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Spring clean can pose a health hazard

The annual spring clean can be dangerous, accident experts have warned.

This content was published on April 23, 2008

Thousands of housework related injuries happen in the springtime during intensive bouts of cleaning, the Council for Accident Prevention said on Wednesday.

It advised people to fight the urge to delve into full-scale spring cleaning and instead spread jobs over several days or weeks.

Around 400,000 accidents happen in the home every year, 12 per cent of which involve housework and DIY, according to the council. The most common injuries result from falling, such as missing a step.

The council's tips for staying safe while doing housework include wearing comfortable clothes, checking ladders are stable, lifting heavy objects correctly, unplugging equipment before cleaning it, and keeping cleaning products out of reach of children.

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In compliance with the JTI standards

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