SYDNEY, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian authorities launched a safety campaign themed "Tiny batteries, Big danger" on Monday to raise awareness about the serious risk associated with button batteries.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), who organized the campaign said in a statement that the button battery is especially dangerous to young children and the associated deaths and injuries were rising in Australia and globally.
Each month in Australia there is a child seriously injured after swallowing or inserting a button battery, with some of them sustaining lifelong injuries, the statement said.
"Button batteries can be incredibly dangerous, especially for children five years of age and under. They are tiny, shiny and similar in size to some lollies, making them very attractive to young children," ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
"If swallowed, a button battery can get stuck in a child's throat and cause a chemical reaction that burns through tissue, causing death or serious injury."
ACCC categorized all flat, round batteries with diameters up to 32mm and heights ranging from 1-11mm as button batteries saying it is important for children's parents and careers to make sure those batteries were not accessible to children.
"If a product in your home must use a button battery, ensure the battery compartment is secured, for example with a screw, and that the battery is not accessible to a child," Rickard said.
In case parents suspect their children have swallowed or inserted a button battery, ACCC suggest them to contact expert hotline early without delay or ask for an x-ray from a hospital emergency department to make sure. Enditem