Transcript
SAFETY IN THE HOME INTRODUCTION It is a fact of life that most accidents, including those which cause death, happen in the home. However, with a bit of care and planning, you can greatly reduce the chances of accidents happening to you and your family. •
Plan ahead and don’t rush the work.
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Make sure you do have the skills to carry out each job, and allow enough time.
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Use a qualified professional for gas and electrical work.
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Keep tools clean and in good condition and check them before use.
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Be careful with sharp tools and never leave them lying around.
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Wear appropriate protective clothing.
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Use an RCD (residual current device) on all electrical power tools including lawnmowers. This will prevent you coming to harm if you cut through or damage the electric cable.
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Be careful when using chemicals and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Keep DIY tools and materials away from children and animals.
WINDOWS AND DOORS Remember, children grow and increase their skills. This also means that they increase their chances of getting into tricky and potentially dangerous situations. •
Fit fireguards. Be aware that radiators get very hot.
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Fit stair gates at both top and bottom of the stairs and always use them.
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Fit covers to electrical sockets when they are not being used.
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Put cold water into the bath before you add the hot water. Always test the water before your child gets into the bath or shower, using your elbow and not your hand.
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Never leave babies and young children alone in a bath or shower.
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Fit safety catches to upstairs windows.
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Avoid giving children small objects which can easily suffocate or choke them.
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Garden ponds and pools, including inflatable paddling pools, are a real danger. Do not leave children alone in gardens with ponds or pools.
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Keep kettles and irons out of reach – fit a curly lead to the kettle.
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Take unwanted medicine to the chemists so they can get rid of it safely.
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Be careful when cooking if children are present.
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Replace glass in glazed doors with safety glass or cover it with safety film.
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Keep matches, lighters, cleaning fluids, garden chemicals, and medicines and so on out of the reach of children.
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Develop a plan with your children so they know what to do and how to escape if there is a fire.
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Make sure visitors know the escape route.
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Know where your children are and keep an eye on them.
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Learn basic first aid and resuscitation skills.
PREVENTING FIRE •
Fit approved smoke detectors on each floor. Ideally these should be mainsoperated. If not, use long-life (10 year life) batteries.
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Never cover up a smoke or heat detector and keep them free of dust.
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You should protect all fires, including portable fires (for example gas heaters) using the correct-sized fireguard especially6 in homes with children or the elderly.
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Do not smoke in bed and make sure you always put out cigarettes properly.
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Candles and portable heaters are a fire risk. Keep them away from furniture and curtains. Place candles in a holder.
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Do not leave the room while pots, pans, chip pans, deep fat fryers are being used.
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Don’t dry clothes and so on, close to open fires or over the stove.
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Make sure settees, chairs and mattresses have fire retardant filling.
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Use fire retardant nightdresses and pyjamas on children and the elderly.
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Check festive lights and decorations before you use them.
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If you use an open fire, have the chimney swept every year (twice a year if you are burning wood).
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Remove polystyrene tiles or wall lining as polystyrene is flammable.
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Remember if there is a fire get out, stay out and call the fire brigade by phoning 999.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY •
Get a qualified electrician to check your wiring every five years.
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If you buy an old property have the wiring checked straight away.
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Do not use portable electrical equipment in bathrooms.
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Do not overload power sockets, and use the right fuse for the appliance.
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Have electric blankets checked every year.
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Never use faulty electrical items or any that have damaged flexes.
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A qualified electrician must check all DIY electrical work (other than simple jobs).
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Buy equipment marked with the CE mark, BEAB, BS kite-mark or BS number. These marks show that the item meets minimum safety standards.
GAS SAFETY •
Get a CORGI-registered gas fitter to check gas appliances and heating systems once a year.
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If a gas appliance burns with an orange flame, it may be giving off carbon monoxide, which can kill. Stop using it and get it checked by a qualified gas fitter.
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If you notice staining around the gas appliance, get it checked by a GORGI – registered gas fitter.
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Make sure you know where to turn off the gas supply.
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Check pilot lights regularly to make sure they are still alight.
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Do not block flues, air bricks and air vents.
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If you think there is a gas leak, open all the windows, call Transco on 0800 999111, don’t operate electrical switches and put out naked flames and cigarettes.
SAFETY IN THE KITCHEN •
Keep an eye on children in the kitchen.
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Fit a cooker guard to the top of your stove and turn pan handles so they do not stick out over the edge of the stove.
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Store items you use regularly within easy reach and do not store heavy items on high shelves.
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Keep knives sharp as blunt knives cause more accidents to those using them and keep all kitchen tools away from children.
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Store raw meat on a fridge shelf that is below cooked meats.
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Use separate boards and tools for preparing raw and cooked meat and fish. Have a separate board for preparing vegetables.
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Keep surfaces and equipment clean and mop up spills straight away.
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Wash your hands frequently while preparing and cooking food, and always after handling raw meat including fish.
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Soft cheeses, raw chicken and uncooked eggs (for example in mayonnaise) can cause food poisoning. Pregnant women children and the elderly are the most vulnerable.
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Keep cleaning fluids out of the reach of children.
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Buy and fit an all-purpose fire extinguisher and a fire blanket.
SAFETY IN THE GARDEN •
Make sure all tools and chemicals are kept secure and away from children and animals.
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Use an RCD (residual current device) when using tools powered by electricity (for example, lawn mowers and hedge cutters).
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Do not use electrical equipment in damp or wet conditions.
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Stay out of the garden when there is thunder and lightning.
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Keep tools clean and in good condition.
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When using chemicals follow the instructions and wear protective clothing as necessary.
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Get rid of unwanted chemicals by taking them to a public waste site. Do not tip chemicals into drains.
TRIPS AND FALLS •
Make sure light bulbs on stairs and in shared areas are working.
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Fit handrails on stairs and steps.
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Worn carpets can cause a fall – repair, remove or replace them.
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Pick up toys, magazines and so on and don’t leave things on the stairs.
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Ill fitting and worn shoes and slippers can cause falls, wear slippers with no slip soles.
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Fit grab rails in baths.
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Be careful using bath salts or similar they can make baths very slippery.
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Put grit, ash or salt on paths in frosty weather.
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Wet floors are slippery – take care on wet surfaces.
MORE INFORMATION www.rospa.com. www.homesafetycouncil.org.uk. www.direct.gov.uk
