The BiG Story
Home Safe
can be turned off when the child
is not at home).
Ozrovitz got into the child-safety
business after a golf game was
canceled. "His child was injured
at home, so my friend couldn't
make our game," Ozrovitz recalls.
Right: Ozrovitz says the kitchen can be one
The child was fine, but Ozrovitz
of the most dangerous rooms in the house.
wondered why his golfing buddy
didn't get an expert to come look
for other potential hazards in the
house. He discovered no such ser-
vice existed.
Furthermore, he soon saw that
many of the child-safety products
on the market are "junk,"
Ozrovitz says. "They break
easily, or the child is able
to figure it out. You know
those plug caps that most
parents put in electric sock-
ets? Children can use their
small fingers to pick them
out," both exposing an
open socket and serving as
Above: A splashguard
a potential choking haz-
keeps tiny hands
ard. "There are a lot of
safe from burns.
items children will see their
parents undo, then they try
Right: No one can fall
it themselves."
off this balcony.
Ozrovitz began meeting
with pediatricians, parents,
Far right: There's a
product manufactures and
lock for every
emergency-room workers in
door — including
an effort to find every
the refrigerator.
potential danger — and a
way to remedy it.
He says his products he
Ozrovitz wants it.
aron Ozrovitz doesn't cut
opted to use are all top-of-the-line,
"You really don't see the place
corners; he'd prefer,to
from the unbreakable stove guard
has been child-proofed," he says.
cover them, instead. This
(which he designed) to keep little
"People don't want to live in a
way, the sharp edges of tables
hands far from burners, to the
bubble."
and fireplaces and countless other
expandable, mounted gate which
Walking about the apartment,
household items pose no danger
no boys and girls can push down,
Ozrovitz points out exactly what
to children.
but which can be easily removed
parents should, and should not do
Ozrovitz, a native of Southfield,
by an adult.
1- when preparing their own child-
is president of the Child Safety
"Everything is customized," he
Company, which provides in-home 1 safe home. That huge glass vase
says.
"So in addition to being
1 set in easy reach of tiny hands is
evaluations for wherever young
safe, it's very user friendly."
pretty obvious; a front door is not.
children may roam. He also over-
There are safeguards against
"A child as young as 1-1/2 can
t sees Michigan's first child-proof
turning on the garbage disposal
reach the door handle and walk
safety home model in an apart-
("children love the noise of them,"
out," Ozrovitz says. So he has
: ment complex off Franklin Road.
Ozrovitz says) and electric outlet
affixed an alarm that makes a
To the untrained eye, the apart-
covers that slide (and can only be
loud chirping sound whenever the
Elizabeth Applebaum ; ment looks like any other resi-
door is opened (rest assured: It
AppleTree Editor
dence, and that's just how
It's not lust
balconies and
stoves: how
your house
can be putting
your child in
danger.
6/12
1998
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