Monday, April 22, 2024

Safety Begins at Home

8 checklists to assess household hazards and keep your family safe

Every year on April 28, we observe a Day of Mourning to commemorate people whose lives were lost or changed forever by a workplace accident. It is a bittersweet reminder to renew our commitment to safe and healthy workplaces.

That same commitment is just as important in your home, especially if you have children. It’s a good idea to go through your house occasionally and look at it with fresh eyes. Review the following eight checklists to assess household hazards and keep your family safe.

1. Review electrical cords and outlets.

• Check and repair or replace loose or frayed wires on electrical devices.

• Follow the path of cords. No cords should run under rugs or across doorways.

• Baby-proof. If you have small children, place plastic safety covers over unused outlets.

• Rethink extension cords. Consider adding electrical outlets where you currently rely on extension cords.

• Check for a faulty electrical system. Feel all outlets and plugs to see if any are warm. If they are, have an electrician check them.

• Don’t overload the system. Follow manufacturers’ directions about the maximum wattage of lamp bulbs and outlet requirements for plugs.

• Don’t overload any one outlet. Ensure you have only one high-wattage appliance plugged into a single outlet.

2. Inspect your home heating system.

• Examine the outside vents. They should be clear of obstruction to prevent carbon monoxide buildup in your house. Recheck during and after a snowstorm.

• Pick the correct wood. For a fireplace or a woodstove, stock up on dry seasoned wood—which burns without producing a lot of creosote (or soot). Creosote buildup in the chimney or flue can cause fires.

• Hire a chimney sweep. Have flues and chimneys inspected and cleaned by a professional annually.

• Inspect wood-burning stoves twice monthly. Make sure the door latch closes correctly and children don’t use the stove unattended.

• Inspect water heaters annually. To prevent burns, set the temperature no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep flammable materials well away from them.

3. Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

• Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors generously. They should be on each floor of the house, covering all sleeping areas.

• Test alarms monthly. Replace any that don’t work. Replace alarms every 10 years.

• Replace batteries annually—or sooner if the alarm chirps.

• Clean all detectors. Vacuum each grille.

• Demonstrate the sound of each detector. Family members need to know the difference.

4. Use fire extinguishers.

• Place extinguishers strategically. Keep one in the kitchen and one on every floor.

• Learn how to use extinguishers. Read the instructions and be sure the whole family knows how to use them.

• Replace extinguishers when necessary. Follow the schedule suggested by the manufacturer, and always replace an extinguisher that appears damaged.

• Consider installing a fire sprinkler system. Your family, home, and valuables may be saved.

5. Develop a fire escape plan.

• Create an escape plan with two exit routes. Most local fire departments have templates of escape plans on their websites. (The City of Saskatoon, for example, has an excellent one.)

• Choose a meeting place. Set a plan for meeting up in case of a local or national disaster.

• If you live in a two-storey house, buy a rescue ladder. It should attach to an upper-level window casing to provide an alternate escape route.

6. Protect small children.

• Lock your cabinets and install safety latches and locks.

• Install window guards on every window. Make sure one window in each room can be used as a fire exit.

• Install safety gates. Bar the top and bottom of stairs.

• Lock up hazardous materials. Place any poisonous or unsafe products in locked cabinets. Post Canada’s Poison Control Hotline (1-844 POISON-X, or 1-844-764-7669) with other emergency numbers.

• Ensure all medicines and vitamins have childproof caps. Store them out of children’s reach.

• Stow away all knives and other sharp objects. Matches and plastic bags should also be kept out of reach.

• If you own firearms, store them in a locked cabinet, separate from ammunition.

• Install padding on furniture with sharp edges. And put doorknob covers on entry doors so kids can’t get out unattended.

• If you have a pool, enclose it with a four-sided fence and childproof gate.

• Teach children their address and how to dial 911.

7. Prevent burglaries.

• Install a sturdy deadbolt lock on every exterior door. This includes the door into the house from the garage.

• In any room with window bars, make sure at least one window has a quick-release mechanism.

• Install motion-sensing floodlights in the backyard. This is a great deterrent for thieves.

• Keep your house looking lived-in when you’re away. Arrange for the lawn to be mowed, stop mail delivery, install timers for selected lights, and leave drapes or shades open at least a bit.

• Advertise prominently any home security system you have installed. Consider putting up signs even if you don’t have a system.

• Trim shrubs and trees near windows and doors that provide hiding places for burglars, and prune limbs that serve as ladders to upper windows.

• Insert a metal bar or a solid-wood dowel in the tracking of sliding glass doors.

• Put your street number, not your name, on your mailbox. Displaying your name is not necessary for mail to be delivered and will only increase the risk of identity theft.

• Give a spare key to a trusted neighbour or nearby friend. Thieves know all about fake rocks and other hide-a-key tricks.

8. Take extra precautions.

• Make sure your house number is visible from the street, even at night.

• Store flammable liquids away from any flame source. Preferably, store them outside.

• Keep flammable objects away from the kitchen stove.

• Plug a rechargeable flashlight into a socket by your bed. It’ll light the way through smoke in a fire or provide a signal to firefighters.

• Install nonslip decals or a nonskid mat in your bathtub and/or shower to prevent falls.

• Put lights and light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs to prevent falls in the dark.

• Paint the bottom basement step white so it’s more visible. You’ll be less likely to mistake it for the floor.

Source: realsimple.com

Safety Begins at Home

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