How do you avoid accidents at home?
What are some of the necessary precautions you need to take to avoid getting hurt in your own house? You need to pay serious attention to this in order to stay safe in your home. Admittedly, you might think you’re immune to home accidents (which is a lie), but how about your kids and loved ones?
You see, home accidents are one of the worst kinds of disaster that can happen to anyone. Regardless of how strong you thing you are, you’ll likely face it someday except you employ some of the necessary preventive measures, which I’ll share on this post.
Now, imagine a veteran officer from the marines who fought many wars on land and sea for his great nation. He remained undefeated in every battle until he met with a tragic accident at home. He slipped and fell from the ladder at home, never to rise again. He had not even faced his best opponent when his life ended.
A great leader was beaten by a mere ladder. This tragedy brings us to face the most daunting question ever – how to avoid accidents at home.
That said, if you’ve been searching for useful information on how to avoid accidents at home, then ensure you read this post to the end because we’ll discuss all the things you need to know to stay safe in your house.
Percentage of Accidents in the Home
The Guardian conducted a survey across the various states in the US to assess the percentage of accidents in the home. 41% of injuries, fatal fractures and deaths were reported from accidents at home – 15% of accidents were on the road – 8% accidents were reported from the workplace – and 36% of accidents were reported from other locations.
Here’s the problem:
People don’t seem to realize the value of home safety to prevent injuries and even tragic deaths. The solution in most cases has been simple and straightforward. Keeping the home free from debris, dangerous appliances and equipment, slippery surfaces, and hanging hardware on the ceiling and the walls are easy to do tasks. But one has to be aware of where do most accidents occur in the home.
Where do Most Accidents Occur in the Home?
You have to be conscious about every activity, object, and the place in your home, from the moment you wake up to the time you go to sleep. Most common places of the accident at home could be the stairs, kitchen, bathroom, garage, basement, attic, stairs, your gym and fitness equipment, or any other place.
Vulnerable Victims
Most of the helpless victims are innocent, inept, or ignorant. Innocent victims are the children, Inept victims are the elderly, and Ignorant are those who belong to the age group of 18 to 50+.
Why Accidents Happen
Two of the most probable reasons could be debris and slippery surfaces. Debris could be in the form of paints, nails and screws, broken furniture pieces, or any such objects. Forgetting to clean up the floor after repair and renovation works can result in slip and fall.
While slippery surfaces could be in the kitchen, bathroom, walkways, patios, gardens, and area around the swimming pools, postponement of maintenance and cleaning procedures can result in accidents. Additionally, the other reason for home accidents could be negligence and reckless enthusiasm.
Kitchen Accidents
You may slip on spilt liquids. You may cut your hand while slicing bread or meat. You may bang your head against a low kitchen cabinet.
You may burn your hand or body parts with oil, water, or heat from oven and flames. Tripping on shopping bags, open shelf doors, and other objects are some of the most common causes.
Bathroom Accidents
Slippery Floors can be caused by overflowing sink or toilet, leaks from faucets and pipes, damaged floors, spilt shampoo and liquid soaps, etc. All of them result in slip and fall accidents.
Trip and fall can happen when you forget to close the bathroom cabinet and shelf door after opening. They can also occur due to other unattended bathroom furniture and unclean surfaces.
Living Room Accidents
A flat TV screen hanging on the wall, heavy furniture, sharp-edged tables, cords from lamps, loose power outlets, torn carpet, and untidy bins can cause accidents.
Bedroom Accidents
An unclean path to the bedroom door, unattended burning candle, high wattage bulbs, extension cords, old and broken cribs, slippery mattress, and loose window blinds and curtains are some of the most common causes of bedroom accidents.
Garage Accidents
Garage could be the riskiest place prone to accidents. Car cleaning equipment and tools can cause trip and fall. Slippery floors beneath the car parking lot can be a major accident zone. Unattended flammable materials like fuel, paints, wood, and paints can cause fire accidents.
Car fluids and cleaning liquids can emit toxic gases causing breathing problems. Garage doors can collapse and cause serious injuries.
Attic and basement Accidents
Attic and basement are the places where you dump all the debris and waste from your home. Forgetting to clean and maintain can result in fire accidents, trip and fall, and toxic fumes from the debris.
Poolside Accidents
Slip and fall is the most common accident on poolside. Improperly maintained furniture and fixture, open chlorine bottles, and cleaning liquids can cause poisoning, especially for the kids.
How To Avoid Accidents At Home | Simple Steps for Safety
As you have seen, accidents can happen anywhere in your home. But there is no need to panic. You can make your home safe and secure without having to walk around in battle uniform costumes or a firefighter dress.
1. Kitchen Safety
Regular Cleaning
Mop and clean the kitchen floor regularly. Keep it dry and free from obstacles. Avoid using harsh chemicals and cleaning liquids. An organic liquid can keep your kitchen clean and free from pathogens.
Safe Utilities: Keep the sharp kitchen utensils like knives and blades out of kids’ reach. Wear thick and fire-proof kitchen apparel with safety gloves which can protect you from oil spills, burns, and unexpected shocks. Keep the sinks and worktops free from clutter.
You need to power off the dishwasher, oven, and appliances before cleaning. Avoid overfilling the refrigerator and keep its door securely locked. Tie-up the loose cords and fix all the problems with power outlets. Clean the stove regularly and turn off the gas when not in use.
Furniture Safety: Furniture safety starts with the design and installation phase. Make sure the furniture like cabinets, shelves, and worktops are securely fastened and free from falling debris. Make sure you close all the cabinet doors after cooking and cleaning.
Fire Safety: Avoid unattended burning candles in the kitchen. Don’t use wet cloths and cleaning liquids on the electrical and electronic appliances. Follow the safety follow the guidelines of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) while cleaning and maintaining appliances.
If DIY is not possible, you can call the qualified technical person (though it may mean spending a few more $s). Identification of risks is the first step to learn how to avoid accidents at home.
2. Bathroom Safety
Regular Cleaning: Keep the bathroom floor clean and dry. Regular mopping and removal of debris will be helpful for added safety. Keep all the bins and trash cans away from the bathroom usage area. Keep the bathroom tops and sinks clean and free from debris.
Utility Safety: Maintenance of pipes, faucets, heaters, and other utilities is very important for safety. Check the valves, screws and other fitments regularly and fix any damages and defects. Replacing defective water and pipes is a better option than repair when they are old and unusable.
Fire Safety: If you are using a gas-powered heater, it is a good practice to install the fuel tank externally to your home. You can build a well ventilated concrete cabinet in the backyard and equip it with fire safety utilities.
Tie-up all the power cords and other cables away from your reach. You can avoid accidental shocks and trip and fall incidents.
Furniture Safety: Avoid the installation of furniture and fixture within the shower zone. Cabinets and shelves should have lockable doors. Store all the toiletries within the cabinets and lock the doors when not using. The height of the top cabinet should be to your shoulder level. You can avoid using ladders and chairs to reach them and run the risk of tripping.
3. Living Room Safety
Gadget Safety: Fasten all the electrical and electronic gadgets to the walls or cabinets securely. The flat TV screen on the wall has to be secured with fasteners and clamps. Make sure there are no other objects around the TV. Keep the power outlet close to the utilities. Avoid using loose and broken cords. All the extension boxes should be away from the reach of kids.
Use only manufacturer recommended accessories and spare parts for the gadgets and appliances in the living room. They ensure safety and durability. They can also reduce the power bills.
Furniture Safety: Install storage and furniture and electrical fixture away from the sitting and moving spaces. Using remote-controlled appliances like the air conditioner, heater, fan, and TV can ensure better safety for children and the elderly.
There should be sufficient space between sitting and resting furniture to move freely. Avoid sharp-edged tables and chairs. Keep the upholstery clean and free from loose and torn parts.
Caret Safety: Carpet and rugs in your living room should be free from irregular surfaces, dirt, bacteria, and all forms of pathogens. Avoid using torn and old carpets and rugs. Edges and corners should secure along the lines between the walls and floor.
4. Attic and Basement Safety
Remove the debris from attic and basements regularly. Fix all the pipes and power cable defects on time. If you want to keep the old furniture and fixture, use fire safety tops and covers to secure them safely.
5. Bedroom Safety
Keep the bedroom clean and free from pathogens. Furniture and fixture should be away from the bed and moving spaces. Avoid using broken cribs, toys, and furniture for your baby. Fasten all the window blinds and curtains. Avoid using damaged and worn out carpets.
Electrical and electronic gadgets should be free from damages. Avoid using high wattage bulbs on bed lamp. Blow out the candles before going out or going to sleep.
6. Garage Safety
Keep the entire garage floor clean and dry. Store the fuel, cleaning liquids, paints, and other flammable and toxic materials in sealed containers and locked cabinets. Avoid storing of wood and other flammable materials openly.
Maintenance of garage door and regular inspection can avoid accidents. Don’t let the children operate the garage door switches, equipment, and remote control.
7. Poolside Safety
Replace the broken and damaged tiles immediately. Keep the entire surrounding clean and dry. Install safety rails around the pool. Provide safety gadgets for kids and elderly while using the pool. Make sure an adult is always present with the kids while swimming in the water and playing around the pool.
Conclusion
Hope this article helps. You can enhance the safety factors and reduce the risk factors when you follow the simple guidelines listed in this article.
You can also teach your children and family members about how to avoid accidents at home every day. This way, you will be able to reduce the percentage of accidents in the house significantly.
Finally, I’ll also like to know if you have other measures needed to avoid accidents at home that we didn’t mention here. And if you enjoyed the article, help us spread the word by tweeting and sharing it with your friends.