By Ellis Booker
Creating a safe home ought to be your first responsibility. This is especially true if there are children or seniors living in the house or visiting.
Where to start? Let's begin with some general home safety principles.
General Safety Principles
According to the National Safety Council, the rate of preventable injury-related deaths occurring in or around the home has increased 320% since 1999. The NSC reports this increase is largely driven by unintentional poisonings (82,600 deaths in 2021) and falls (29,100 deaths in 2021).
The following sections contain specific advice on minimizing the risk of both poisonings and falls, but let's not forget other, basic safety measures you need to take too.
Emergency Plan
A Home emergency plan prepares you and your family. Make sure children and other family members are aware of the plan and know where to find emergency contact numbers.
Electrical Outlets
The[National Fire Protection Association reports that electrical failures or malfunctions were the second leading cause of electrical home fires in recent years.
- If your home still has standard, two-prong electrical outlets, consider upgrading to three-prong or ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets. GFCI outlets monitor the electricity that flows through a circuit and will cut power if the outlet encounters water or other detectable hazard. Install these outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, and basements.
Fire Alarms
Every home needs working fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
- The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends changing the batteries in smoke detectors every six months. So set a recurring date on your calendar. You should also test your smoke alarms monthly by pressing their test buttons. If the device chirps, it means the battery is low and should be replaced.
- If your fire alarm has a non-replaceable 10-year battery, it is designed to work for up to 10 years. Again, if it chirps, you should replace it right away.
- At a minimum, keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach in the kitchen.
Firearms
Unintentional gun death occurs four times more often in the United States than other high-income countries. If you are a gun owner and live with other people, please consider using a gun safe or a gunlock.
Household Supplies
Many common household items, from cleaners to pesticides, are toxic. Even if a product doesn’t have a poison warning label, it may still be hazardous if consumed.
- Keep all household products in their original bottles.
- Keep chemicals in a safe place, and don't leave them out after use.
- Never mix chemicals. Sometimes, mixing chemicals can result in a deadly combination.
Lighting
One of the best ways to prevent falls is to make sure there is adequate lighting in the home. According to the National Council on Aging, 1 in 4 Americans over age 65 falls every year.
- Ensure there is good lighting with light switches at the top and bottom of stairs and on each end of a long hall. Motion-activated lights are a great option, as is home automation (Alexa or Google Home) that can be programmed to automatically switch on various house lights before dark.
- Keep a flashlight near your bed, or use the flashlight feature of your smartphone to light the way.
- Install nightlights between bedrooms and bathrooms.
- Consider using glow-in-the-dark light switches in high-risk areas of the home.
Medicines
- Make sure medicines are properly labeled; read labels before using.
- Store medicine out of reach and out of sight of children.
- Secure drugs in a medication lockbox, locked cabinet, locked closet, or out of reach.
Water Heater
- Set the water heater to a safe temperature. While 140° is the common default setting, 120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding. (Below 120 degrees, bacteria can develop in the stagnant water sitting in the tank.)
Next month, in Part 2, we'll address safety considerations for different age groups: infants, toddlers, and seniors.
