Two years ago, a 4-year-old boy accidentally shot himself and committed suicide with a gun owned by his father. The accident occurred at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. So far, the case has yet to be solved.
In that case, his father did not realize that his weapon could kill his son. This accident is just one example of the safety hazards that can persist in your home.
Many parents may not be aware of this danger. They do not care enough about the safety hazards that may exist in their homes. What they can do is only regret what happened. Of course it is too late and painful.
Therefore, as a parent, you should always beware of safety hazards, which can harm the whole family. Knowing them precisely is a half battle.
That is why I write this article. It is to help you identify the top ten home safety hazards. You can find them all in your home. But some of you may not. It is unique for each home.
Top 10 Home Safety Hazards
You will be able to clearly see most of the safety hazards below. However, there is a safety hazard that cannot be seen, smelled or tasted.
I will first list the invisible danger to draw more attention to you, as you will never know about its existence at all. Except it uses a detector.
- Carbon Monoxide Hazard. It is a toxic gas. People call it a silent killer as this gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. You cannot use your senses to detect this gas. Detection can only be done by a carbon monoxide detector. Make sure you have already installed them in your home.
- Gun in the house. In the opening paragraph I already show a sad story related to the danger of weapons. If you have one in your home, make sure your kids can’t play it. Only you can use it.
- Slippery floor. Wipe up water and spilled liquid on the floor immediately. Children under the age of five and elderly parents can easily fall and injure themselves. Take care of your bathroom floor as well, as it is generally slippery.
- Sharp edge. I didn’t remember how many times I injured my head from a sharp edge, especially on the edge of the table. Installing a table protector could be a great protection against this hazard.
- Fire danger. Beware of this danger. You can easily find many sources of fire in your home; Fireplace, gas stove, cigar, candles including grills. In addition, the fire hazard creates other hazards such as carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Small parts. Toy parts, needle, small magnet, and any other small parts should be kept away from children under five years of age. Those things can be easily swallowed by accident.
- Furniture dump. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, between 2000 and 2011 there were 105 deaths related to falling furniture. This stat should make you more careful around this type of hazard.
- Electrical hazards. Unplugged AC outlets, outlets near water, faulty electrical cords, and damaged plugs are examples of electrical hazards commonly found in the home.
- Falling from height. Use the ladder correctly when trying to repair something on the roof. And I never used the damage ladder to go up. Falling from a height can injure you and kill you. Never force yourself to climb if you are unsure. Let the work be done by an experienced technician.
- Chemical hazards. Mosquito repellent, cleaning chemicals, plastic items that contain BPA, and pesticides contain dangerous chemicals as ingredients. Use these products according to the manufacturers’ recommendations and keep them out of the reach of children.
Conclution
Never think that you will only focus on the safety hazards mentioned in the home. Perhaps, there are still many other dangers in the home. Always keep an eye on your home.
And what you need to do is keep them away from your entire family and if possible educate your family about those dangers as education is the best approach to protect your family from them.