Preventing accidents at home can require taking preventative measures
When you hear the word “home”, you immediately think of the place where you feel the most comfortable and safe. Unfortunately, every home is also exposed to a wide variety of hazards that can disrupt the safety of your living space and cause harm to you and your family members at any time.
From falling down due to slippery floors to your children getting poisoned from a cleaning product, there are a few home threats that should be acknowledged immediately in order to create a home safe for everyone.
The best way to prevent the occurrence of such dangers is to take precautionary measures by making small safety improvements around the house. These don’t need to be expensive or time-consuming, but just some quick upgrades that will help mitigate the risks to zero.
Here is a brief list of the five most effective safety hazards which will keep your home safe.
Floor mats to prevent falling
Falling may be one of the simplest home hazards, but it can actually be the worst especially for young children and older adults. Whether it is because of a wet floor, clutter on the ground or poorly located bars, people can easily end up with a head injury or a broken bone from falling down.
For example, a simple way to prevent falling is to add floor mats in your home. They are a much safer alternative than loose rugs which you can incorporate anywhere in the house from the kitchen to your entryway.
In fact, entrance floor mats are specially designed to remove dirt and moisture from shoes. This way your footwear will always be clean and dry every time you come home, reducing slip and fall hazards.
Ventilation cabinets to reduce fire risks
Fires are another home hazard that must be addressed properly. They can be caused in a variety of ways and spread quickly, damaging your home and putting everyone’s lives in danger.
For example, many homeowners store flammable materials such as rubbing alcohol, turpentine and paint thinner in their basement, garage or utility room. However, this is dangerous because these liquids are extremely volatile and can lead to devastating consequences including poisoning, fires and explosions if not stored properly.
Therefore, to reduce potential fire risks, you should take ventilation safety precautions and store the liquids in specially designed cabinets that secure flammable materials and prevent the buildup of fumes. Keep these cabinets in an area that is detached from your home and far away from equipment that can cause a spark.
Safety storages to avoid poisoning
Poisoning is a home hazard that affects people of all ages, especially young children. Some of the most common household items that can cause poisoning are medication, cleaning products, topical anesthetics and dishwasher and laundry detergent.
Fortunately, there are a few effective measures you can take to decrease the chance of accidental poisoning in your family. The first and most obvious one is to start storing all potentially poisonous household items in safety storages out of reach of everyone. You can do this by placing the products in a high cupboard with a safety lock in parts of the house that are not easily accessible by your family members.
Also, remember to never keep the chemicals in containers that can be mistaken for something that is drinkable.
Proper food preparations to prevent choking
Choking risks are also a common hazard at home. They can happen to anyone and lead to serious obstruction of the airway that may even have fatal results. While most accidents happen to children who have swollen a part of a toy, they can also occur from bits of food that aren’t properly prepared. Therefore, adequate food preparation is crucial to prevent choking not only in babies and toddlers, but adults, too.
For example, you should always have your kids sit and chew their food thoroughly when eating so they have lower chances of swallowing food whole. Encourage them to eat slowly and not do anything else like playing while eating.
As for adults, consider pairing the meals with a drink, preferably a non-alcoholic one, to moisten dry food and reduce choking risks.
Baby safety locks to protect children
It is no secret that little kids are curious and often like to check out anything they aren’t familiar with. This increases their chances of getting hurt, so it is crucial that parents are careful and take precautions to avoid putting their children’s lives in danger.
One way of doing so is to child-proof the home by using tools specifically designed for ensuring that kids don’t access unsafe areas.
For example, baby safety locks are able to keep children away from situations where they can fall, get cut from a sharp object or burned. Places where you should install these locks include cabinets, doors, windows, kitchen appliances and electrical devices.
This precaution gives peace of mind and allows parents to enjoy parenthood with no incidences of accidental injuries.
Final thoughts
One of the most important responsibilities of every property owner is to maintain home safety. Being aware of the things that can put your life and your family’s lives in danger is the first step to reducing the risks of potential threats around your house.
Fortunately, there are a few small improvements you can do to minimize common home safety hazards and create a safe living environment for everyone.
For more information about them, refer back to our post and learn how to effectively secure your home.
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