There’s nothing better than your home. It’s the place where you relax and unwind after a long day at work. It’s a haven from the world and all its pressures. When it comes to your children, you want them to be as safe as possible, which means going the extra mile to ensure they are protected. Since over 6,000 deaths occur in the home each year, here are seven things that you need to do to ensure your kids are safe.
1. Keep All Cleaners Out of Reach
It only seems natural to put cleaners under the kitchen or bathroom sinks. However, some cleaners are toxic and can be very harmful if they get on the skin or in the eyes. Make a rule of thumb to place all cleaning agents out of sight and in a location they cannot reach. Children don’t know the dangers of bleach and ammonia. Better yet, change to all-natural cleaners that won’t cause such issues.
2. Remove All Sharp Objects from Their Grasp
Scissors and knives can be used for many things around the home. Nevertheless, to a little one, there is something very enticing about cutting paper up all over the floor. While these are great tools in the right hands, in the wrong ones, they can become weapons. A child can easily cut themselves or someone else with either of these items. Not to mention the things they can destroy within their grasp. Try to keep safety scissors for them to use for their artistic endeavors.
3. Make Sure Gates and Fences are Closed
Many homes have fences with gates that surround the property or back yard area. It’s crucial that these gates always stay closed. If you routinely let a pet out to use the restroom, they need to be confined in this space. Also, any small child can get outside the door, and when the gate is open, they can wander down the street. An open gate can be a big problem with little toddlers that like to explore. It can cost a life.
4. Cap Off All Electrical Outlets
Kids cannot resist electrical outlets. Why is it that outlets become a magnet for anything metal? Children love to stick keys, toys, and all other small objects inside those holes. You can protect your children for a few dollars. Outlet covers have come a long way in the past few years. You can still get the type that plugs into the receptacle, or you can opt for the ones that cover the entire plug and can flip open when you need them. Whatever you do, make sure your children are protected from the threat of electrical shock.
5. Update Wiring
Speaking of electricity, how safe is your electrical system? Do you live in an older home that has knob and tube wiring or are you still on a fuse box system? One of the things that you can do to protect your children is to ensure that when they go to sleep, no strange electrical fire is going to break out. While there are no assurances, you can improve the chances by upgrading your system. When it comes to electrical work, you need a professional like CLF Services Electricians to help. While you may not need an entire system overhaul, there may be some things that need to be fixed. An electrician can tell you what must be done to make sure your home is up to code.
6. Update Smoke Detectors
A fire in the home is a real threat to you and your child’s safety. Studies have shown that in house fires where there was a death, 38 percent of those homes didn’t have any smoke detectors. Additionally, 27 percent of them had smoke detectors, but they didn’t work. Do your alarms have missing or disconnected batteries? They can’t help to protect your family if they are not in working order. Make it a rule of thumb to check your detectors periodically. You want to ensure that they are operating to the fullest. Also, if the units are more than a few years old, then they may be worth replacing.
7. Install a Security System
One of the best ways to protect your family is by installing a security system. If you already have a unit, then you may want to investigate upgrades with cameras and other enhanced features. Depending on your budget, you can get an excellent system that can be your eyes and ears when you are not home.
There are two options in home security systems, monitored and unmonitored units. A controlled unit rings into an alarm center that can call for help if needed. They have a small monthly fee to monitor the home, but it’s well worth the cost. The unmonitored systems are for those who want to pay for the unit up front, but they do not wish to pay any ongoing fees. With crime rates in most areas on the increase, one of the biggest safety concerns is someone breaking into your home. Check the efficiency ratings and customer reviews before signing up for any service.
Why You Should Conduct a Safety Audit?
While these seven things are a wonderful place to start, there are numerous ways that you can make your home safer for you and your children. You can do things like install gates at all stairways, make sure the doors have locks that are out of their reach, and always have screens in the windows. Additionally, make sure to keep windows and doors locked at all times.
By conducting a safety audit of your home, you can quickly identify areas that you need to work on. It only takes a split second for an accident to happen, and you want to make sure that you reduce your chances of such an event.
