Tips for preventing accidents with the home
After the babyproofing stage it is easy to slip into a false sense of security once your children have the cognitive ability to follow instructions and know what dangers are. However, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the home is the most common location for accidents to happen, accounting for 6,000 adult and child deaths in the UK each year. Many of these fatalities could have been mitigated with appropriate precautions and increased supervision. In this feature we take a look at the biggest risks to kids in the home as well as ways to prevent accidents and keep everyone safe.
Blind Cords
Curtain or blind cord ties should always be kept out of reach of children as they pose a serious strangulation risk and between one to two children in the UK die each year as a result of an accident involving these types of ties. The NHS advises using a cleat hook, which can be attached to the wall enabling the cord to be wound around it, keeping any strings well out of the reach of small hands. The same risk is also applied to any cord or rope you might find within the home so ensure anything that might pose a strangulation risk is either kept away from children or heavily supervised when in use.
Stairs
Falls are the number one reason behind children under five being admitted to A&E each year. Most households containing younger children will have stair gates fitted but stairs don’t stop being a risk when your children learn how to walk up and down them confidently. There should never be any tripping hazards left on the stairs, whether that’s rogue toys or piles of washing ready to be put away. Falls from a height, such as on the stairs, can cause some of the more severe injuries that land children in hospital so make sure to continue educating your children about the importance of stair safety and especially no racing or shoving siblings.
Toxic chemicals
According to the NHS, medicines are the most common cause of poisoning in under-5s, with common painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen being the biggest culprits. Medicine should always be stored in a location that is not accessible to children, whether that be in the top of a bathroom cabinet or in a locked location. While many medicines have child safety caps, they are a not fool proof and the best child lock is out of sight and reach. Similarly, cleaning products should be kept in a place that children don’t have access to without adult supervision. It may be convenient to keep bleach next to the toilet but it’s really not worth the risk.
Glass
Kids and glass furniture are not a match-made in heaven. Not only does it feel as if you’re constantly wiping smears off the glass, they can also pose a danger within the home. If you love the look and can put up with he mess, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents recommends that when purchasing you make sure that the glass meets BS EN 12521:2009 and BS 14749-2005, BS EN 14072:2003, BS EN 12150-1:2000 and BS EN 12600-2002 approval. In terms of windows, shatterproof glass is included in most double-glazed windows, but if this is not the case for yours, a shatterproof safety film can be applied to prevent any unexpected breakages.
Water
While few houses in Northern Ireland have swimming pools, it is important not to become complacent around smaller bodies of water such as paddling pools. A pond, even a shallow one, can pose a drowning risk and children should never be left unattended around one. If the pond is in your own garden it is advised to fence around it for extra security. Likewise, children under five years old should always be supervised in the bath by an adult and not a sibling as they may not be able to alert the adult in time if anything were to go wrong.
