SAFETY AND HEALTH

Jennifer Hunt

Home sweet, safe home

Most of us consider our home a safe place. I never really thought about the potential safety hazards that exist in my home until I began having younger and older family members to my home on a regular basis. As I began preparing my home to accommodate other family members, a question came to mind...

So, exactly how safe is my home?

According the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about two million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is there are many precautions that can be taken in the home to make it safer for children and other family members. Following some safety tips for certain living areas will help prepare your home for visitors of all ages.

A bedroom is one living area where potential safety hazards could occur. Some safety ideas for bedrooms include making sure children's furniture is sturdy and has no loose or missing hardware and using plastic outlet caps to help prevent electric shock. Another concern in bedrooms can be rugs. It's a good idea to make sure rugs are secure to help prevent falls. Placing furniture out of reach of windows and blinds or curtain cords can help prevent falls and possible strangulation.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends installing window blind cord safety tassels on mini blinds and tension devices on vertical blinds and drapery cords to help prevent accidents.

Another area of safety concern in the home is the bathroom. Remember to keep medicine and cleaning products in their original containers with safety caps and out of reach of children. Consider using an anti-scald device to check bath water temperature prior to bathing.

Another good tip is to keep cords, from such appliances as hair dryers or electric shavers, from dangling over the countertop edge. Dangling electrical cords could cause someone to trip and fall. Also, to prevent possible electrical shocks, remember not to leave electrical appliances plugged in near the sink or bathtub. To ensure your family's safety, install ground fault circuit interrupter (GFC1) outlets in every bathroom, and in your kitchen and garage.

In the kitchen, use the stove's back burners and keep pot handles turned to the back of the stove. This will help prevent serious burns. Just as in the bathroom, remember to keep cleaning products in their original containers. Keep dangerous items such as knives, matches, and plastic bags out of reach of children.

Unplug small appliances when they're not in use and do not let cords dangle off a table or countertop. Do not use appliances that have damaged electric cords. Damaged cords can cause electric shock or fires.

Using safety gates to block stairways is another safety tip. This will help prevent injuries from falls. Also, consider capping electrical outlets when they're not in use. This will help prevent electric shock.

Finally, installing smoke detectors on each floor of the home can help prevent fire deaths and injuries. Install carbon monoxide detectors to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. And be sure to follow proper instructions for installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

We can't eliminate all the hazards in our homes, but taking a few safety precautions will help prevent injuries and accidents from occurring to our loved ones and other visitors. Don't put it off, start making your home safe today!

Jennifer Hunt, Extension Educator the University of Illinois Springfield Extension Center, P.O. Box 8199, Springfield, IL 62791, (217) 782-6515, jlhunt@uiuc.edu.

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