100 Tips to Make a Home Safer
Safety doesn’t take a lot of time, but it does take thought and planning. Not sure how to Commit a Minute to Safety? Pick one, 10 or 100 of the things below and get started today. You’ll see that sometimes it just takes a minute to avoid what could be a lifetime of regret.
- Test each smoke alarm in your home
- Replace the batteries in each smoke alarm
- Count how many smoke alarms you have in your house. If you do not have one on every level and near sleeping areas, purchase additional smoke alarms
- Designate an outside meeting place for your family (for example: the mailbox) in case of a fire or emergency
- Blow out candles before leaving the room or going to sleep
- Use a sturdy candle holder or hurricane lamp
- Turn down your hot water heater to 120 degrees or less to prevent burns
- Roll up your sleeves before you start cooking
- Have oven mitts nearby when cooking
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove
- Store all matches and lighters out of reach of children
- Put hot food and drinks near the center of the table only
- Put down your hot drink when carrying your baby
- Test hot water with an elbow before allowing a child to touch
- Post your fire escape plan on your refrigerator
- Put water on cigarette butts before throwing them away
- Unplug small appliances such as hair dryers and toasters after using them
- Use flameless candles
- Move anything that can burn, such as dish towels, at least three feet away from the stove
- Practice “Stop, Drop and Roll” with your kids
- Schedule an appointment to have your furnace cleaned and inspected
- Look for the UL Mark when you buy appliances
- Tell kids to stay away from the stove/oven
- Turn space heaters off before going to bed
- Remove any gasoline from your home
- Put non-slip strips in your tub and shower
- Install night lights in the hallway
- Put a flashlight in each bedroom
- Wipe up spills as soon as they happen to prevent slips and falls
- Use a sturdy Christmas tree stand
- Water your Christmas tree every day
- Keep your Christmas tree at least three feet away from any heat source
- Inspect your Christmas lights for signs of damage
- Flip over large buckets so water cannot accumulate and become a drowning danger
- Store cleaners and other poisons away from food
- Post the Poison Control hotline number (1-800-222-1222) next to your phone
- If you have young children, use cabinet locks on cabinets that have poisons such as antifreeze, cleaners, detergents, etc.
- Keep medicine in its original containers
- Purchase a carbon monoxide detector for your home
- Test your carbon monoxide (CO) alarm
- Put your infant to sleep on his/her back
- Remove any soft bedding, stuffed animals and pillows from your infant’s crib
- Cut your toddler’s food into small bites
- Use safety straps on high chairs and changing tables
- Check www.recalls.gov to see if any items in your home (including cribs) have been recalled
- Move cribs away from windows
- Use safety covers on unused electrical outlets
- Test small toys for choking hazards – if it fits in a toilet paper roll, it’s too small
- Remove all plastic bags from the nursery
- Pick up any small items, such as coins or buttons, that can be choking hazards for infants and toddlers
- Write down emergency contact information for your family and make sure everyone has these numbers
- If young children live in or visit your home, move furniture away from windows so they don’t climb up to look out and accidentally fall
- Tie window cords out of a child’s reach
- Check your child’s bath water temperature (use your wrist or elbow) to make sure it is not too hot
- Remove drawstrings from your baby’s clothing
- Keep the toilet lid shut to prevent little fingers from getting slammed by a falling lid
- If you have toddlers, install a toilet seat lock
- If you have young children, install door knob covers on bathroom doors
- Use a fireplace screen
- Put toys away after playing
- Don’t refer to medicine or vitamins as “candy”
- Put on safety glasses before any DIY project
- Put tools away after your DIY project is complete
- Post emergency numbers near your phone
- Pick up one new thing for your family’s emergency preparedness kit
- Use a ladder, not a chair, when climbing to reach something
- Use plastic instead of glass near the pool
- Cover any spa or hot tub when it is not in use
- Purchase a first aid kit
- Drain the bath tub immediately after bathing
- Remove clutter from the stairs
- Use the handrail when you are walking up or down the stairs
- If the power goes out, use flashlights instead of candles
- Ask smokers to smoke outside
- Wear proper shoes when climbing a ladder
- Check your home for too many plugs in one socket and fix the problem
- Install baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs if you have young children
- Never leave food cooking unattended
- Make sure pools or spas are properly fenced to keep out small children
- Teach kids to tell you when they see matches or lighters
- Turn out the lights when you leave the room
- Unplug appliances that aren’t in use (especially in the kitchen)
- Take your hair dryer off of the bathroom counter and store it safely
- Check your electronics for the UL Mark
- Identify two exits from every room with your kids in case of fire
- Check your holiday decorations – keep breakable decorations out of reach of young children
- Replace an old light bulb with a new energy-efficient option
- Check the walls for loose paint chips and re-paint with low-VOC or VOC-free paint
- Check all the outlets in your home for overloaded sockets or extension cords
- Remove any extension cords that are pulled under rugs or tacked up
- Place fire extinguishers in key areas of your home
- Place an escape ladder in an upstairs room that might not have an easy exit
- Remove any painted furniture that is pre-1978 to avoid possible lead exposure
- Lock medications safely in a cabinet
- Consider low-flow toilets
- Check that all major appliances are grounded and test your GFCIs
- Clean the lint trap and hose on your dryer
- Check your swing set for sharp edges or dangerous S-hooks
- Take a tour of your home from your child’s perspective looking for hazards
- Hold a family fire drill