More Home Safety Tips

 

It never hurts to keep your home as safe as possible. Accidents will still happen, so make sure you always have a good first aid kit with a variety of bandages, anti-bacterial ointment, and medical tape. Also keep on hand pain relievers since a stubbed toe can hurt for a few days.
If you have an “owie” that really hurts after a day or two, or if you can’t put any pressure on your arm or leg, something may be broken or sprained. There isn’t much a doctor can do if you have a sprain or strain other then to tell you to take it easy, take pain medication, and possibly keep it elevated. But if you’re not sure, then get to an emergency room for X-rays. The sooner you catch a break, the easier it will be to set the bone.

Fire Safety

We’re all guilty of plugging too much into an outlet. We’ll have an extension plugged into an extension plugged into another extension plugged into the outlet. So pay attention to how many watts you’re using, and don’t go over the recommendations for your home outlets.
Also, extension cords should not be placed under rugs or heavy furniture, tacked up or coiled while in use. All major appliances should be grounded. Check your ground fault circuit interrupters regularly.
When it comes to fire safety, change the batteries in your smoke detectors every time the time changes for daylight savings. And have a smoke detector on every floor of your house. Create an escape plan, and make sure all members of the household know where the meet up spot is. If you have multiple floors, invest in a special fire escape ladder.
Regularly wash the screens in your stove vent if you have them. The grease can get trapped and become a fire hazard.
And finally, invest in fire extinguishers. Have them in various areas of the home where you could easily grab it if you had to.

Child Water Safety

We’ll all be pulling out the kiddie pools to cool down when the temperatures rise. So the number one safety tip is to never leave a child unattended in water. Not a pool, not a bathtub, not near a bucket. If you have to answer the door, pick the kid up and bring them with you. They’ll be mad and create a ruckus, but if the person ringing the door is a solicitor, it gives you a great excuse to say goodbye quickly.
Drownings can happen in less than 2″ of water. So never take the chance.
The second biggest safety tip is to check the water. Unfortunately, many babies are accidentally scalded because the parent forgot to check the temperature of the water. Kids can also get scalded if the water coming out of a sink is too hot when they wash their hands. Reduce the hottest temperature on your hot water heater to 120F. If you think you need it hotter for your dishwasher, read the manual that came with it. Often there is a setting for sani-rinse where it heats the water up to a hotter temperature.

Senior Safety

Whether you’re a senior or a caregiver, the biggest concern is preventing falls.
From APlaceForMoms:

• Always get up slowly after sitting or lying down. Take your time, and make sure you have your balance.
• Wear proper fitting shoes with low heels.
• Use a correctly measured walking aid.
• Remove or tack down all scatter rugs.
• Remove electrical or telephone cords from traffic areas.
• Avoid using slippery wax on floors.
• Wipe up spills promptly.
• Avoid standing on ladders or chairs.
• Have sturdy rails for all stairs inside and outside the house, or, if necessary, purchase a stairlift.
• Use only non-glare 100 watt or greater incandescent bulbs (or the fluorescent equivalents).
• Make sure that all stair cases have good lighting with switches at top and bottom.
• Staircase steps should have a non-slip surface.

Take a few minutes to visually inspect your home and look for a few quick ways to make it safer. What is your best safety tip?