Whether you have children of your own or regularly host a friend or family member’s child at your home, you know how easy it is for accidents and injuries to occur. To prevent them, follow these four steps to protect little ones from harm.
1. Cover potentially dangerous items
Placing covers over hazardous items can decrease the chances of injury in your home. This includes:
- Placing child-safe caps on outlets
- Attaching safety nettings on windows to prevent falls
- Using protective materials on radiators and other flammable objects
- Putting shields on light fixtures
- Installing bumpers on the sharp corners of coffee tables and fireplaces
- Investing in door knob covers, safety gates, and door locks to prevent children from entering hazardous rooms
2. Hide dangerous items and keep them out of reach
To help prevent poisoning and injury, pay extra attention to the following items:
- Small objects that could be choking hazards (toys)
- Dangerous chemicals, cleaning supplies, and medications
- Strangulation hazards (straps, drawstrings for blinds)
- Fire hazards (matches, candles, lighters)
- Guns and other firearms
3. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are lifesaving devices to alert you of potential dangers. A child’s life could be at risk if they are not working correctly.
Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom, and outside all sleeping areas. Test batteries once a month and change them at least twice a year when you turn your clocks forward/back.
Install carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas and change batteries once a year.
4. Safeguard your pool, spa or bathtub
You should never leave a child unattended in a bath, pool, or spa, but keeping an eye on them from a distance is not enough to ensure a child’s safety.
Homeowners should consider taking extra safety measures when it comes to children and water. This includes placing a barrier around pools and spas, installing no less than a 4-foot tall fence with self-closing gates, and investing in a pool alarm. To prevent children from bath and spa burns, set your water heater temperature to no more than 120℉. Be sure to also install an anti-scald device for faucets and showerheads.
Focusing on these safety measures will help to ensure that you’re a Happy Homeowner–and an amazing host–for years to come!