June is Home Safety Month

June 7, 2011 by Molly Huff

The Home Safety Council (HSC) sponsors Home Safety Month - a time set aside to ensure you check your home for potential safety hazards.  Not just for child-proofing, these tips are great for any homeowner or renter.  The HSC is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing home-related injuries, and their home saftey guidelines are easy to follow and could save your life.

Below are some guidelines - by room - that can keep your family safe this summer.

Kitchen

• Be sure to have a functioning fire extinguisher within reach
• Lock up all poisons - keeping them away from childrens and pets
• Keep pot handles on the stove turned inward
• Always wear oven mitts when using the stove
• Use child safety latches on cabinets and drawers
• Have functioning smoke detectors in place

Bathroom

• Lock up medicines away from children and pets
• Use nightlights to prevent injury at night
• Be sure rubber bathmats are in place to keep from slipping in the tub
• Always check bathwater before putting babies and children in the bathtub

Bedroom

• Choose a flame resistant mattress
• Keep flashlights handy for power outages
• Have emergency numbers and a telephone where you can get to them in a hurry
• Use nightlights to prevent injury
• Have functioning smoke detectors in place

Nursery

• Use outlet covers for all electrical outlets
• Practice crib and sleepwear safety
• Look for choking dangers
• Use nightlights
• Have functioning smoke detectors in place
• Use baby gates
• Keep window treatment cords up and out of reach

Pool

• Consider using a pool alarm to alert you if someone falls in the pool
• Always monitor children in the pool
• Surround pool with fencing and keep pool gates locked
• Prevent falls with a "No Running" rule
• Keep all pool chemicals locked up and away from children and pets
• Always wear sunscreen with at least a 20 SPF when in the sun

For more information and ways to keep your family safe this summer, visit HSC's website.  Affinity wishes you a safe, happy and healthy summer!