Government Issues Long Hair Warning

For years, long hair stylists have warned their customers about catching their hair in car doors, vacuum cleaners and motorcycle wheels. Now, the U.S. government is issuing its own warning to people with long hair.

According to a report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, people have been seriously injured or killed when their hair was sucked into the drains of spas, hot tubs or whirlpools.

According to the report, "The suction from drain outlets is strong enough to cause entrapment of hair...and drowning. Most accidents with drain outlets involve people with hair that is shoulder-length or longer."

To protect yourself against a drain disaster, the commission recommends:

• Buying drain covers that comply with the government's voluntary standard
• keeping long hair away from the suction fitting drain cover
• and wearing a bathing cap or pinning up long hair.

For more information on the voluntary standard for drain covers, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Web site.