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Use a lid support hinge.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), who sponsors Fire Prevention Week (the week of Oct. 9), reports that while 95 percent of U.S. homes have smoke alarms, 70 percent of home fire deaths occur where there is no working alarm. What's more, about half of the 2,670 people killed in home fires in 2002 died between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the prime sleep hours, even though only one-fourth of home fires occurred during those times. Those most affected by the lack of warning are young children and the elderly.

Indeed, these are frightening statistics. But there is something you can do to help prevent fires and detect them before they get out of control. After all, safety should never take a vacation, and planning for an emergency just makes good sense. Here are some tips to ensure that you and your family are safe and secure:

Smoke Alarms

Install them if you have none, and check the ones you do have. Press the test button once a month and change batteries every year. Also, smoke alarms older than 10 years are more likely to fail. Consider installing one of the newest alarm innovations that features both a voice and alarm warning.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms

Equally as important as smoke alarms is having a unit that will alert you of high levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Check the unit's packaging and also with your local fire department to learn more about what constitutes a hazardous CO reading. Some manufacturers now offer units that combine smoke and CO protection.

Heating Equipment

Heating equipment is a leading factor in home fires during winter months. Be sure to have furnaces serviced by a reputable inspector, cleaned and maintained each fall before cold weather sets in. When operating portable or fixed space heaters, be conscious to keep them away from items that could ignite, including drapes and articles of clothing.

Personal Habits

Be conscious of where you are when you do the things you do. Smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths, sending bedding, trash and furniture up in flames. More fires start in the kitchen than any other place in the home, so keep a watchful eye on what you're cooking. Candle fires have tripled over the last 10 years, with some 40 percent of those fires beginning in a bedroom.

Flammables

Ensure that flammables, such as gasoline, kerosene and paints, are kept in proper containers, tightly sealed and stored away from heat and flame. Never store any of those items near a furnace or hot water heater, and be sure to follow manufacturer instructions on storing these types of products.

Extinguishers

Many small home fires can be taken care of using a fire extinguisher before they get out of hand. The National Safety Council's Web site, www.nsc.org, suggests keeping an extinguisher rated for grease and electrical fires in the kitchen. Also place properly-rated units near the furnace and in the garage. One thing to remember, though, is that extinguishers do not last forever. Even if the needle is "in the green," plan on replacing the unit about every three years.

Escape Plan and Practice

Whether you already have a plan mapped out or you need to develop a new one, use Fire Safety Week as a good excuse to do something worthwhile. You can find detailed information on the NFPA Web site: www.firepreventionweek.org.

Credit: Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

A trigger lock is a two-piece lock that fits over a gun’s trigger and trigger guard to prevent a gun from being fired. They’re available in versions with keys or combinations.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Child resistant locks on cabinets, electrical outlet covers, additional smoke alarms and gun locks are some of the products you should consider.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Information in this document has been furnished by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Small children see the world different than you. In order to fully childproof your home, you need to get down on a child’s level to see what they see, so that you can see the dangers and do what it takes to correct them. Some good general starting points:

• Post emergency numbers, including police, fire, ambulance, doctor’s number, emergency room and poison control in a central location, such as a refrigerator.
• All outlets should have cover plates and outlet covers. Leave appliances unplugged when you’re not using them.
• All bedrooms and hallways should have smoke detectors.
• All windows should have window stops that are easily removed by an adult (in case the window needs to be used as an exit in an emergency).
• All cords to window blinds should be out of reach or cut in half to prevent strangulation.
• All doors should have hook-and-eye latches installed in case you need to keep a child out of that room. Take off door locks on bathrooms and bedrooms to prevent children from accidentally locking themselves in the room.
• All cabinet and cupboard doors should also be latched.
• Keep all detergents, chemicals and drugs out of reach.
• Install lid locks on your toilets.
  Turn down your water heater to prevent scalding (120º F or less).
• Keep step stools in a latched closet.
• Contain your trash in a bin with a lockable lid.
• Keep houseplants out of reach.
• Use safety gates to contain children in the room with you. Place safety gates at the bottom and top of all staircases.
  Use bumpers on furniture corners.
• Secure your bookshelves, media shelves, curio cabinets and entertainment cabinets to the wall to prevent heavy pieces of furniture from topping over onto children.
• Keep all matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Yes, since 1990 all garage doors are required to have an optical sensor and/or a door edge sensor that will stop or reverse the door.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Information in this document has been furnished by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.