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The last week of August is National Safe at Home week and we here at Fill Your Plate want to encourage everyone to take a few minutes this week to take some simple steps to improve the safety of your home. 

Most people look at their homes as an oasis, a safe zone where they can relax and let their guard down.  This is what home should be.  But unfortunately, our homes are full of hidden dangers that we can easily overlook if we don’t know where to look and what to look for.  Here are some of the things you can do this week to improve the overall safety of your home.

Poison Control

Poisoning can easily happen unintentionally within the home and every family should take steps to prevent it while also talking about what to do if it happens.

• Post the phone number for poison control by the main phone in the house or pre-program it into the phones used by the family. (1-800-222-1222)
• Keep all medicine, cleaning products, and chemicals in their original containers to prevent accidental ingestion.
• Follow the directions on cleaning products and other household items that include chemicals to prevent accidental chemical reactions.
• Poison-proof your home by designating specific space for hazardous substances and keeping any potentially poisonous substance out of the reach of children and away from food and pets.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

One of the most common ways that people are injured in their homes is by slipping, tripping, and or falling.  Prevent this type of injury by

• Keeping floors and stairs clutter-free.
• Making sure there is adequate light in all areas to walk and maneuver safely.
• Keeping chords away from medium and high traffic areas.
• Investing in non-slip rugs wherever rugs are used on hard surface flooring.
• Having handrails in stairways and along the edge of porches.

Fire Prevention

More than 3,000 people perish each year as a result of fires in the home, which is even more tragic when you consider that the majority of house fires are preventable.  Here are quick and easy things you can do to keep your family safe from fire and if there is a fire.

• Install a smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home.
• Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month to ensure they are working.
• Replace the batteries every year and the detectors themselves every 10 years.
• Don’t overload circuits by using multiple extension cords in the same outlet.
• Pay attention when cooking or using any appliance that creates heat.
• Keep all combustibles at least 3 feet from space heaters.
• Keep your chimney clear by having it cleaned once a year.
• Have a plan for how each person can get out of the house if one of the alarms goes off, make sure the plan includes two exits from each room, and practice the plan.

Related articles

• The Importance of Reading the Pesticide Label (fillyourplate.org)
• Prevent Kitchen Fires: 5 Simple Steps (fillyourplate.org)
• How to Spring Clean Your Cupboards (fillyourplate.org)