It's ironic how the things we do or the products we use on a daily basis, can also be a threat to our lives, especially in our own homes. Domestic accidents are one of the major causes of death or serious injuries in the hospital.
Although home accidents can be a terrible ordeal to go through, they can be easily solved if you practice extra caution everyday. It all starts with making changes one day at a time. This way you'll be able to save a life or avert any serious injuries.
To get you started, I put together this list of safety precautions you can take. These precautions address some of the most common causes of home accidents. Study them and apply them in your daily routine. Share them with your family members as well, because staying safe is a collective responsibility.
1.Guard Against Falling
Many people have lost their lives as a result of slipping on the floor or falling off the stairs. Most times it's as a result of walking over wet floors, slippery tiles, rugs that were not secure in place or something as simple as not holding on the banister rails when walking up or down the stairs.
To deal with this problem, identify anything that is likely to make someone fall. Get rid of objects that may make someone trip and fall, like toys lying around on the floor. Keep everywhere neat and all the toys in their places.
Immediately mop wet floors and prevent anyone from passing through that area until the floor is dry enough to do so. Take extra caution in the bathroom. That is the place that gets wet the most. Have a bathroom rug where you can step on when you just come from the shower so you won't make the floor wet or slip on a wet floor.
Install grab bars in the shower. Grab bars will act as support when you're having a shower and you're about to slip. Always mop the floors after having a shower so that whoever uses the bathroom won't slip.
2.Be Cautious In The Kitchen
Although the kitchen is the place that brings great joy because of the delicious meals we can make there, it can also be a danger zone. The presence of knives, a cooking gas tank, hot water, or sizzling oil can be a risk to your life.
Keep the knives far from reach with the blades facing down and the handle up. Don't leave a pan with hot oil unattended in case someone accidentally knocks it off the stove. Hot oil can cause severe burns that will leave nasty marks. It has even been known to cause blindness.
In the kitchen you need to be extremely vigilant. If you perceive the smell of gas or suspect the gas tank is leaking, then quickly open the windows to let air in and do not light a match or the fireplace or anything likely to cause a spark, no matter how far away from the kitchen you think it is.
3.Prevent Fire Outbreaks
Fires outbreaks can be easily avoided when you make sure that you keep flammable materials, like old newspapers, away from any fire source.
Unknown to many, a clogged chimney can also cause a fire outbreak. So make sure you have a chimney sweep clean out your chimney before you start using it.
Have a fire extinguisher in your house and teach the members of your family how to use it in case of a fire. Install a smoke detector to warn you of a fire outbreak.
4.Keep Tools and Cleaning Materials out of Reach
Keep tools like power drills, hammers, or garden appliances like garden sheers or rakes away after using them. For additional safety, it'll be a good idea to keep them in their protective covers if they have one, if they do not then make one.
Cleaning materials can be toxic if accidentally ingested or if it comes in contact with your eyes. Keep the lids of washing liquid securely locked. Put all cleaning products away after use and out of reach of children.
5.Stay Safe When Using Electricity And Electrical Appliances
Wrongful use of electricity can cause electrocution, burns or fires. To prevent this, have the wiring installation checked on a regular basis. Don't overload an electric socket with so many electronic appliances plugged in. Most importantly, keep electronic appliances away from water to prevent electrocution or short circuiting.
Rodents are known to chew cables and create an opening where the wires will be exposed. This causes a threat to your safety. Set traps or better yet call an exterminator to get rid of rodents from your home.
Always be on the alert for any unusual spark and attend to it immediately before it turns into something more serious. As soon as you spot a spark, guard the place from children, so that they do not touch the source of the spark.
6.Be Careful With Your Medicines
Medicine left lying around could tempt someone to ingest the medicine. Children who get hold of the medicine may put it in their mouths.
Keep medicines away from reach. Make sure it's high enough so that children will not be able to get a hold of the medicine.
For easy identification, keep all the medicine that you have in their containers or boxes with their label on it. Accidentally taking the wrong medication can be detrimental to your health. You might also need to lock your cabinets.
Did you know that statistics have shown that more than 18,000 Americans die every year from injuries that take place in the home? This makes it the second most common location for such fatalities. So while we should be careful while driving and be wary of strangers, we should mind the state of our homes just as much.