100 Tips to Make a Home Safer

• Sep 06, 2011

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