Preventing Accidents at Home

From a young age we are taught by our parents to look both ways before crossing the road. In turn we repeat those words of wisdom to our children. However, this principle doesn't apply only to children or only to crossing roads. This principle not only will prevent road accidents, but can also be applied to the home and prevent accidents there. How so? When children are taught to look both ways before crossing the road they are actually being trained to see accident traps. As children grow up and become parents themselves, they need to be well trained to see accident traps in the home.

The following is a list of some ways to prevent young children from being hurt in the home:

1. Make sure that all electrical outlets are properly covered, especially those within reach of little ones. Throw away frayed electrical cords.

2. Do not allow young ones to play with matches, lighters, broken or other pieces of glass, or anything else that has sharp edges such as knives or scissors.

3. Do not permit them to play with toys that, if broken, will make pieces that can inflict cuts or choke the child.

4. Place pots and pans on the stove so that the handles are pointing toward the center of the stove.

5. Medicine, detergents, alcohol, aerosol sprays, and any other hazardous chemicals should be kept out of the child's reach in an out of the way place. Never place such in bottles that would normally be used for drinking or cooking purposes.

6. Make sure that all sinks, bathtubs, and washing tanks are firmly attached to the wall so that they cannot be easily tipped over by the child.

7. When cleaning or polishing the floor, avoid using naphtha, gasoline, or other flammable liquids. A spark from the polisher may set the fumes on fire.

8. Make sure that there are no poisonous plants in the home.

9. If you have to have firearms in the home make sure they are unloaded, locked up somewhere, and when you take them out, handle them with extreme care. Best not the keep firearms in the home.

10. Prevent young ones from falling out of a window or down stairs by installing a grate, a gate, or a bar. Remove any obstacles, keep the floor in good repair. If you polish the floor and place carpeting on top, make sure the carpet is fastened down. This way the carpet will not slide if someone runs across it.

11. Drape cords should be out of reach of children.

12. Keep at least one fire extinguisher in the home and make sure that anyone of responsible age knows how to use it.

13. Never leave a child in a bath tub unsupervised. Keep electrical appliances, such as the radio, away from the bath tub or sink.

14. When you warm up a child's food in the microwave remember that it can get hot very quickly, even though the container may be just lukewarm.

15. Keep children at a safe distance from a hot barbecue grill.

16. Make sure the child knows never to run underneath a moving garage door.

17. Your iron, including its cord, should be kept out of reach of the child.

18. If your child has a toy chest, ensure that it is equipped with air holes and hinges that prevent it from dropping all at once.

19. Make sure the smoke detectors in your home are clean and checked regularly. Replace the batteries once a year.

20. Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home. Have your furnace checked from time to time for carbon monoxide leaks.

If this list of the key hazard preventions is followed then the home can truly be a haven for the parents and especially for the children. Remember the principle of looking both ways before crossing the road. It is impossible to list every conceivable accident in an article such as this one, but if we keep that principle in mind then we can be trained to see accident traps and thus take the necessary preventive measures.