General home safety should be on the top of your mind, especially if you live with kids or the elderly. Keeping your home safe and sound will provide you with much-needed peace of mind. There is nothing more important than living safely in your home.
According to Injury Facts, an estimated 131,400 preventable injury-related deaths occurred in 2019 in homes and communities, or around 76 percent of all preventable injury-related deaths. The study reveals the importance of general safety at home. It is not something that you can afford to overlook.
If you want to improve general home safety, you have come to the right place. This post shares some of the top safety recommendations for drug safety, electrical safety, kitchen safety, and bathroom safety. Therefore, you will find our post to be insightful and a lifesaver.
General Home Safety Tips
The following tips will help boost general home safety.
- Consider a buddy or medical alert system.
- Have a smoke detector and fire extinguisher on every floor of the property.
- Practice extreme caution when smoking indoors. It is best that you avoid smoking in bed or when alone at home.
- Take your time to get up after lying down or sitting. Always be slow and ensure that you have your balance. Encourage everyone at home to focus on their balance as a lack of balance could lead to falls.
- Wear proper-fitting shoes at home with low heels to avoid falls.
- Tack down and remove all scatter rugs.
- Only use a correctly measured walking aid.
- Avoid using slippery wax on the floors.
- Remove telephone or electrical cords from traffic areas.
- Promptly wipe the spills.
- Avoid standing on chairs or ladders without anyone to assist you.
- Ensure the stairs inside and outside the property have sturdy rails. If necessary, get a stairlift.
- Staircase steps must have a non-slip surface.
- Ensure that all the staircases have switches for the lighting at the top and bottom. Only good lighting should be used.
- Non-glare 100-watt bulbs should be used or their fluorescent counterparts.
- All staircase steps must have a non-slip surface.
Bathroom Safety Tips
The bathroom is one of those areas which can prove to be the most dangerous. According to a study published back in 2005, children are experiencing bathtub injuries at a surprising rate.
The most common bathroom hazards that you need to be aware of include bathtub slips and falls, shower curtain vapors, chemicals in shampoo, toxic mold, and toilet germs. Hence, it is important to ensure bathroom safety by following the tips mentioned below.
- Keep the light on in the bathroom during the night.
- Consider using recommended bath aids and have them installed on the walls of the bath stall or shower area and on the sides of the toilet.
- Consider bathing only when help is available.4
- Opt for door locks that can be easily opened from both sides.
- Clearly mark cold and hot faucets
- Turn the water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less to avoid scalds.
- The bath mat must have a non-slip bottom.
- Skid-proof the bathtub.
Kitchen Safety Tips
The kitchen is another area where people can easily get injured. According to a study conducted by the National Accident Helpline, which involved 2,000 residents and inquired about accidents at home, it was found that close to three-quarters of the pool had injured themselves in the kitchen. Thus, the kitchen presents more hazards for both amateurs and experts. The following kitchen safety tips can help reduce the risk of a hazard.
- Ensure foot is regularly rotated and check expiration dates before cooking.
- Avoid wearing loose clothing when cooking on the stove.
- Store hazardous objects away from food.
- Store heavier items at waist level.
- Only use a kettle that has an automatic shut-off.
- Store sharp knives away from the reach of children.
- Clearly mark appliances “On” and “Off” to ensure that you switch off the appliance when it is no longer needed.
- Illuminate work areas.
- Keep the floors dry and uncluttered.
- Hire a gas safety engineer to inspect the gas supply and appliances every year. Always inquire about the gas safety certificate cost before hiring anyone.
Electrical Safety Tips
Although our lives depend on electricity, it is important that we are careful when handling electrical appliances and outlets. The following electrical safety tips will help prevent hazards.
- Place the number of the electric company on the refrigerator and contact them immediately in case of a power outage or surge.
- Check the heating pads for cracks before use and avoid using them if present.
- Ground all the plug adapters.
- Keep an eye on the electrical cords for wear. Avoid using cords that have exposed wires or are frayed. Make sure to check the junction between the plug and the cord.
- Cover the electrical outlets to prevent children from inserting any object.
Drug Safety Tips
As an adult, you have a responsibility to make sure that you do not abuse drugs. The following drug safety tips are essential for staying safe and healthy.
- Frequently review your medicines with the pharmacist or doctor.
- Ensure that your medications have been clearly labeled.
- Carefully read medicine labels in proper lighting to make sure that you take the right medicine and stick to the correct dose.
- Never borrow prescription drugs from anyone
- Dispose of old or used medicines if you have any at home.
- Avoid mixing drugs and alcohol.
- Keep medication dispensed in a convenient dispenser or bubble pack.
- Check with your pharmacist or doctor before you mix prescription drugs with non-prescription drugs.
- Keep medications out of reach from children.
- Never expose the medications to sunlight, especially injectable medications like insulin.
- Store syringes away in a locked cabinet.
- Secure all the caps of the medication bottles.
Conclusion
Once you have finished reading our post, you will know some of the top general home safety tips. It is crucial that you follow each tip to take care of yourself and your loved ones.
Being precautious is always better. Always follow these safety tips and educate everyone at home to also follow them. It will ensure that everyone remains safe at all times.
Author Bio:
Shoaib provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. He occasionally writes articles for gas safety certs.
