Most people keep safety knowledge filed away in their heads and to some people home safety may seem like a matter of common sense. Yet everyday we see news reports of tragic accidents that happen in people’s homes, and sadly many of these could easily be prevented by keeping a written checklist that can be posted in your home and referred to yearly to keep everyone safe. Here in the Andover Massachusetts area we’re still in the grip of winter’s cold temperatures, a time of year when serious accidents at home often occur. With that in mind, here are some tips and reminders about some of the things that may not be so obvious:
- Fire Safety includes keeping pot and pan handles turned away from the outside of the stove when cooking, so they can not be bumped into.
- Keep all space heaters at least one foot away from anything that is flammable, such as furniture, draperies, even people.
- Never store propane tanks indoors.
- Electrical safety includes never putting electrical cords across doorways or under carpets.
- Never plug major appliances into extension cords; separate outlets only.
- Consider an electrical inspection for your home. 400,000 fires per year are due to faulty electric wiring.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms periodically and change batteries yearly.
- Devise a home fire escape plan that includes more than one exit and that every family member knows about.
- Teach children to call 911 from a neighbor’s phone in the event of a fire.
- Affix rugs to the floor to avoid slipping.
- With children in the home, always attach brackets to bookshelves.
