- No.1 - Burns
- No.2 - Slips and trips
- No.3 - Cuts
- No.4 - Choking
- No.5 - Poisoning
You might think that you are safe between the walls of your house but did you know you are more likely to get injured at home than at work?
Domestic health and safety is an issue that doesn’t get much attention mainly because people take for granted how protected they are inside their homes.
No matter how often you clean your home, accidents happen and there can be hazards everywhere if you are not careful.
There are certain preventative measures that you can take to ensure that your home is free of danger:
No.1 – Burns
There are so many items in the house that can cause burns, the obvious being pans, kettles, stoves, and pots.
If you have small children, ensure that these are out of reach from their tiny little hands.
Other hazardous items can include hair straighteners, matches and radiators. These should be used with special care.
Fireplaces should be covered and adults should not leave it unattended. Hot water taps in the bathroom can also cause a nasty burn, so it would be wise to help your children during bath time and teach them how to safely work with the taps.
No.2 – Slips and trips
Some of the most common accidents in the house include slipping, tripping and falling down.
It is very important that you ensure that the floor is free of anything that might invite gravity to play tricks on you. Ensure that your floor isn’t defective and that there aren’t any loose panels or peeling linoleum.
Wires should always be tied up or hidden behind something but never left out in the open on the floor. Don’t place items in and around the stairs.
Make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to decluttering the house.
No.3 – Cuts
This is something many people forget about but there are many items that can cause some brutal cuts.
When working in the kitchen, ensure that everyone knows when you have sharpened the knives. This can prevent many stitches.
If a glass or a vase breaks, cordon off the area until the glass has been swept up. Don’t just rely on a broom to do the job; send the vacuum cleaner in there as well to suck up any small pieces you might have missed.
Keep glass items out of reach completely if this is possible.
No.4 – Choking
This is an incident that usually affects children but adults can be victims of choking as well.
Babies and toddlers explore and identify things with their mouths and anything that looks appealing goes straight in.
Adults should always be present when babies and toddlers are playing to remind them that not everything that looks good should be consumed. If you are unable to keep an eye on them, be sure to lock away any small objects that might be swallowed such as pens, small toys and playing blocks.
Discourage running and eating in the house as well.
No.5 – Poisoning
Things that we use in our daily lives can be very poisonous to pets and children, so be sure that you read the instructions of every single thing you use indoors.
Most of the cleaning materials contain substances that could be harmful when swallowed. If you have young children in the house, be sure to pack these types of chemicals far away so that they can’t reach them. These include polishes and sprays.
Other things that can be poisonous include medication and certain types of make-up. Store them in their proper containers in a safe space where little fingers can’t pry them open.
