Common home-based hazards to avoid
Many accidents or injuries can happen at your home, which can be avoided if people are sensible, cautious and alert.
Creating a safe environment for you and your family is important.
Many accidents or injuries can happen at your home, which can be avoided if people are sensible, cautious and alert.
According to ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring, there are four major causes of accidents and injuries at home.
Falls
Slipping on wet surfaces, stumbling over toys, or sliding down staircases can all be dangerous at home.
Meiring also warned against stumbling over improperly positioned cables in your house.
“Ensure all staircases have sturdy handrails and balustrades. Keep passageways, staircases and landings clear of any toys or household clutter,” he said.
Where possible, people should keep floor-level cords and wires taped down and use non-slip mats in bathrooms, kitchens and other tiled areas.
“Consider installing handrails in the bath or shower, particularly if you have older relatives living with you. Clean up any spills immediately,” said Meiring.
Chocking
Meiring said babies and small children “explore” their worlds by stuffing things in their mouths.
He said food, toys and other small objects can easily lodge in a child’s airway.
Meiring suggested scouring the floor regularly for small toys and other items that could be reached by children who are under the age of four.
“Cut their food into small, manageable chunks. Even if your child is no longer an infant, a baby monitor can help alert you to sounds of danger such as choking if they are playing in a different room,” he said.
Cuts
“Every house has plenty of things we use daily which can be dangerous such as kitchen knives, scissors, power tools and screwdrivers,” he said.
“In fact, anything with sharp edges can pose a risk to you and your child’s safety.“Place the basket away from the front of the dishwasher as well in case little hands start investigating. Make a point of safely storing all sharp kitchen and garden tools, point knives and forks downward in the dishwasher utensil basket.”
Accidental poisoning
The final item is accidental poisoning.
“We should not assume our child cannot open a container – child-resistant packaging does not mean childproof packaging.
“Always store medicines, swimming pool chemicals and household cleaning products in cupboards and cabinets where a child cannot reach them,” said Meiring.
Keep cleaning products in their original bottles with their labels.
“If you decant them into plastic bottles or food containers, your child might be tempted to sample them,” he said.
One should keep a close watch on bottles or buckets when children are around.
When it comes to insect or rodent repellents, ask a reputable company to lay bait safely.
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