Avoiding risk of injury, health, illness, and harm to family members involves many potential household dangers. Your inherent common sense can eliminate or, at least, reduce many imaginable risks to you and your family.
Many people often don’t realize that they face a higher risk of injury while in their home than most other places they spend their time. Just working in the kitchen, getting out of bed, or taking a shower present more risk than most other places you visit.
Lower Your Risk in Kitchens
Kitchens can be the most dangerous rooms in a house. They are fraught with hazards, including sharp knives, slippery flooring, unpleasant chemicals, and sharp edges on cabinets, countertops, and appliances.
- Pay attention to fire dangers. Stoves, ovens, and other appliances can be sources of fire and burn injuries. Young children are particularly at risk when you’re cooking. Keeping a fire extinguisher handy and staying alert at all times when cooking reduces the risk of injury.
- Handle knives very carefully. If you love to cook, cutting and chopping food is a consistent risk of enduring cuts and injury. When it happens, clean your wound with cold water immediately and wrap it with a bandage. If you’ve really inflicted a deep cut that continues bleeding, consider professional medical help at your nearest hospital emergency room.
- Store cleaning products safely. Even with the global concerns of creating environmentally-friendly cleaning products, many of the most popular ones remain a bouquet of toxic chemicals. Keep these products cool and out of reach of small children.
Avoid Fires With Simple Precautions
Fires in the home cause an inordinate number of child injuries and death. Avoiding risk to those younger than 5 years old is particularly important, as FEMA reports that this age group incurs 52 percent of fire-related injuries to children. Use these tips to reduce the risk of fire.
- Do not allow children under four years old near your stove or any hot appliance. Use back burners for pots and turn handles to face the rear of the stove.
- Have your fireplace, flue, and chimney inspected to clear any blockage or build-up of flammable material.
- Keep all appliance cords away from the reach of little hands.
- Test your smoke alarms every 30 days and replace batteries at least once per year.
Household dangers exist and injuries will happen. While you cannot totally eliminate this risk, you can minimize family injuries by staying alert (particularly if you have small children), removing items that may obviously cause injury, and creating an overall safer environment for everyone in the household.