Keeping your home a safe place for children is a crucial step in home maintenance. About 2.3 million children are accidentally injured every year, and more than 2,500 are killed, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After having children, be sure to make the necessary home improvements to protect your loved ones. Here are some tips to help you.
Secure your windows and doors
According to the CPSC, every year about eight children under the age of 5 die from falling out of windows in the United States, and more than 3,000 are injured.
Always open double-hung windows from the top or fit them with locks to prevent small children from opening them.
Low windows shouldn’t open more than 4 inches. Window stops are available that can prevent windows from opening more than this. Some newer windows come with window stops already installed.
Window screens are not strong enough to prevent falls. To make windows safe, install window stops or window guards, which screw into the side of a window frame, have bars no more than 4 inches apart, and can be adjusted to fit windows of many different sizes.
According to industry standards announced by the CPSC in June 2000, the guards must fit snugly but not so securely that an older child or adult can’t remove them in case of an emergency. (The CPSC considers non-removable window guards safe for windows on the seventh floor and above.)
Keep furniture away from windows to prevent children from climbing up and reaching the windowsill. Tragically, thousands of children fall from windows every year.
Use doorstops or door holders on doors and door hinges to prevent injuries to hands. Children are prone to getting their small fingers and hands pinched or crushed in closing doors.
Preventing Drowning
If you have a permanent pool, enclose it with a fence that’s at least 4 feet high, and lock the gate leading to the pool after each use. Always secure and lock the cover on your spa or hot tub.
Prevent fires
Nearly 2,500 children in the United States were injured or killed in residential fires in 2007, and more than 1,000 of those children were under the age of 4, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Experts say that a working smoke alarm can cut in half the chances of dying in a fire. Install smoke alarms in every room of the house. Check them monthly to be sure they’re working, and change the batteries at least every year.
Consider installing smoke alarms that use long-life (ten-year) batteries.
Consider keeping a fire extinguisher in your home, and have it serviced or checked according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Check FEMA for advice on when and how to use a fire extinguisher.
Start talking to your child about the dangers of fire. Make an evacuation plan and practice your fire escape route regularly.
Protect outlets
It’s a good idea to protect electrical outlets with outlet covers. Unfortunately, the removable little plug-in caps can easily end up in your baby’s mouth. Instead, replace the outlet covers themselves – at least those that are accessible – with ones that include a sliding safety latch.
If you’re using extension cords in your home, cover any exposed outlets with electrical tape.
Use caution with furniture and fixtures
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 16,000 children under the age of 5 went to the emergency room in 2006 with injuries caused when television sets, bookcases, and other furniture and appliances tipped over on them. Between 2000 and 2006, more than 130 young children died from furniture tip-overs.
Large or heavy bookcases, dressers, and appliances are real hazards: Bolt whatever you can to the wall. Push items like televisions back from the edge of the furniture they’re on or move them out of reach, and then secure them, too. Always put heavier items on bottom shelves and in bottom drawers to make furniture less top-heavy.
Babies start pulling up on furniture shortly after they start crawling. And when they learn how to climb, watch out! Some children scale counters, bookcases, and anything else they can grab on to. Place floor lamps behind other furniture so that their base is out of your child’s reach.
Keep dresser drawers closed when you’re not using them – they make perfect ladders. And be particularly careful to fully close file cabinet drawers, because pulling out one drawer could cause the cabinet to fall over.
Furniture corners are another common hazard, especially those found on coffee tables. Cover all sharp corners and hearth edges with bumpers to soften the impact if your child falls.
These childproofing tips will help new parents provide a loving and safe home for their child. Be sure to check out the beautiful homes in the Pensacola, FL area, the home of Grand Realty. We would be happy to help you find your perfect home in a safe and secure neighborhood.
Source: babycenter.com
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4011 Pace Road Pace, Florida 32571 United States
Office Phone: (850) 512-1185
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