Basic Home Safety Tips to Avoid Accidents at Home

According to the data from the National Safety Council, around 45% of accidental deaths caused by unintentional injury happen in and around the home. Common causes of these are fire, burns, drowning, suffocation, falls, choking, poisoning and firearms. You don’t want your family be a victim of any of these accidents.

There are accidents that are unavoidable. But there are also those which are avoidable. By being safety-conscious all the time and observing some helpful home safety tips, you can bring your family farther from accidents.

Basic Home Safety Tips

Stairs

• Stairs should be well-lit and free of clutter.
• It should also have secure and sturdy handrails on either side.
• To avoid falls, avoid using the stairs when wearing only socks.
• If you have smaller children at home, install a safety gate to prevent access.

Bathroom

• For tubs and showers, use only non-skid mats.
• Floors should be kept dry to avoid falls.

Kitchen

• Keep knives and other sharp objects away from reach of children.
• Organize your shelves and cabinets in such a way that you have easy access to frequently used items. In case you like to reach for something high on shelves, make sure to use a sturdy step tool and have someone assist you.
• To avoid fire, do not leave your cooking unattended for a long time.
• For storage of medicines, keep them away from reach of children. If the medicine requires refrigeration, separate it from other food items and make sure that they are adequately labeled.

Around the house

• When using the fireplace, do not leave it unattended.
• Matches and lighters should be kept away from reach of children.
• Smoking material such as cigarettes should be disposed of properly after using.
• Loose mats, rugs or runners should be kept secure on the floor using adhesive tapes.
• Keep carpet edges tacked down. Any damage on the carpet such as wear and tears should be repaired or removed.
• Avoid octopus connections or overloading extension cords as this is the common cause of fire.
• Cords should never be placed under rugs or beneath furniture.
• Frayed cords should be replaced immediately.
• Do not use multiple outlet adapters on electrical outlets.
• When plugging any appliance, make sure that your hands are dry.
• If you have children out home, install safety covering for all reachable electrical outlets
• Install smoke detectors in every level of your home and make sure that you have accessible fire exits.

These are just some of the basic home safety tips that you can observe at home to avoid accidents. But in case an accident happens, get medical attention as fast as you can. For the meantime you are waiting for medical help, here are some home safety tips that you should do. Of course, you can only do them if you have some basic knowledge of first aid treatment which is important for you to learn. If you don’t, have someone do it.

Fall – If you suspect that the victim has a spine or neck injury, do not move him unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. Wait for the medical team to arrive.

Bleeding – Stop the bleeding by covering the wound with a clean cloth and applying firm pressure on it. If the bleeding is too severe, elevate the wounded area above the heart.

Burns – For minor burns, immediately immerse the burnt area in cool water.

Poisoning – Do not give anything to the victim especially if the poison is unknown.

Electric shock – Shut off the power immediately and avoid touching the victim.

These home safety tips are very easy to do and doing them can help prevent any accident from happening in your home.