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Preventing injuries at home

Safety at home

Accidents happen everywhere. But when they happen at home, you can be more careful and prevent them. Most of the injuries that happen at home are due to fire, some sharp objects like knife, electricity, food poisoning, suffocation, choking, falls etc. They can be both minor and serious types. However, taking certain steps will help you in preventing injuries at home.

1. Preventing falls

According to the home safety Council of America, falls is the top reason for death and injuries at home. People who are more prone to falls are children below 5 years and adults above 70 years. Some of the safety measures you can include in your home to prevent such accidents are as follows. Non-slip mats and grab bars can be installed in your bathroom. A bathmat with non-slippery bottom should be used too. The stairs are another area where falls happen. Do not accumulate various things of the stairs. Let it have good lighting. Handrails are also very essential. If you have toddlers at home install safety gates with JPMA certification. Throw rugs are very dangerous because they often cause people to trip and fall. Ensure that they are tacked to the wall for preventing falls. In areas that are dark, install night-lights to help moving about easily. Keep all the windows safe. Many accidents happen when children fall down from the windows. Use window guards and keep furniture away from the windows.

2. Stop poisoning

One of the major causes of accidental deaths is due to food poisoning. Some of the poisons are non-fatal but still needs to be stored away from the children. They are found in products like cleaning products, cosmetics, medications, plants, fertilizers etc. The best way to protect your children from these is to keep them in places not accessible to children. Most often prying children fall prey to poisoning when parents are not around. Never store such unwanted items too. It is better to keep your medications in locked safes. If you feel that something is wrong go to the doctor immediately.

3. Using kitchen knives

There are different types of knives used in the kitchen. If they are not stored properly it can lead to severe injuries. Do not get distracted while cutting. Always have your eyes on what you are doing. Sometimes, you may try to get hold of a falling knife. This is very dangerous. After using the knives store them well. Never use drawers for storing them. Buy a knife block and store all your knives in it. If you have children at home, teach them to use the knife safely. It is better not to ask them to use the knife if they are not confident enough. Let them use plastic varieties before using actual knives.

4. Fire safety

Another kind of accident that is common in homes is due to fire. There are various reasons for the occurrence of fire. One of the most common reasons is cooking. Homes can be protected from fire by installing smoke alarms. However, you need to check if they are working or not. Smoke alarms can be installed in every level or in each room. Ionization and photoelectric alarms or a combination of both should be used. Check them regularly for damages and replace them whenever you find them. While cooking you have to be very careful. Never use long and flowing clothes. Put off stoves when not in use. Do regular maintenance works to prevent unnecessary accidents. Unplug all electrical devices when you are leaving the kitchen. Use water heaters safely. Set the temperature at 120 degrees to prevent overheating. In case of fire, use fire extinguishers stored in strategic locations.

5. Suffocation and choking

It is the children below the age of five who are at an increased risk of suffocation and choking. Keep them safe by following various preventive measures. Toddlers and babies like to put various things in their mouth. So, keep all such small items away from their reach. Often check your home and look in various places like under the bed, on the shelves, on the furniture, on the floor etc., for items like safety pins, bottle caps, erasers, magnets or crayons. Be very careful while feeding your kids. Children below 4 years should be fed very carefully by giving them very small portions or pieces. Your baby’s crib should be free from other things like toys, strings etc. They can be dangerous. Try to remove the shopping and dry-cleaning bags. Buy toys very carefully. There are some age recommendations on the packages. Follow them and buy accordingly. Check the toys regularly and get rid of those that have broken or dangling parts.

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