National Safe at Home Week

Our homes should be places where we feel safe and secure, and for the most part they are. But all too often, accidents around the house have a serious impact on the well being of the family. In fact, studies have shown that more people are injured in and around the home than any other place. Creating a home safety checklist can help you avert some of these common mishaps and significantly improve your family’s safety at home.

With August 22 marking the beginning of National Safe at Home week, we’d like to provide you with some tips on making your house a safer place for you and your loved ones, courtesy of our friends at the Home Safety Council.

• Install grab bars in the tub and shower to support yourself stepping in and out. Falls in the bathtub and shower are common sources of injury, so use caution in any event. Non-slip mats will also help you avoid a mishap.
• Have good lighting over stairs, steps and landings. Keep stairs clear of clutter.
• Keep cleaners, medications and beauty products in a place where children can’t reach them. Use child safety locks on cupboards so little ones can’t access dangerous products.
• Have working smoke alarms and hold fire drills with the family. With a little creativity, you can make these drills fun, instead of tedious. Rather than feel nervous about fire, make your kids feel assured that preparedness is the way to be safe.
• Stay by the stove when cooking, especially when you are frying food. Use back burners and turn pot handles toward the back of your stove.
• Keep your hot water tank at 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns.
• Keep small items, such as coins, latex balloons and hard round foods, such as peanuts and hard candy out of sight and out of reach of children.
• If you have an infants or toddlers, place them on their back when they sleep and don’t leave pillows, blankets, comforters or toys in their cribs. These items can present a breathing hazard.
• When your children are in or near water, watch them carefully and stay within arm’s reach.
• Be sure to extinguish any open flames before you leave, particularly if you have pets. A fallen candle can be an ignition source for a house fire.
• Have a fire evacuation plan and review it with your family once a year.

Finally, make your own home safety checklist of areas around the house that are potential trouble spots and ask your family to participate in making your home safer. With the effort of everyone in the household you can enjoy improved safety at home.

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