1. Don’t neglect safety housekeeping
Safety housekeeping refers to keeping minor safety hazards at bay by maintaining basic safety practices. The following are good safety housekeeping measures:
- Don’t keep clutter in front of doors, stairways or steps and make sure all cords are out of areas of travel to avoid tripping.
- Keep things where they can be comfortably reached or use a ladder to safely retrieve them, and keep drawers, cabinets and cupboards closed when not in use.
- Your home probably has some potentially dangerous solvent and cleaners, so make sure chemicals or other hazardous materials are safely and properly stored. In the kitchen, keep appliances off or unplugged when not in use.
2. Maintain adequate home security
Perhaps one of the biggest safety hazards that can accompany homeownership are potential security threats. These can be fires, floods, loss of power or invasion.
- To avoid a potentially tragic occurrence, you should be sure to maintain adequate home security by having a close relationship with your neighbours,
- To maintain fire safety, always have a fire extinguisher,
- It’s always beneficial to have an emergency action plan for your home, such as having an escape route, exit plan and emergency meeting place,
- Be sure to communicate these plans to all family members that live in the house, and only share house codes or house keys with those who you really trust,
- When going away from your home for long periods of time, don’t share on social media when you’ll be away,
- For additional safety, consider adding some barbed wire on top of your wall and getting some dogs
3. Always remember home fire safety
Home fires can be extremely devastating if not life-threatening. While it’s difficult to live comfortably and conveniently while having eliminated all fire threats, there are steps you can take to ensure that high-risk home items are eliminated of potential risk.
- Never leave cooking unattended and keep stoves and counter surfaces free of clutter, grease and especially flammable objects like bug spray or air freshener.
- Be sure to set a timer that will alert you when your cooking is complete since it is easy to forget. Additionally, wear tight clothes while cooking to ensure that nothing gets lit on fire.
- If you have a fireplace, candles, or other sources of open flame, never leave it unattended, and place it on a non-flammable surface clear from any potentially flammable items.
4. Eliminate electrical risks
Electricity, while incredibly convenient, can also pose a lot of safety risks if not adequately maintained. Use the following electrical safety tips to eliminate potential electrical hazards.
- Replace all damaged or frayed wires and cords and throw out old or faulty appliances.
- Make sure to follow the correct procedures when replacing light bulbs.
- Never overcrowd your electrical outlets, use extension cords if necessary, and only buy electrical products from reputable sources
- Additionally, all electrical systems should be repaired or installed by a certified professional.
5. Always practice proper food safety
Food safety isn’t always common sense and kitchen injury, or food-borne illness is very real. To protect yourself and your family from potential food safety risks, follow the following safety tips.
- Make sure your kitchen is clean and adequately maintained and be sure to avoid contaminating food by keeping raw meat and fish away from veggies.
- Thoroughly defrost frozen food before cooking and ensure that food is cooked all the way by knowing safe temperatures and using a thermometer.
- To avoid spreading germs, keep your hands washed when handling raw meats, and to avoid injuries, carefully handle knives and other sharp cooking utensils.
- Wipe down your surfaces regularly with bleach to keep micro germs at bay. You should do this especially after preparing meat.
6. Have the necessities
Your home should have all the typical emergency response items in an easy-to-access location. These items include:
- A first aid kit completes with band-aids, gauze, gloves. anti-bacterial wipes, painkillers, etc.
- Medicines for common ailments such as upset stomach or colds
- Inhalers, if necessary
- Emergency numbers for contacts, doctors, hospitals, or poison control centres
- Anything else that may be necessary for the unique needs in your home
7. Encourage safe habits
Sure, it’s easy for someone to go around the house every so often and eliminate potential safety risks, but to maintain safety in your home, it starts by having open discussions and encouraging safe habits.
- Talk to your family members, visitors and neighbours about safe habits and teach your children that safety is an important practice.