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6 Common Home Safety Hazards & How to Prevent Them

Most people associate the word “home” with sentiments of safety, warmth, and security. People are frequently too fatigued to consider how to avoid hazards or accidents after investing a significant amount of time, money, and effort in purchasing or renting a home.

The truth is that most home catastrophes are completely avoidable, which is why it’s critical to take the required — and often rather easy — precautions. This is especially true for families with little children or senior citizens. The last thing you want is to be confronted with a risky scenario and realise it is too late to act.

Home safety, like many other things, starts with awareness. This guide is intended to assist homeowners in identifying and reducing hazards in their homes.

 

We discuss top home risks, ways for cultivating a safer home, household pollutants, and the threats that children and elderly persons face.

1. Falls

When it comes to home accidents, falls are the main cause of mortality. They account for one-third of all fatalities. This type of accident disproportionately affects the elderly. Aside from fatalities, the consequences of an elderly person falling are even more catastrophic. While younger people can sustain a broken bone, the mending process is significantly more difficult for an older person.

Hip fractures are a severe problem, especially for individuals aged 75 and up, and can result in long-term care needs as well as serious mobility issues. To keep safe, follow these guidelines.

Prevention

  • Staircases: Install safety gates at both the bottom and top of staircases to keep children from falling them. Keep everyone safe by ensuring that the lighting is adequate and that the handrails and steps are sturdy and well-maintained. To avoid falls, elderly adults with limited mobility might consider installing stairlifts or moving to a home without steps.
  • Bathrooms: Due to slippery wet surfaces, anyone can fall in the bathroom. While not the most sanitary sort of bathroom flooring, people who are in danger of falling should consider having bathroom floors totally carpeted. Rubber mats should be installed in showers to prevent falls from wet surfaces. When getting out of the bath or shower, placemats or towels on the floor. 

2. Fire Hazards

Fire dangers claim almost 3,000 lives each year, making them the third leading cause of death in home accidents. To avert fatalities and terrible burns to loved ones, as well as damage to your home and valuables, follow these precautions.

Prevention

  • Install smoke alarms in your kitchen, bedrooms, and basement.
  • Check your alarm weekly and replace the batteries twice a year.
  • Consider a smoke-detection home alarm system. This will not only sound an alert like a standard smoke detector, but it will also contact the local fire department and dispatch assistance. This is especially important if a fire renders the residents unable to respond due to smoke inhalation.
  • Cook with caution and NEVER leave a pan of deep-frying oil unattended. If the pan catches fire, use a damp tea towel to put out the flames; never use water to put out a fire.
  • A competent electrician should inspect your electrical wiring on a regular basis.
  • Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
  • If you smoke, make sure to carefully extinguish all cigarettes.
  • Never leave a candle alone overnight.
  • Have a fire safety plan that everyone knows about, and carefully arrange your evacuation from the house.

 

3. Choking 

Choking is a risk for tiny children who have a habit of putting small objects in their mouths!

Prevention

To keep your children safe, follow these guidelines:

  • Always keep an eye on little toddlers.
  • Know how to administer first aid to your child if they begin to choke.
  • Make certain that your child is playing with toys that are age-appropriate and come from trustworthy businesses, with no little breaking pieces.
  • When putting babies to sleep, use safe methods and make sure there are no choking hazards in the bed.
  • Cut food into small pieces for young toddlers during mealtime. Teach them to chew and swallow, and avoid giving them huge hard candies that are easier to choke on.

 

4. Sharp Objects

We all have lots of sharp objects around the house that are necessary, yet they can be dangerous in the hands of tiny children. To keep your family secure, follow these procedures.

 Prevention

  • Knives and graters should be kept out of reach of children in lockable cabinets.
  • If you don’t know how to cut, slice, and dice without hurting your fingers, watch some brief movies online.
  • Store sharp knives with shields to protect the blades and wash with caution.
  • Garden tools, such as rakes, saws, and lawnmowers, should be stored properly in garden sheds. When using garden tools, follow all safety precautions and proceed with caution. Keep an eye out for falling and stumbling hazards, as well as electrical hazards, while gardening.

     

5. Allergies

Mould forms when water condenses on surfaces such as walls and window frames, and it is directly tied to humidity levels in your home. If you have a mould allergy, you may have sneezing, itchy eyes, and headaches.

Prevention

Remove condensation from surfaces in your home, especially in moist places like your bathroom and kitchen, and keep air vents free to keep mould at bay. An air purifier may also be beneficial.

 

6. Suffocation

In your house, toddlers and small children are at risk of suffocation. To avoid accidents and possibly tragedies, follow these simple procedures.

Prevention

  • Keep garbage bags away from children and other potentially hazardous bags.
  • Keep strings, cables, and ropes out of children’s reach. Pay special care to curtains with cords, and keep cots and beds away from this strangling hazard.

Conclusion

The first step in preventing risks in your house is to be aware of them. Fire, poisoning, and allergy are some of the most common home hazards. Your home’s contents may potentially cause risks such as falls, choking, wounds, and burns. Since this is not a full list, you may find it useful to conduct risk assessments of your property.

 

See the 4 Best Ways to Teach Your Kids About Your Home Security

 

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