How to Protect Your Home Against Dangerous Accidents

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, more people are injured at home than anywhere else, including roads and the workplace.

In 2022-23, there were no less than 162,000 cases of people being seriously injured in their residences, with many of them happening to children between the ages of 0 to 5. The main causes were falling objects, burns, trips and falls, the overwhelming majority of which were entirely preventable.

Overall, our home should be a place of comfort, not risk. So, it is important to take proactive steps to eliminate hazards and keep your living space as safe as possible.

In this guide, we’ll explore practical ways to protect your home against these types of accidents. By being aware of the potential for them to happen and implementing some sensible safety measures, it will go a long way towards keeping you safe, in the place you spend most of your time.

Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

Sadly, slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common of all household accidents, particularly for children and the elderly. For this reason, you should take steps to ensure you minimise the risk of them happening.

It is a good idea to lay down non-slip mats in areas that are prone to wetness, most notably the bathroom and kitchen. Doing this will provide extra grip, which will reduce your chances of slipping on wet surfaces.

Additionally, you should make a point of decluttering hallways, stairs and other areas of high-foot traffic to ensure they are clear. In particular, make sure items like toys and shoes are neatly put away.

Look out for loose carpets because they can also easily cause trips. If you do see them, use rug grippers or double-sided tape to keep them firmly in place. Alternatively, lay down better carpet flooring.

Other things you can do include installing handrails on the stairs and in the bathroom or toilet, as they can provide additional support for those who need it, and making sure there is adequate lighting throughout your home so you can see where you are going.

Employ Proper Fire Safety Measures

Every year, more than 17,500 fires start in Australian homes, many of which cause devastating damage to homes and put lives at serious risk.

To prevent yourself from becoming one of these statistics, it is important to install interconnected smoke alarms in every bedroom and all hallways. Make sure you test the batteries on a regular (monthly is recommended) basis.

It is also worth having at least one fire extinguisher per floor in your house that is easy to get to in case a fire breaks out. At the same time, store all of your flammable liquids, poisons, chemicals and dangerous gasses in appropriate cabinets, such as the ones offered by Storemasta.

You should also have a clear escape plan in place in the event of a fire, which should make everyone aware of the quickest and safest route to exit the home if it ever becomes ablaze.

Kitchen Safety

Given how many sharp tools are kept within it and that it is the room where most of the cooking takes place, it should come as no surprise that the kitchen is one of the most dangerous areas of the home.

Many accidents that happen in the kitchen are preventable. For instance, knives and other sharp utensils should always be kept out of reach of children and not left lying around, even for a few seconds. It is always best to keep them in a locked drawer or on a high shelf they can’t reach.

Similarly, when handling hot pots and pans, you should always use oven mitts and check that stovetops and ovens are turned off after cooking. You might even want to swap out your existing oven for a convection model that will not burn your fingers if you touch them.

Electrical Safety

Electrical hazards can result in shocks, fires, or worse, so you should get your system checked on a regular basis.

For your own peace of mind, it might be wise to have it upgraded to modern-day safety standards, particularly if your power cords are showing signs of fraying or wear and tear. Similarly, if an outlet is loose or sparks when used, get it looked at by a professional immediately.

If you have young children, make sure you use outlet covers to prevent them from sticking their fingers or objects into the outlets. Doing this is a very simple yet effective way to prevent electrical shocks.

You should also be mindful of long extension cords. They can be very handy, but if you overload them, it might lead to them overheating and starting a fire. Even if they don’t, they can be a significant trip hazard.

Childproofing Your Home

Perhaps, most importantly, if you have young children, it’s essential to take extra steps to childproof your home. Young children are naturally curious, and without proper safety measures, even the most innocuous of everyday objects can pose risks.

For this reason, install baby gates to block off staircases and other potentially dangerous areas of your home for them. It is also a good idea to pad the corners of furniture, such as coffee tables, to prevent them (and you!) from injury from accidental bumps.

Here are some more ways you can babyproof your home.