A Safer Home is Child's Play

For the poster version of this information, click on the image.

Some useful safety tips …

The Bathroom

The presence of water and the contents of your bathroom cabinet pose numerous risks to all members of your household.

• Never leave the hot tap running unattended.
• Children should never be left unsupervised in the bath.
• Store razors and personal hygiene products out of reach. Lock away medicines.
• Don’t allow any electrical appliances in the bathroom.

The Living Area

The area in which the family spends most of its time holds many potential hazards, particularly for young children.

• Use safety gates on stairways.
• Keep low, unbarred windows closed and restrict access to balconies.
• Safety glass should be used for large glass panes such as doors.
• Secure large furniture that could be tipped over and soften all sharp corners.
• Tidy away loose hanging blind cords and curtain tie-backs.
• Secure all loose carpets and rugs.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is a particularly hazardous area due to the presence of hot electrical appliances, toxic substances and sharp objects.

• Always turn the stove off at the main switch.
• Try to use the back plates of the stove and keep pot handles pointing inwards.
• Keep electrical cords short and out of reach.
• Household cleaners, polishes and insecticides should all be locked away.
• Keep knives and other sharp objects away from curious fingers.

The Bedroom

The bedroom may seem a safe place but there are a number of possible dangers.

• Don’t allow children to play on bedroom furniture unattended.
• Cosmetics can be toxic to children and animals – store them out of reach.
• Prevent access to electrical appliances and cover plug sockets throughout the home.

Safe Storage

It is vitally important that the safety precautions you take inside the home are also applied outside.

• Keep any potential hazard out of the reach of children.
• Buy products that have resealable child safe closures.
• Keep products in their original boxes so that they can easily be identified.
• Store products such as turpentine, paint, fertilisers, gas cylinders and pool chemicals away from the general living area.
• Always read the storage instructions on the packs and make sure you separate incompatible products.
• Pool chlorine should be stored away from other products to prevent contamination.
• Make sure that the storage area is cool, dry and well ventilated.
• Do not reuse or refill empty containers.

DIY Safety

Its certainly not only children who need to be protected. Taking short cuts and ignoring basic safety rules are often responsible for adult injuries around the home.

• Always use the tool designed for the task and ensure that it is put away once the job is finished.
• Sweep the work area when finished to prevent slips and falls.
• Wear the correct safety clothing, such as goggles, face masks, protective gloves or safety boots.
• Treat electricity with the care it deserves. Always switch off the power at the fuse box before carrying out repairs.
• A ladder should always stand away from the wall at a distance of a quarter of the ladder’s height and should never lean against glass or guttering.
• Always make sure a power tool is earthed and replace worn flex.

Water Safety

With the arrival of summer your pool becomes the centre of your family’s activities. Safety and hygiene are paramount to this area of your home.

• Never, ever leave children unsupervised around swimming pools, garden ponds, buckets of water or water features.
• Restrict access to swimming pools by the use of a pool fence or a pool safety net.
• Teach children to swim from as early as 12 months. Contact “Learn to Swim” on 0861 100 456.
• Don’t allow children to push each other into the pool, run around the pool or hold each other under the water.
• Ensure that your pool water is sparkling blue and free from harmful bacteria by using a trusted sanitiser like HTH Classic.
• Contact HTH Pool Assist customer care line for further information 08600 222 40.

Brought to you by HTH, in association with Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa.