Home, sweet home! For most of us, home is the place
we most like to be. It’s where we unwind after a long day
at the office, play with our children and spend time with our spouses.
It’s also the place where most of us feel the most safe and
secure. Unfortunately, just because we feel safe at home, doesn’t
mean that we are safe at home.
In 2002, there were 33,300 fatalities and 8,000,000
disabling injuries that occurred in people’s homes, according
to the National Safety Council (NSC). Every 16 minutes, there is
a fatal injury and every 4 seconds a disabling injury in some home
in the U.S. Poisonings, falls, suffocation by ingested object and
suffocation or burning due to fires, flames and smoke are the leading
causes of death in the home. The number one cause of death, poisoning,
claimed the lives of 12,500 in 2002. This number includes deaths
from drugs, medicines, other solid and liquid substances, and gases
and vapors. During that same year, 8,000 people died from trauma
suffered during falls in the home while 2,200 died in home fires.
Following are tips from the NSC on how to lessen the risks of accidents
resulting from the causes listed above:
To prevent poisonings:
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Keep personal care items are such as hair
spray, cologne, perfumes, nail polish remover, nail glue remover,
and astringents out of the reach of children.
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Childproof medicine cabinets.
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Be sure your home is lead safe.
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Keep items such as bleaching agents, rust
removers, drain cleaners, ammonia, oven cleaners, detergents,
etc. out of the reach of children.
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Never store cleaning compounds and foods together.
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Keep all substances in their original containers.
To prevent falls:
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Keep the floor clear. Reduce clutter and safely
tuck telephone and electrical cords out of walkways.
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Keep the floor clean. Clean up grease, water
and other liquids immediately. Don't wax floors.
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Use non-skid throw rugs to reduce your chance
of slipping on linoleum.
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Install handrails in stairways. Have grab
bars in the bathroom (by toilets and in tub/shower).
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Make sure living areas are well lit. We can
all trip and fall in the dark.
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Be aware that climbing and reaching high places
will increase your chance of a fall. Use a sturdy step stool
with hand rails when these tasks are necessary.
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Follow medication dosages closely. Using medication
incorrectly may lead to dizziness, weakness and other side
effects. These can all lead to a dangerous fall.
To prevent suffocation by ingested object
(primarily applies to infants and young children):
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Keep toys with long strings or cords away from
infants and young children.
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Keep floors, tables and cabinet tops free
of small objects that could be swallowed.
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Never let children of any age eat or suck
on anything, such as hard candy, while lying down.
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Place an infant or child's bed away from any
windows. Check window coverings for potentially hazardous pull
cords.
To prevent fires and burns:
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Install smoke detectors on every level of the
house, particularly outside of sleeping areas. Test detectors
monthly and replace batteries twice a year.
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Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher in your
kitchen (one rated for grease fires and electrical fires).
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Keep matches, lighters and candles out of
reach and out of sight of children!
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Don’t ever let someone smoke in bed.
Make sure that cigarettes/cigars are extinguished properly
before dumping ashes.
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Avoid grease build-up in the kitchen and on
appliances. Cooking fires are common. Don't leave food cooking
on stovetops unattended.
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Dispose of materials from fireplaces and grills
in non-flammable containers.
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Make sure your electrical system is not being
over-taxed. This can cause a fire
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Inspect wires. If you find any worn or exposed
wiring from appliances, discontinue their use immediately!
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Space heaters can be dangerous if not used
correctly.
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Chimney fires are common. Have your chimney
inspected and cleaned annually.
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Keep appliances unplugged when not in use.
Remember that there are countless other ways people
hurt themselves at home such as accidentally splashing boiling
water all over themselves while cooking, inadvertently dousing
themselves with toxic cleaning chemicals, electrocuting themselves
by using metal knives to fish toast out of electric toaster ovens,
burning their fingers retrieving the roast from the oven. While
it’s inevitable that accidents will happen in the home, by
being alert and cautious, you can avoid many mishaps.
Being safe at home also means keeping intruders
out. Being vigilant about locking windows and doors is a good start.
For extra precaution, you can insert pins through window frames
and pieces of wood in the window tracks or sliding glass doors,
making it impossible for them to be slid open from the outside.
A burglar might think twice if he encounters a solid door with
a double deadbolt lock. Adding motion or noise vibration sensors
can help make your home more secure. There are several “do-it-yourself” alarms
available on the market.
Installing a security alarm system or getting a
guard dog will help keep people out. If you don’t have the
money to spend on an alarm system or have no interest in having
a big, loud dog roaming around your home, studies have shown that
by installing window decals and/or yard signs saying that you have
a state of the alarm system with motion detectors or that Fido
can smell an intruder from a mile away, you can reduce your chances
of being burglarized by up to 75 percent. No would-be-intruder
is going to risk finding out if your signs are truthful or not.
It’s important to remember that when leaving
home, especially for extended periods of time such as for vacations,
you take extra precautions to ensure your home is just as safe
when you return, as when you left it.
The National Burglary Convention (NBC), a nationwide
nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public on crime
prevention, offers the following tips to keep intruders out of
your home while out-of-town:
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Make it appear that you're home - use timers
on lights, radios, and televisions.
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Keep the perimeter of your home well lighted.
You can do this by installing low voltage outdoor lighting.
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Never leave clues that you are away. Ask a
neighbor to collect your mail and newspapers—or ask for
them to be held. You may also want to ask a neighbor to park
in your driveway so it appears someone is home.
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Keep some shades and blinds up and curtains
open to keep a normal appearance.
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Never leave a message on your answering machine
saying you are on vacation.
Considering that the average American spends most
of his or her time at home, it seems silly to not do everything
we can to ensure our homes are as safe and secure as they possibly
can be.
