10 Ways to Make Your Home Safer

When you think of injuries and accidents, they are usually things that can go wrong outside of the home environment. This is because everyone likes to imagine their house is a haven against random events beyond our control. It is also why it might surprise you to know that approximately 45 percent of unintentional injuries happen on a person’s property, in their home or garden.

For the best ways to prevent the possibility of accidents and injuries at home, you must ensure the necessary safety precautions are taken.

Some Simple Fixes To Make Your Home Safer

• Clean up any spills the minute they happen: liquids, grease, foodstuffs, anything that could cause someone to take a tumble.
• Secure all the rugs and bathroom mats in every room. Slipping on loose rugs and tripping over mats is a common cause of household accidents. You can buy them with slip-resistant backing already in place or get nonskid pads/double-sided carpet tape to attach to materials that slide and ripple.
• Hot liquids must always be kept out of reach. Make sure when you place a hot cup of coffee out of reach that it is not on top of a runner or tablecloth. These can be snagged by a passing pet or child which will make the liquid spill on them.
• Grab bars in the bathroom are not just for the elderly. Installing standardized grab bars according to instructions can be helpful for anyone who needs leverage in and out of the bath and shower. It will also add to the value of your home. If this will throw off the aesthetics of your home, try installing them into only one bathroom area, such as the guest facilities.
• Check to see that none of the plug points are overloaded or have frayed cords attached to them. One of the most common causes of house fires is faulty wiring.

• Lower the temperature of your hot water. Not only will this save you money on your utility bills, but it will be a safeguard against accidental burns from hot water.
• Check your basement, attic, and garage. These are prime areas for boxes that can fall on top of someone, and forgotten cleaning equipment. Secure box piles with cords and throw old cleaning supplies away according to disposal instructions.
• While you are in the garage, check that power tools are out of reach. If they came in a lock-box, make sure they all have been stored away correctly, and no one but an adult can open the box.
• Stairs are highly dangerous for both children and grown-ups. Make sure outside stairs are well lit at night. If you have any doubts about their visibility, paint the stair edges with white paint. Inside the home, it is best to teach stair safety to the family and make sure the rules are enforced. If you would like to back up these rules with a few statistics, over the last 23 years 25 million ER visits were stairs related.
• Keep cleaning and insecticide products out of reach.

Now that you have all the information to make your home safe, you can relax knowing that you have lessened the chances of a home-related injury by a considerable margin.