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Home Safety Checklist: General Safety in the Home
 General Safety in the Home
Prevent fire injuries and burns | top
- Create and practice a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room.
- Install working smoke alarms and CO detectors in every level of your home, in each bedroom and outside every sleeping area. Test the alarms every month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
- Keep matches, lighters, candles and heat sources out of reach.
- Store appliances and electrical devices properly.
- Keep electrical cords in good condition.
- Don’t overload outlets, and use covers when they’re not in use.
- Set your water heater temperature at 120 degrees.
Prevent choking, suffocation and strangulation | top
- Use cordless window products, if possible. If not, cut the cords short, eliminating the loops, and tie them out of reach.
- Eliminate openings of more than 3 ½ inches in stair railings, balconies and furniture.
- Get down on your hands and knees to check for small objects. Keep rooms free of items that can fit into a small parts tester or toilet paper tube.
Prevent serious falls | top
- Install hardware-mounted gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.
- Use stationary play centers instead of baby walkers with wheels.
- Keep hallways and stairways well-lit and free of clutter.
- Tack down rugs and runners.
- Install window guards or stops on all windows not designated as emergency exits, to prevent them from opening more than 4 inches.
Be prepared for emergencies | top
- Place all emergency numbers by every phone. Include the Poison Control Center’s number: 1-800-222-1222.
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