| -- |
Install child-resistant covers on all electrical outlets. |
| -- |
Keep dangerous chemicals out of children's reach. |
| -- |
For strings and ribbons, follow the six-inch rule. |
| -- |
Always use a safety belt on your baby when she is sitting in
a bouncy seat or a swing. |
| -- |
Shorten curtain and blind cords. |
| -- |
Place furniture well away from windows. |
| -- |
Use corner bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges. |
| -- |
Place houseplants out of children's reach. |
| -- |
Know the names of all plants in case a child eats one of them. |
| -- |
Keep cigarettes, matches, and lighters out of children's reach. |
| -- |
Safeguard heating and gas systems against accidents. |
| -- |
Be sure that furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, space
heaters, and gas appliances are vented properly. |
| -- |
Place screened barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and portable
space heaters. |
| -- |
Install carbon-monoxide (CO) alarms outside bedrooms to help
prevent CO poisoning. |
| -- |
Install smoke alarms outside each bedroom and on every level
of your home. |
| -- |
Remove the plastic end caps on doorstops or replace the stops
with a one-piece design to prevent choking. |
| -- |
Consider placing plastic guards along the hinge side of frequently
used interior doors to prevent the doors from pinching fingers. |
| -- |
Safety-proof windows and fire exits. |
| -- |
Make a fire evacuation plan and practice fire escape routes
at least twice a year. |
| -- |
Keep firearms and ammunition safely locked away. |
| -- |
Secure unsteady furnishings. |
| -- |
Avoid household water hazards. |
| -- |
Test homes built before 1978 for lead paint. |
| -- |
Learn first aid and CPR. |
|
Hallways and staircases: |
| -- |
Avoid dark hallways and rugs that slip. |
| -- |
Safety-proof stairs. |
| -- |
If possible, install carpeting on stairways to protect from
falls. |
|
Kids' rooms: |
| -- |
Position your child's crib away from all drapery, electrical
cords, and windows. |
| -- |
Make sure the crib meets national safety standards. |
| -- |
Make sure the mattress fits snugly. |
| -- |
Be sure the crib sheet fits snugly. |
| -- |
If you use a crib bumper, make sure it's firm (not fluffy)
and secured tightly with at least six ties. |
| -- |
Remove mobiles and other hanging toys from the crib as soon
as your child can reach up and touch them. |
| -- |
Place infants under one year on their backs to sleep. |
| -- |
Never use an electric blanket in the bed or crib of a small
child or infant. |
| -- |
Place night-lights at least three feet away from the crib,
bedding, and draperies to prevent fires. |
| -- |
Always use a safety belt on your infant when you have her on
a changing table, and never leave her unattended. |
| -- |
Provide padding for falls. |
| -- |
Check age labels for appropriate toys. |
| -- |
Be vigilant about choking hazards. |
| -- |
Use side railings for children just getting used to "big kid"
beds. |
| -- |
If bedrooms are on second or third stories, be sure to have
a fire-escape ladder in each room. |
|
Bathroom: |
| -- |
Put a lock on the medicine cabinet. |
| -- |
To prevent poisoning, lock away all vitamins and medicines. |
| -- |
Install toilet-lid locks to prevent drowning. |
| -- |
Lower the household water temperature. |
| -- |
Always test the water first before bathing a child. |
| -- |
Make sure bathtubs and showers aren't slippery. |
| -- |
Use electrical appliances carefully. |
| -- |
Install ground-fault circuit interrupters on outlets near sinks
and bathtubs. |
| -- |
Never leave a young child alone in the bathroom. |
|
Kitchen: |
| -- |
Keep knives, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags out of children's
reach. |
| -- |
To avoid fires and burns, never leave cooking food unattended. |
| -- |
If stove knobs are easily accessible to children, use protective
covers to prevent kids from turning them. |
| -- |
Teach your kids how to respond to fire. |
| -- |
When they're not in use, unplug electrical appliances. |
| -- |
Replace any frayed cords and wires. |
| -- |
Keep chairs and step stools away from counters and the stove. |
| -- |
Keep activated charcoal (helps absorb some poisons) and syrup
of ipecac (used to induce vomiting) on hand. |
| --- |
Beware of foods that children can choke on. |
|
Yard: |
| -- |
Store tools, garden, and lawn-care equipment and supplies in
a locked closet or shed. |
| -- |
Don't use a power mower to cut the lawn when young children
are around. |
| -- |
Don't allow children to play on a treated lawn for at least
48 hours following an application of a fertilizer or a pesticide. |
| -- |
Know the types of trees on the property in the event children
ingest berries, leaves, or other plant life. |
| -- |
If you have a swimming pool, install a fence (with an automatic
childproof gate) that separates the house from the pool. |
| -- |
When you barbecue outdoors, never leave kids unattended around
the grill. |
| -- |
Store propane grills where children cannot reach the knobs. |
|
Other resources for childproofing your home:
|
| -- |
To find outlet covers, cord shorteners, cabinet latches, and
toilet-lid locks, check with your local hardware store. |
| -- |
For consumer-product and home-safety information, contact the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. |
| -- |
For details about child and home safety, contact the National
Safe Kids Campaign. |
| -- |
For information about child lead poisoning, read the "Lead
Hazard Information" pamphlet from the department of Housing and Urban Development. |
| -- |
For information about safe drinking water, contact the Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Water. |
| |
To
make sure that your home is a safe haven for your children - and you - learn to
spot and eliminate hazards throughout the house. This checklist will show you how.