Home is supposed to be your safe place, but the home is full of potential dangers. Some are obvious, but some aren’t as obvious. Nothing brings home safety to the forefront like having a child in the house. Whether it’s a grandchild or your own baby, you suddenly see your home for what it is – a trap full of danger. Seriously, though, you can make your home a lot safer just by being cognizant of the potential dangers and acting on the advice here.
Medication
Keep all medications up and out of the way of little hands. This is not always possible due to the fact that children are known to climb to find things they aren’t supposed to have. And sometimes the person who needs the medication can’t reach an area out of sight of the kids.
The best thing to do is get a locked box that cannot be opened by anyone but the person using the medications or delivering the medications. You can purchase a simple locked box like this one with a combination lock. They also make some with keys:
Poisons
There are many items in your home that are poisonous, from shampoo to laundry detergent and bug sprays. Keep these in a locked area as well, out of the way of children. You can get safety doors on all your cabinets that small children cannot open. You can train older children about the dangers of household chemicals.
Firearms
The sad fact is that homes with firearms, whether trained or not trained in proper use and safety, are more likely to have a devastating accident. The best thing to do with firearms if you must have them is to buy a locked cabinet. Store the arms in the locked cabinet and the ammunition in another locked cabinet away from children and untrained individuals.
Batteries
These little packs of energy seem harmless enough but children have been known to put them in their mouth, and then of course swallow them. Almost 3000 children are treated each year after swallowing batteries. They’re in children’s toys; they’re in everything. Due to that the death toll has risen exponentially over the last 10 years.
Keep batteries locked away and ensure toys that children use can have the battery area locked by screws that children cannot remove. If you think your child has swallowed a battery, go to ER immediately.
Space Heaters
If you live in a cold climate you are likely used to space heaters and know about their dangers. But, if you live in a warm climate and have a cold snap, space heater use is common but most people don’t realize how dangerous they are. Follow all the instructions with your space heater and buy only from reputable stores such as Lowes or Home Depot. Most house fires that start in the winter months are from space heaters being used improperly.
Electric Blankets
Before using an electric blanket, especially if you have not used it for a long time, check for damaged areas. Also check the heating element and ensure there are no burn marks or issues. Electric blankets should be on top of the other blankets on your bed and not covered by other materials. Keep pets and small children away from electric blankets.
Fall Risks
The risk of falling in a house is quite high. Almost everyone, young or old has fallen inside their own house. The best way to avoid it is to always turn on lights when walking through the house at night to the bathroom. Also keep items such as shoes, backpacks and purses tucked neatly away from walking paths. Salt and scrape sidewalks, and avoid slippery areas.
There are many dangers inside a house, but you can help reduce or eliminate most of them through education and planning.