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Fruitcake isn't the only holiday health hazard lurking in your home. Here's a seasonal survival guide.
As the holidays near, we scramble to buy last-minute gifts, decorate the house, and plan parties and get-togethers. In the rush, however, many of us abandon our sense of safety. Who among us, for instance, hasn't stood on their tip-toes on top of a rickety ladder to hang lights? Or strung strand after strand together until we've overloaded an outlet, which can start a fire?
This season, let's help everyone be a little safer around the home. Let's start with ladders; which pose the greatest risk of all, especially as we hang lights and decorations inside and out. Last year, there were an estimated 171,000 ladder-related accidents in the U.S., according to the American Ladder Institute, which is an astounding number. We're not always careful with them, to say the least, and think nothing of using old relics that have been handed down to us from our parents, broken rungs and all. It's time to put this foolishness to an end:
Position extension ladders correctly. For stability, an extension ladder has to be planted with its feet one-quarter of its extended length away from the house. This is not tricky to calculate. If you've got a 12-foot ladder, it has to be positioned 3 feet from the house.Don't carry a ladder upright as you move it. This is a maneuver best saved for the clowns at the circus. You could easily lose control of it in this position, crashing furniture inside, and smashing windows, gutters and even power lines outside. Instead, lower it and carry it parallel to the ground.Make sure the ladder is positioned on a level surface. Don't try to use rocks or bricks to prop up one side of it; those will surely pop out as you're climbing up.
OK, so now you won't end up as a Ladder Institute statistic, but don't celebrate with the eggnog just yet. We've still got the lighting issue to address. The key here is not to overload an electrical outlet, especially if you have only a single outdoor outlet that you use to power a dozen strings of lights and a few spotlights. Attempt this, and the result will be more like the Fourth of July than Christmas, as sparks and smoke fill the night sky. To do things right:
Follow the instructions on the strands of lights. These will tell you how many can be connected together and plugged into a single outlet. This is typically only two or three, not 10 or 12.Make sure outdoor lights are plugged into a GFCI receptacle. That's the one with the reset button in the center for safety. If you don't have one outdoors, have the outlet replaced or purchase a "plug in" adapter. This cord system is about 2 feet long and will protect against electrocution if there's a short circuit.
One other thing: Be careful with lit candles. Don't put them near combustibles, such as that evergreen spray in the center of the dining room table. And remember to blow them out when the party's over. A trick my wife and I use to remember this is to set the timer on the stove to go off just around the time when we think the party will have ended. This reminds us to extinguish the candles before we go to bed.
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.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fire is the second-leading cause of accidental death in the home. So how can you protect your family from this hazard?
While most of us understand the value of smoke alarms, these should only be one part of your overall home fire prevention plan. There are many other ways to protect your family from fire.
Here is some advice on how to help your family stay safe:
Have at least one smoke alarm on each floor. It's an inexpensive - and imperative - first line of defense against fire. Place smoke alarms outside bedrooms and keep them in working order by testing them monthly and replacing batteries once a year.Install carbon monoxide detectors. These inexpensive devices could help alert your family to toxic fumes. Place them near bedrooms alongside smoke detectors, and in the same rooms as gas-burning appliances like furnaces and water heaters.Guard against electrical fires. Inspect electrical cords regularly and discard if they are frayed. Never plug too many cords into a single socket, and keep the cords away from sources of heat and water.Use appliances with care. Appliances can overheat, resulting in flames and smoke. Keep cords and wires out from under rugs, hanging over nails or in the middle of a high traffic area. An unusual smell emitting from an appliance is a warning sign, so replace old or broken parts immediately.Use portable heaters wisely. Every year you read news stories during the winter about fires caused by portable heaters. You must be extremely careful when using these devices. Keep heaters at least three feet away from furniture, curtains, bed linens, clothing and any other combustible items.Safety-proof your fireplace. Use a heavy, well-built screen to prevent rolling logs and make sure that the screen is large enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to keep flying sparks and hot embers inside. Make sure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house.Retrofit security bars on windows. While security bars are a smart way to keep intruders out, they can also impede escape in the event of a fire. Retrofit the bars with quick release devices.Have a fire escape plan. Your final step should be an evacuation plan. The plan should include at least two ways out of every room in your home. Make sure to share it with every household member and practice it occasionally.
Remember, your home should be the place where your family feels most safe, so take the steps necessary to give them the added reassurance.
Lawn mowing and landscaping top the list of household chores when it comes to preparing for backyard parties and barbecues. The simple act of yard work can be riddled with opportunities for injuries if you’re not careful. The Home Safety Council recommends the following tips to make sure your backyard doesn’t become an injury trap:
Wear protective goggles and ear protection while using outdoor machinery to prevent sight and hearing-loss injuries.
Keep all garden tools out of children’s reach and store them with tines, blades or spikes pointing downward.
Fuel mowers outside and only when the motor is completely cool. If necessary, store small quantities of gasoline outside the home in a detached garage or shed, tightly sealed in an approved safety container and out of the sight and reach of children.
Start the mower outdoors to avoid raising carbon monoxide levels inside the home or garage.
Store pesticides in their original containers and out of the reach of children, and only mix and store pesticides in containers not used for eating or drinking.
Clear sidewalks and pathways of any toys and clutter to avoid falls.
Make sure all play areas are equipped with proper shock-absorbing materials, such as 9 inches of wood chips, mulch or shredded rubber.*
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.
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.
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.
While brass padlocks will hold up better in the weather than standard ones, most people are happier with the plastic weatherproof casing. Obviously, the brass ones provide a decorative option.
If you have a gas or oil furnace, dryer, refrigerator, water heater, space heater, fireplace, wood stove or gas range, then you need to be concerned. These can all be sources of carbon monoxide gas.
If you cut a few inches off of the bottom of the tree trunk, this will expose the fresh wood and will allow for better water absorption. Also, heat from inside the home can dry out live trees very easily, so be sure that the tree’s stand is always filled with water.
Use a neoprene-treated glove. It is chemical resistant.
Your room-by-room fire hazard checklist should include:
Living Room
Open the flue or damper before starting a fire in your fireplace, every time.
Keep all flammables at least three feet away from the fireplace.
Place a sturdy fireplace screen in front of the fireplace.
Have your chimney cleaned and inspected by a professional at least once a year.
Keep candles and lamps at least one foot away from your curtains.
Use safety caps to cover all unused outlets.
Use large, deep ashtrays. Never leave a burning cigarette unattended.
Bedroom
Never use candles in your bedroom.
Keep all lamps free of flammable materials.
Don’t run electrical cords under rugs.
Replace and repair loose or frayed electrical cords.
Don’t allow permanent use of extension cords.
Don’t staple or nail electrical cords.
Never smoke in bed.
Never leave heavy objects on the bed when an electric blanket is in use.
Install a carbon monoxide alarm near bedrooms.
Bathroom
Don’t overload outlets with cords from too many appliances. Plug them in one at a time.
If an outlet or switch feels unusually warm, stop using it and call an electrician.
Never set hot appliances on flammable materials.
Unplug all appliances when done using them.
Make sure cords from appliances are not getting pinched in drawers.
Keep towels and other flammables at least three feet away from space heaters.
Hallway
Install ceiling-mounted smoke alarms that are at least four inches away from the walls on every level of your home.
Ensure smoke alarms are UL listed.
Wall-mounted smoke alarms should be installed four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.
Don’t install smoke alarms near windows, doors or ducts.
Test your smoke alarms once a month.
Vacuum your smoke alarms every six months.
Change your smoke alarm batteries at least once a year. Make sure batteries are always in smoke alarms.
Kitchen
If you have a fire extinguisher, be sure you are properly trained to use it.
Make sure the fire extinguisher is for multi-purpose use.
Keep the fire extinguisher in a place where it is easy to access.
Never leave anything on the stove or under the broiler unattended.
Keep the cooking area clear of items that can burn.
Maintain a three-foot kid-free and pet-free zone around the stove.
Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing while you are cooking.
Basement
Have your heating system serviced once a year before cold weather begins.
When buying a new unit, have a qualified technician install it or check that it was installed properly.
Choose a heating device with an automatic shutoff feature.
Make sure your clothes dryer is installed and serviced by a professional.
Have a gas-powered dryer inspected by a professional at least once a year to check flexible gas lines for damage and proper connection, and to ensure all piping is free of leaks.
Keep areas around heating sources clear of debris and insulated from the heating source.
Be sure to clean the lint tray in your dryer before each use and check around the drum for any accumulated lint.
Do not store clothing or other combustibles any closer than one foot from the dryer.
Do not let your dryer continue running when you leave your home.
For maximum safety and the earliest detection possible, you should have a smoke detector in every room of your house. If you don’t install a smoke detector in every room, make sure you have one in every bedroom and in hallways between bedrooms. If possible, have your smoke detectors wired together so that all of them will sound an alarm if one of them is triggered.
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