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Home Safety Checklist

Unfortunarely, accidents do happen,and often in what is usually consideredto he the safest of places - the home.Ihere arc simple preventive measuresthat you can rake ro reduce the risks ofserious injury, however, most of whichare simply a question of common sense.Every member of the family should befully aware of the dangers present in allareas of the home.

Just a little thought and planning asto the potential dangers can give peaceof mind and, more importantly, reducethe risks of a serious accident occurring.The elderly are especially vulnerable toaccidents in the home, as are children -particularly those under 4 years of age.If you have young children, or evengrandchildren, who visit, look aroundyour home to count the Innards lurkingthere; it is surprising how many thereare. It is impossible to watch childrenevery minute of the day, so it is vitalthat you make every effOrt to eliminatepotential ha:ards, most which canquickly be removed.

Different areas of the home presentdifferent safety issues - refer to the information given below and take the necessary action. Any safety productsthat you need to buy are relativelyinexpensive, and will be a small priceto pay for the creation of a safer homeenvironment for all the family.

The hallway, staircase and landingThe first priority if you do nor alreadyhave one is to install a smoke detectoror 2 if your home is on different levelsso that every member of the householdcan be quickly alerted in I he event olafire. Smoke alarms are inexpensive andwidely available, and can save lives.Regularly check that the alarms arefunctioning properly by vacuuming thevents to remove dust and letting thesmoke from a snuffed candle drift intothem as a test. Alternatively, somealarms have a special button for testingon a weekly basis. Always follow the fixing and siring instructions suppliedby the manufacturer, and replacebatteries as soon as they run down - keep spares in the house so that you canfir them straight away.

Sufficient lighting is vital on thestaircase and in the hallway ro avoidmisleading shadows being cast on stepsand stair treads. Rugs on polished floorscan easily slip when trodden on, soattach special non-slip backing strips

to prevent them from sliding. Makesure, too, that the carpet is securelyfitted with no tears or gaping seams, asthese can cause a serious fall.

The Living Room

Ensure that any glass-topped tables,patio doors and interior glass doors arefitted with roughened or laminatedsafety glass. You can buy a special safety film (available front DlY stores) that isinvisible once fitted, but will preventshards of glass front causing injuriesshould the glass shatter.

Never overload a socket outlet(receptacle) - ideally, there should onlyhe one plug to one socket. If numerouselectrical appliances are in use, be sureto use the correct adapter - ask yourretailer for the one most suited to yourneeds. Avoid trailing flexes which caneasily be tripped over.

If anyone smokes in the household,insist that cigarette hurts are placed inart ashtray that is washed out beforegoing to bed. This will ensure that anysmouldering ashes are extinguished andwill leave the room fresher too. Ensurethat an open fire is always covered witha fire guard whenever the room isunoccupied - even lot 5 minutes.

The Kitchen

Buy a kettle guard to hold a kettle safelyin place so that it cannot he tipped orpulled. Alternatively, a 'curly' cord willprevent the hazard of a trailing flex butwill still allow the kettle to be lifte.z..

Keep a domestic fire extinguisher inthe kitchen, but do not position it tooclose to or the cooker as a panfire would make it inaccessible. Checkthat everyone knows how theextinguisher works and if possiblechoose one that is suitable for electricalfires. A compact fire blanket, hung onthe will will suffocate flames frontdeep-fat fryers, which are a major causeof household fires. You should neverthrow water on this type of fire.

Take care not to stretch your armover a gas cooker if you are wearingclothing with loose sleeves, such as adressing-gown or baggy, sweater --especially with synthetic fabrics. Thegas could catch on to the fabric and

Turn pan handles inwards to avoid thembeing caught in loose clothing.

cause a severe burn. Always tunssaucepan handles inwards so that youdo not inadvertently knock them, andso that loose clothing cannot catchthem as you pass by.

The Bathroom

Prevent a slippery floor, bath or showerfrom causing falls by installing 'grab'rails at a height that can be easilyreached. Modern baths often have anintegral saiety rail. If yours does nor,

fit a rail to the nearest wall. Mop upsplashes of water and even body lotionon vinyl or tiled floors quickly, andalways have a bath or shower mat onthe door so that wet feet do not slip.

Non-slip rubber safety mars and stickerswill prevent slipping while getting in orout of the bath.

Keep all electrical appliances awayfrom sources of water where they arelikely to get splashed or saturated withsteam. Remember that even cordlessgadgets can deliver a powerful shock ifdropped into water. Replace flickswitches with pull-cord light switches.

Outside

Keep a check on the state of pavingstones and paths, as a loose stone caneasily trip an unwary visitor.

Never use petrol (gasoline) or any other household chemical to light a firezor barbecue. These can ignite with anexplosion, causing burning debris to land on people, pets and possessions.Keep a bucket of water handy to douse afire that gets our of hand.

When using outdoor electricalequipment, plug the appliance into aresidual circuit breaker (RCD), whichwill cut off the power should the cablebe accidentally cut or a fault occur.After finishing with any tools, makesure that you put them away in order toprevent children or pets from cuttingthemselves on sharp blades.

Wear safety goggles and a face-maskwhen clearing guttering situated you, when drilling into masonry, orwhen applying paint or creosote, inorder to prevent dust or specks fromfilling into your eyes, nose or mouth.

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