General Home Safety Tips
In the Home
- Turn off all electrical appliances that are not intended to be left on.
- Check smoke detectors every week to make sure they are working correctly.
- Keep the stairs well lit and free of clutter so you can see where you are walking and don’t have anything to trip over.
- Try not to use a chip pan as these are difficult to control and can cause a fire. Try to use a thermostatically controlled fryer or even better, cook oven chips.
- Keep medication and chemicals in their original containers so that they aren’t easily mistaken.
- Throw away out of date medication and don’t use anyone else’s or give yours to someone else as the wrong medication could do more harm than good!
- Mop up spills as soon as possible so that the chance of you or the next person slipping over is reduced.
- Never leave candles unattended. Candles and tea lights should be set upon a heat proof surface and never on plastic surfaces such as on top of a television set or bath tub because they can melt and cause a fire.
- Make sure cigarettes are completely extinguished and don’t light up if you are feeling sleepy.
- Don’t overload electric sockets as this can lead to over heating.
DIY & Gardening
- Always read instructions before using equipment so that you are aware of its capabilities, limitations and safe use.
- Use the right tools for the job and don’t be too ambitious by tackling jobs on your own that you are not sure about or that require more that one person.
- Lift heavy objects carefully – remember to bend your knees and your back straight when picking things up from the floor.
- Unplug and switch off power tools before cleaning them.
- Store chemicals safely in their original containers.
- Wear appropriate safety equipment like safety goggles and gloves.
- Use ladders and step ladders safely.
- An RCD (Residual Current Device) should be used to protect you from electric shock when using mains electric devices with power tools.
- Tidy away afterwards – especially sharp tools.
- Take care with barbeques especially with young children around. Make sure they are completely extinguished and have cooled down before being put away. Don’t add lighter fuel of other accelerants such as petrol to a lit barbeque or bonfire.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning
Carbon Monoxide is a gas that is odourless, tasteless and colourless and can poison very quickly. It is given off when fossil fuel is burned. Here are a few tips to help avoid Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
- Get chimneys and flues swept every year so that the gases given off can get away easily.
- All appliances (including Gas and Oil) should be serviced annually. Gas heaters and boilers should burn with a blue flame rather than orange/yellow and should not give off black sooty marks around them.
- Make sure that enclosed spaces are well ventilated and that vents are not blocked so that the fire or heater get enough fresh air to burn correctly and to let gases given off by the burning process escape.
- Carbon monoxide is also given off from barbeques, space heaters and petrol driven equipment so make sure that they are used in well ventilated areas.
