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“We hope to
bring attention to the serious problem of preventable home injuries and
its leading causes: slips and falls, poisonings and fires and burns,”
says Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. “Just a few
simple steps can dramatically reduce the dangers in most homes and may
even make a lifesaving difference.”
Throughout
Home Safety Month, the Home Safety Council encourages the public to
consider
their home’s danger areas and take some simple steps to minimize their
risk from potential
injuries, or even death.
Prevent Falls
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Have grab
bars in the tub and shower.
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Have
bright lights over stairs and steps and on landings.
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Have
handrails on both sides of the stairs and steps.
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Use a
ladder for climbing instead of a stool or furniture.
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Use baby
gates at the top and bottom of the stairs, if babies or toddlers
live in or visit
your home.
Prevent Poisonings
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Lock
poisons, cleaners, medications and all dangerous items in a place
where children can’t reach them.
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Keep all
cleaners in their original containers. Do not mix them together.
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Use
medications carefully. Follow the directions. Use child resistant
lids.
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Install
carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas.
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Call the
Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 if someone takes poison.
This number will connect you to emergency help in your area.
Prevent Fires & Burns
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Have
working smoke alarms and hold fire drills. If you build a new home,
install fire
sprinklers.
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Stay by
the stove when cooking, especially when you are frying food.
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Keep space
heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn. Turn
them off
when you leave the room or go to sleep.
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If you
smoke, smoke outside. Use deep ashtrays and put water in them before
you
empty them. Lock matches and lighters in a place where children
can’t reach them.
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Only light
candles when an adult is in the room. Blow the candle out if you
leave the
room or go to sleep.
Prevent Choking and Suffocation
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Things
that can fit through a toilet paper tube can cause a young child to
choke. Keep
coins latex balloons and hard round foods, such as peanuts and hard
candy out of
children’s reach.
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Place
children to bed on their backs. Don’t put pillows, comforters or
toys in the crib.
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Clip the
loops in window cords and place them up high where children can’t
get them.
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Read the
labels on all toys, especially if they have small parts. Be sure
that your child is old enough to play with them.
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Tell
children to sit down when they eat and to take small bites.
Be Smart Around Water
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Stay
within an arm’s length of children in and around water. This
includes bathtubs,
toilets, pools and spas – even buckets of water.
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Put a
fence all the way around your pool or spa.
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Empty
large buckets and wading pools after using them. Keep them upside
down when not in use.
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Make sure
your children always swim with a grownup. No child or adult should
swim
alone.
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Keep your
hot water at or below 120 degrees F to prevent burns.
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