps prevent stove top cooking fires (the #1 cause of household fire in North America) and reduces the amount of electricity required to cook. Safe-T-element™ is a set of four cast iron plates that attach to the top of each of the electric range burners. The Safe-T-element™ controls the source of the electric current going to the burner element thereby regulating the element's temperature in a manner that prohibits the ignition of cooking oils and other household materials without sacrificing cooking efficiency. PPG Industries – Olympic Premium Interior Paints: The new Olympic Premium Interior Paints contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as defined by the EPA and does not use organic solvents or amine or ammonia ingredients, thereby reducing indoor air pollution. The Olympic Premium Interior line of products is the first line of Zero VOC products to match the performance of higher VOC premium paints.

SAFLOK – SAFLOK Residential Series (SRS™) Electronic Locks: The SAFLOK Residential Series is one of the first few electronic lock systems designed to address the life safety and access control needs of those who live in multi-housing units. The complete system has real-life applications and has contributed toward reducing intrusion hazards to residents and other end-users. The SRS™ locks are programmed and operated by the Security Access Manager (SAM™) software. The SAM™ software enables users to program information into an electronic smart key. The SRS™ locks then read the information carried on the smart key and “decide” whether to permit or deny entry.

Target Corporation – ClearRx: Target’s ClearRx is an innovative new prescription system that includes an easy-to-read label, color-coded rings, child-resistant cap, a patient information card and spill-resistant bottle with the prescription label displayed on the top. Currently there are no national standards for prescription labeling, and by developing the ClearRx prescription system, Target has taken the lead in advancing the clarity of prescription labeling.

Therma-Tru Doors – Security Strike Plate: The Therma-Tru Doors Security Strike Plate is a patented security strike plate that addresses the weaknesses in a typical door system with significant resistance to forced entry. Constructed of 20-gauge steel, the security strike plate wraps around and reinforces the weak area of the jamb, allowing the door to absorb significantly more impact than other door systems.

Whirlpool Corporation – Corporate Product Safety Standards: Recognizing that many of the appliances used in the home and the packing material the appliances arrive in are accessible to children, Whirlpool Corporation developed innovative Corporate Product Safety standards that evaluate small parts on all products and plastic bags used in packaging to avoid the potential for a child to encounter and choke on a small part of an appliance or suffocate on a plastic bag used in packaging.

About the Salute to Home Safety Awards Dinner

The Home Safety Council’s annual Salute to Home Safety Dinner took place on June 8 at the J.W. Marriott in Washington, D.C. to honor those who have made outstanding contributions in the field of home safety. Other awards presented at the event included the President’s Award, Beacon Award, Home Safety Research Award, Safety All-Star Awards, Heart of Home Safety Award and the Salute to Home Safety Excellence Award.

About Home Safety Council

The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national non-profit organization solely dedicated to preventing home related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year. Through national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization located in Washington, DC. www.homesafetycouncil.org