Protect Yourself & Your Family: Safe Proofing Your Home

11/09/2016

Written by: Sarah Dee

For millions of Americans, their home is their safe place and a place of comfort, but little do many homeowners know that their home can also be a dangerous place, resulting in injuries and in some cases, fatalities. Whether you live alone or have a family, there are ways to safe proof your home to reduce the risk of in-home accidents.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), half of all accidental deaths in the home are a caused by a fall. While older individuals are more likely to suffer from serious and fatal injuries in slip and fall accidents in their home, anyone of any age is at risk. Although these fall prevention tips are geared towards older adults, they can help prevent injury for young and old, alike. For instance, keeping your home clutter free is an easy way to keep tripping accidents from occurring as well as falling debris. Another way to prevent slipping and falling is making sure any carpeted areas are in good condition and spilled liquids are wiped up promptly. Finally, if you have small children in your home, you can safe-proof dangerous stairs by installing a child gate to prevent falls down the steps.

Accidental Poisonings

Children are at greatest risk of being injured or killed by accidental poisoning, but other members in your household (and even the beloved pet) can be affected. The best way to prevent an accidental poisoning is to have all items in your home (from cleaners to medications) clearly marked and out of reach of small children. In addition to knowing what’s stored under the sink or in the medicine cabinet, it’s always a smart idea to install carbon monoxide detectors if you have a water heater, stove, or heat source powered by gas.

Proofing Your Home for Children

Small children are some of the most vulnerable residents in your home and it’s always a good idea to start safe proofing your home before they get too big. Whether you are anchoring down bookshelves and dressers to prevent toppling over or putting safety covers over your outlets, there are many things to safety proof in your home. Even if you think that your baby or young child may not be able to reach or have access to certain items in your home, you must be completely sure that he or she cannot come in contact with them.

Among the many things you can do to safety proof your home for your young child is to inspect their toys and always make sure they are age appropriate. Many children’s toys end up being dangerous, either due to a manufacturing error or breaking easily. If you come across a defective product that could cause your child harm, contact the manufacturer of the product as well as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Teaching Safety

Another way to safety proof your home is by teaching and showing others how to responsibly and safely use items throughout the house such as kitchen knives when preparing meals, fire extinguishers in the event of a fire, and how to use equipment like lawnmowers and snowblowers.

Bio: Sarah Dee is a writer and mother. While she writes about a variety of topics, her passion and main focus is writing about child and roadway safety. She enjoys with connecting with fellow parent writers and exchanging stories and experiences.