Healthy Home Resources
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Strengthening Communities, One Home at a Time

Prevention

 

What are some home hazards I should be aware of?
  
Everyday objects in the home are the biggest cause of childhood injuries. Learn to recognize these hazards and prevent them from happening. For instance:
  • Keep hot coffee away from the edge of a counter or table to avoid burns;
  • Block all open windows to prevent a child from climbing out and falling;
  • Keep your purse out of reach to avoid a child choking on small objects found inside your purse;
  • Teach children at an early age to stay away from dangerous times like sharp objects, medicines, poisons, hot surfaces and electrical outlets

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What are available safety products I can use in my home?
 
There are several varieties and brands of safety products that are available at many local and national retailers that will aid in making your home a safer place for you and you child. Many are inexpensive and very helpful. Here are some options you can explore:
  • Smoke detectors;
  • Carbon monoxide detectors;
  • Baby gates;
  • Fire extinguishers,
  • Cabinet/toilet locks;
  • Cord shortness;
  • Non-slip bath mats;
  • Outlet plugs

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How can I be prepared to handle an emergency?
 
Even with attempts at injury prevention and utilization of safety products accidents can still happen. Here a few helpful tips to get you started on how to be prepared in case of an emergency:
  • Learn first-aid and child/infant CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver;
  • Put all emergency and contact numbers out in the open and near the phone;
  • Know you local emergency number, Pittsburgh's is 911;
  • Know your local poison control number, Pittsburgh's is 412.681.6669

Remember, if there is an accident, don't panic, stay calm and take action.

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Home Safety Checklist

Click the links below to see a list of important safety points that every parent and guardian should know for each of these areas:

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 Kitchen
  • Always keep hot liquids and foods away from the edges of tables and counters.
  • Keep all cleaning supplies in a high place or in a cabinet with a lock or safety latch on the door.
  • Keep all vitamins, medicines, razors and scissors out of your child's reach in a high cabinet with a lock or safety latch.
  • Do not store treats or snack in cabinets above the stove. A child might climb onto the stove that is on or still hot.
  • Use the back burners on the stove when cooking. Turn all pot and pan handles toward the back of the stove. To keep your child away from a hot stove, ask someone to watch them in another room or keep them in a high chair or playpen.
  • Keep knives, scissors and other sharp objects away from children in a place where they cannot be reached.
  • Never use the microwave for heating baby bottles. The plastic may become to hot and scald the baby's skin, or the liquid may become too hot too quickly burning the baby's mouth and throat. Adults have much thicker skin than children. Temperatures for children will feel hotter and cooler than what we want for ourselves.
  • Keep a small fire extinguisher near the kitchen, but away from the stove. All able family members should read the directions carefully and know how to put out the different types of fires that the extinguisher can handle. An "ABC" extinguisher can put out all types of fires, so it is highly recommended for homes.
  • Small appliances and cords should be kept out of the reach of children. Unplug all appliance when not in use.
 
 Bathroom
  • Electrical appliances such as a hair dryer, curling irons or radios can cause serious electrical shock or death if they are plugged into an electrical outlet and fall into a tub while your child is bathing is the water. Keep electrical appliances unplugged, away from the water, and out of the reach of children.
  • Always watch your child while he or she is in the tub. Children can drown in a few inches of water in a matter of seconds. They could also be burned by turning on the hot water.
  • Make sure your hot water tank is adjusted to 120o F. A child's skin is thinner than an adult's and easier to be burned by hot water. Test your water with a food thermometer. Adjust your water heater if necessary.
  • Always test bath water on the inside of the wrist or elbow before putting a child in. The proper temperature for a child's bath water is 100o F. You can test the temperature with any common thermometer or a food thermometer.
  • Use a non-skid mat or strips in the tub to help prevent slips and falls. Also, place a non-skid mat or carpeted bath mat with a rubberized bottom directly outside of the tub so that the child does not slip and fall on tiled bathroom floors with wet feet. Slips and falls of this type are very dangerous and can happen to anyone in the family.
 
Child Room / Play Area
  • Children will lean out of windows with no screens and could possibly fall. Children as young as one year old can crawl out of windows. make sure the screens in the windows are secure and cannot be easily pushed out. Remember that even a secure screen can pop out if enough weight leans against it.
  • Keep open windows open four inches or less or use window guards to help prevent your child from falling out.
  • Safety gates do not replace parent supervision. Children should never be left unattended. A child may know over a gate to try to climb over. Accordion-type gates should not be used; they can cause strangulation and death.
  • Make sure that no more then two finger widths fit between a crib mattress and crib railings. A loose fitting mattress can trap an infant’s head or cause limb injuries. If more than a few fingers fit between the mattress and railings, roll up a few small towels and stuff them into the space.
  • Crib slats/bars should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Your child could be caught or strangled between bars that are wider.
  • Crib gyms and mobiles should be removed from the cribs of children who are four months or older. A child can reach up and pull down small parts that can be a choking hazard. Or they could pull the entire mobile onto themselves.
  • Always make sure that your infant is secure on a changing table or high surface. Keep your hand on your baby. They can learn to roll over as early as a few weeks old. Try changing or dressing your baby on a carpeted floor with a towel underneath.
  • Throw away any toys that can hurt your child. Toys with sharp edges or long cords are dangerous. Loose parts can be a choking hazard.
  • Make sure that your toy box or storage chest has a lightweight or slow-closing lid. Your child could injure their fingers, head or neck. If air cannot get into the box, try drilling air holes in the lids or sides to prevent suffocation. Removing the lid is also a good idea.
  
General Household Safety
  • Place smoke detectors 6 inches or more from the edge of the walls. Or hang smoke detector on a wall 6 to 12 inches from the ceiling. They can be hung in hallways outside of sleeping areas, away from windows, or air vents. Detectors should be tested monthly and batteries changed yearly.
  • Make up a fire escape plan with your family. Plan 2 ways out of every bedroom. Choose an outdoor meeting place, such as a neighbor’s house or a park. Try practicing this at night so your children will know what to expect in case of an emergency.
  • Keep all matches and lighters, even those with child locks, away from children.
  • Make sure all electrical extensions and appliance cords are in safe condition. Check all wires to make sure they’re not frayed, spliced or overloaded. This can help prevent children and pets from being electrocuted.
  • Keep electrical cords out of your child’s reach. Run them along walls or behind furniture, even if you have to use an extension cord or use cord holders. Never keep cords under rugs. This could cause someone to trip.
  • Use shock prevention plugs or outlet covers on all unused electrical outlets. This will prevent your child from sticking objects, their tongue or fingers into them or from sucking on the open end of an extension cord.
  • Make sure all space heaters are in safe condition and kept away from children. Your space heater should have auto shut-off tip-over protection, a thermostat, be UL approved, have protective covering, and be placed at least 36 inches away from curtains, papers and furniture.
  • Make sure your children over the age of 3 know how to “stop, drop and roll” to put out flames if their clothes catch on fire.
  • Always smoke safely and put out cigarettes butts in deep large ashtrays. Only dump out the ashtray when the ashes are cold, or flush them down the toilet. Do not smoke in bed and do not smoke while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
 
Poison Prevention
  • Put a list of emergency numbers near the phone or program them into your phone. The number for the Poison Control Center is 412-681-6669, and the number for an emergency is 911.
  • Make sure your children are tested for lead poisoning. This is especially important if your home was built before 1978 and has chipping and peeling paint. Remodeling a home built before 1978 can cause lead to get into the environment and harm children.
  • Keep houseplants out of your child’s reach. Some common plants, such as daffodils, poinsettias, and rhubarb leaves, are poisonous. Research any plants inside and around the house to make sure they are not a danger to your children.
  • Do not give your child anything to induce vomiting if they have swallowed something. Call the Poison Control Center at 412-681-6999 or go to the emergency room right away. Some poisons will cause more damage if vomited.
 
Fall Prevention
  • Make sure stairs, protective walls, railings, porches and balconies are sturdy and in good condition. If necessary, ask your landlord to supply your home or apartment with secure railings and balconies to protect yourself and your child.
  • Make sure halls and stairways are free of objects and well lit to prevent falls. Even small items can cause slips, trips, and falls.
    
Other
  • Children under 40 pounds should always ride in an approved car seat when they are in a car. A car seat should never be hooked into the front seat. It should be properly installed in the back seat to reduce injuries that may occur if there is a car accident.
  • Children over 40 pounds should always use a seatbelt when riding in a car.
  • Make sure your child cannot get into your basement. Install a latch or lock at least 5 feet from the bottom of the door to keep your child from falling down the stairs or getting into the garage where dangerous products may be stored.
  • Keep your purse out of the reach of your child. There are many hazards in your purse that could choke or poison your child, such as medicine, matches, makeup and jewelry.
  • Check your child’s toys often for missing or broken parts that could cause choking. Small items in your child’s reach should be removed and put in a proper place.
  • Store any guns or rifles unloaded in a locked cabinet. Make sure your children cannot get to them. Explain that guns are not toys and they should NEVER handle them.
  • Ammunition should always be stored separately from guns in the home. They should be kept out of children's reach because they may be a choking hazard.
  • Make sure pools on your property or in your neighborhood have safety latch gates and fences at least 4 feet high. Splash pools should be empty when not in use.