Let me come back to product labels, but on a different issue though. Safety precautions on labels can prevent accidents, injuries and even death and this is what I would like to emphasise this week.

Take Liquified Petroleum Gas, for example. At regular intervals, we see reports of injuries or deaths caused on account of accidents involving the cooking gas. Considering that certain basic precautions can to a large extent prevent such accidents, oil companies must use stick-on labels on cylinders, giving detailed instructions on its safe use, including the steps to be taken in case of gas leakage and the telephone number on which to call in case of emergencies. Since cylinders have a large surface, such safety instructions can be given in English as well as the local language.

One can quote any number of such products, where simple instructions on safe use or adequate warnings can prevent accidents. Take mosquito repellent coils. In order to keep mosquitoes away and have a good night’s sleep, it is usually kept close to the bed. Now there is every possibility of bed sheets, pillows or blankets falling on the burning coil and starting a fire. In one particular case in Pune, a child had a narrow escape when the bed caught fire.

In another case a newspaper kept on a table fell on the burning coil, igniting it. Fortunately, the damage was minimal as it was noticed immediately and the fire extinguished. A warning on the label saying that it should be kept away from the bed or other sources that can ignite or catch fire easily, would certainly go a long way in preventing such accidents.

Similarly, why can’t plugs and sockets carry a label warning consumers against placing stacks of paper or clothing or even a bed close to plug points, as any sparking or overheating of the plug pins could well lead to a fire. Even bulbs should carry such warning labels. In fact bulbs should also warn consumers against standing directly underneath a bulb when it is switched on. I do not know whether it is the poor quality of the bulbs or the violent voltage fluctuations in power supply, but there have been many instances of bulbs suddenly bursting on being switched on, with sharp pieces of glass flying in every direction.

If you speak to doctors, they will tell you about the number of injuries caused by rubber or plastic bathroom slippers that people wear at home. Most of these cause the wearer to slip and fall on a wet bathroom surface or even on a smooth flooring inside the house. Unless they are specially made to be skid-resistant, the slippers should carry a suitable warning. This will prevent many accidents, particularly involving the elderly.

The efforts involved in carrying these instructions on the product is very minimal. But the results can certainly be phenomenal in terms of preventing accidents. Of course it goes without saying that in order to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of the user, manufacturers should look beyond issuing warnings. They should also strive to improve the product quality to make it safer.