8 Common Safety Hazards Found in the Home
Y our home should be a safe place for everyone. And in most cases, our homes are safe places. Yet, every home has hazards that homeowners might not always think about. In 2023, 78% of preventable injuries causing death happened at home.
That’s not to alarm you but to bring awareness to the fact that there are hazards you may not have thought of in your dwelling. Our homes are our happy places, but they do pose some risks. Luckily, most common safety hazards can easily fixed so everyone can go about their day.
Prevent Trips and Falls
A fall from any height has the potential to cause injury. One in 5 older adults who fall suffers a broken bone or head injury. Potential risk areas include any changes in elevation, like stairs, or areas where water can stand.
But these are easy to remedy. Stairs aren’t just a hazard for children; eldery persons or those with unstable balance find them hard to navigate. Installing handrails on the stairs gives people something to hold onto while climbing or descending. An adjustable safety gate can be installed to prevent those too young to use stairs independently from trying to climb them. And while it’s tempting to stash what needs to go back upstairs on stairs, you’re really creating a tripping risk.
Slippery floors are another hazard. Placing rugs on floors more likely to get wet, like bathrooms and kitchens, can prevent someone from slipping. Rubber mats are helpful in areas prone to moisture, like by the door during snow season or in a slick garage. Clear indoor and outdoor steps of toys and debris, like ice and snow. Dry any wet surfaces as soon you as you can.
Putting children’s toys away is also an excellent way to avoid tripping and falling. That’s especially true for toys with wheels, such as skateboards. Make picking up a habit at the end of playtime.
A few more steps you can take:
- Secure loose flooring; make sure any mats or rugs are flat and have a non-slip underlayer
- Cover high-risk slippery surfaces, like bathroom floors with nonslip rugs and the bathtub with nonslip stickers
- Install safety rails in showers or bathtubs to support older family members.
Protect Yourself from Sharp Objects
Once you think about it, sharp edges are everywhere inside and outside the home. Yes, the knives and peelers are in the kitchen, but how about the scissors in your home office? Or the razors and nail clippers in the bathroom? Even open food cans could cut like a knife!
That’s why you must carefully store sharp kitchen tools such as knives and peelers. Using magnetic strips to hang knives may look cool but are not the best choice. Even with blades in drawers, you’ll want to be cautious with small children in the home.
The same goes for sharp bathroom tools like razors and nail clippers. Child safety locks on drawers and cabinet doors work to prevent small children from accessing these common household items.
Also, think about the outside. Lawnmowers, rakes, and other sharpened yard tools should never be left lying in the open. Always put them away securely when you’re done using them. And when in use, wear the proper safety equipment like work gloves and safety glasses.
Keep Chemicals Stored Properly
There were more than two million poisoning incidents reported to poison control centers across the United States in 2021. The culprit? The top two were cosmetics/personal care products and cleaning and home maintenance supplies. But other safety hazards were paint, detergents, and medications. The vast majority of exposures were unintentional, with about 90% occurring in children six and younger.
Household cleaning chemicals cut down on sickening bacteria and germs, but the numbers prove they pose a safety risk. Decrease the chances of someone in the house ingesting poisonous substances primarily by keeping these items out of reach. Have curious toddlers at home? That means not putting the household cleaners under the kitchen sink.
Paint, personal grooming products, and cleaning chemicals should be stored in a child-proofed cabinet that children can’t reach. A child safety lock is a good idea here.
Additionally, keep chemical products in their original containers. This keeps them labeled in case of accidental poisoning so a) you know exactly what may have been swallowed, and b) often they have safety information on the label or the number for the poison control center. Keep these products away from heat or flames to prevent other hazards in the home.
Keep any detergent pods in the container and out of reach. The good news is many of these now have child safety lids and zippers.
Most importantly, don’t mix household chemicals! They can create dangerous chemical reactions and gases that can make you ill.
Store all medication properly. Do not leave bottles on the counter or out in the open. Responsibly dispose of outdated medications or ones you no longer need.
Don’t Leave Any Fire Unattended
Many people know that they should never leave a lit candle unattended, as the flame can potentially spread. All it takes is a cat knocking it over onto a curtain, or a curious child putting a hand on a fire grate, and suddenly you’ve got an issue. The National Fire Protection Association counted more than 350,000 home fires, from mild smoke damage to total home loss, and 2,480 lives lost in 2021. To prevent devastation like this, some simple steps reduce fire risk.
- Safety knob locks prevent young children or accidential brushes from turning on gas stoves. There are knob locks and also knob covers.
- Don’t leave lit candles or a steam iron unattended or near curtains or blankets.
- Install fire alarms throughout your home and change the batteries each year (at least). The New Year is an excellent time to check the alarms are still functioning.
- Keep at least one fire extinguisher in your home. Position it near the kitchen, as this is the most likely source of a home fire. Make sure you and your family members know how to operate it.
Check Other Fire Hazards
To prevent other fire hazards, inspect the cords of their electrical appliances regularly. Discontinue use if an electrical cord becomes damaged or frayed. All it takes is a spark to ignite a rug, a sofa, or a carpet. For added safety, unplug appliances when they aren’t in use. Also, check your extension cords before use and avoid “daisy-chaining,” where you link multiple extension cords together for reach.
Do clean home dryer vents regularly. The lint that builds up can quickly spark a fire.
Those with young children at home may consider electrical outlet covers. The curious ones do like to see what happens when you stick items into the holes.
Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide poses a serious human health threat. It is almost impossible to see or smell, so it can be easily overlooked. Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to headaches and dizziness, but higher levels can be fatal. The alert tells you to get out before it’s too late.
To prevent CO leaks, hire a professional to inspect your water heater, HVAC system, and other gas-using appliances annually. If you’re buying an older home, have a professional inspect these areas before closing the sale. For added peace of mind, purchase a detector that plugs into an electrical outlet at an affordable price. A combo smoke and carbon monoxide detector covers both dangers.
Carbon monoxide detectors are especially wise if the home uses natural gas for any reason or has a fireplace. Inspect all gas-using appliances every year at a minimum.
No Choking!
Did you know that choking is the fourth largest cause of accidental deaths in the United States, with more than 5,000 deaths in 2022? In the home, prevention starts with inspecting toys for loose parts and clearing the floor of small items, like Legos or marbles.
Keep choking-hazard foods, such as hard nuts or candies, out of reach in the kitchen. Cut hard and round foods that could block little ones’ airways, like grapes, cherry tomatoes, and hot dogs. Don’t leave eating kids unattended. Have a baby monitor on hand to check in on toddlers playing in the next room.Stop the Strangling
Cords on blinds and curtains are a persistent strangling hazard for young ones. Never place a crib or toddler bed with those dangling cords near a window. If you use an extension cord, put it away after it’s no longer needed. Also, to be safe, trim the window cords to a length only adults can reach or install blind cord wraps.
Safety at Home
these safety hazards seem obvious, but they impact thousands of families each year. All have the potential to cause devasting harm. The good news, as you can see, is that these risks can easily be avoided. What a few safety latches can do to ease common hazards is amazing. Inspect your home fairly regularly for these common home safety hazards.
FAQ
What are common household hazards?
The common hazards are physical, biological, chemical, and ergonomic. In the home, physical hazards, would be anything from the placement of furniture, clutter, stairs, or pools. Chemical hazards include pesticides in garages and household cleaning products. It could be the unseen, too, like asbestos or lead paint. Biological includes the germs and bacteria, but also mold growing in wet and damp spaces. Ergonomic refers more to the wear and tear on the body, but it could be road noise off a highway or living in an extremely hot or cold environment.
What are common indoor environmental hazards?
Besides what is listed above, you may not consider indoor air pollution. These pollutants can be up to 2-5 times higher than in an outdoor environment. Some are caused by man, like tobacco smoking, burning wood in a fireplace, or carbon monoxide from car exhaust. Others have a normal origin, like pet dander and molds. Our building products–flooring, paint, furniture– can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Some easy steps include using indoor air filters, buying VOC-free products, and drying any wet surfaces. When you use cleaning supplies in enclosed spaces, ventilate the room with a fan or crack a window. Change your shoes from inside to outside to prevent tracking outdoor contaminants inside.
Updated October 2024
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Preston Guyton
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