PRESENTATION

BY

B.K.JHA

Home safety

Bathroom Safety Tips The combination of water, medications and electrical appliances make safety precautions in and around the bathroom essential for every family member. Safe storage of supplies, constant adult supervision around water and swift cleaning of slick surfaces should be common practice to help reduce the risk of some of home injuries.

· Put non-slip strips in your tub or shower.

Have a bath mat with a non-skid bottom next to the tub and shower

· Keep the bathroom floor clean and dry.

· Use nightlights in hallways and bathrooms.

Protect Young Children

Don’t let young children use the sink or tub without help.

When children are in the tub, stay close enough to touch them.

· Know the things in your bathroom that are poisons.

Look at the labels for the words “Caution”, “Warning”, or “Danger” on the box or bottle.

Keep all medicines and cleaning products in the containers they came in. Keep labels on them.

All your medicines and cleaning products should have child safety caps.

All medicines, cosmetics (make-up) and cleaning supplies should be locked in a cabinet.

Set your water heater at 120 degrees F or less (or just below the medium setting).

Prevent Fire

· Blow out candles if you leave the bathroom.

Have a large, deep ashtray for smokers in your family.

Put water on cigarette buttes before throwing them away.

Prevent Electrical Shock Injuries

Keep hair dryers, curling irons and electric razors away from water.

Always unplug appliances after using them.

The electrical outlet in the bathroom should have a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). This is a tool that protects you from a dangerous shock when water and electricity come together. An electrician can install a GFCI for you.

Falling

Millions of People are only a step away from becoming victims of the leading cause of unintentional home injuries - falls.

Falls are by far the leading cause of unintentional home injury death. The vast majority of fall deaths occur among people age 65 and older and fall death rates are higher for males.

In an effort to reduce injuries among people of all ages, the Home Safety Council encourages families to identify and correct potential falling hazards in and around the home.

Home Safety "Walk-Through"

All stairs and steps should be protected with a secure hand-rail.

Make sure all porches, hallways and stairwells are well lit. Use the maximum safe wattage in light fixtures. (Maximum wattage is typically posted inside light fixtures.)

Keep stairs, steps, landings and all floors clear. Reduce clutter and safely tuck away telephone and electrical cords out of walkways.

In homes with children, make sure toys and games are not left on steps or landings. When very young children are present use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs.

Keep the floor clean. Promptly clean up grease, water and other spills.

If you use throw rugs in your home place them over a rug-liner or choose rugs with non-skid backs to reduce your chance of falling.

Use a sturdy step stool with hand rails when climbing is necessary.

Follow medication dosages closely. Using multiple medications and/or using medications incorrectly may cause dizziness, weakness and other side effects which can lead to a dangerous fall.

Have handrails on both sides of stairs and steps.

In with young children, use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs.

Kitchen safety

To keep unintentional injuries out of your kitchen, the Home Safety Council suggests taking these simple steps to prevent kitchen fires and burns:

Always stay in the kitchen while cooking on the range, especially when frying food.

Keep things that can burn, such as dishtowels, paper or plastic bags, and curtains at least three feet away from the range top.

Keep grease from building up on the range top, toaster oven and in the oven.

Electrical outlets in the kitchen should be protected by Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs). If you don't have them, hire an electrician to install these devices to protect electrical receptacles near water.

For safer water temperatures to prevent scalds from hot tap water, keep your hot water heater set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

Never leave barbecue grills unattended while in use. Keep grills at least three feet away from other objects, including the house and any shrubs or bushes.

Post emergency numbers in visible areas

Electrical Safety Tips

Electrical appliances and tools that enhance our lives with convenience, comfort, and entertainment. But the power that drives these important devices can be a source of pain and tragedy if it is misused.

These guidelines from the Home Safety Council will help us spot electrical problems which may be present in our home and take appropriate action to correct or remove dangers. For continuous safety, give our home periodic checkups to be sure that no new hazards develop.

Safe Lighting

Use the right light bulbs in all lamps and light fixtures.

Look inside the light fixture. Find a label that tells you which light bulb size (wattage) is right for the fixture.

Safe Electrical Systems

Small Appliance Safety

The electrical outlet in the bathroom should have a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI.) This is a tool that protects us from a dangerous shock when water and electricity come together. An electrician can install a GFCI for usAll electrical outlets and switches should be covered by “faceplates”.

· All electrical cords should be in good condition.

· Don’t tie or knot cords. Don’t let furniture sit on cords.

Unplug toaster ovens, coffee makers and other small appliances after using them.

Don’t plug in too many appliances at once.

Call an electrician if your lights flicker, or if your power goes out a lot.

Precaution after Burn Injuries

Treat a minor burn injury immediately with cool running water for 3-5 minutes. Do not apply ice, which can harm the skin. Do not apply butter or lotions, because this can keep the skin temperature hot, increasing the injury. Apply a sterile bandage to the injured area. If the burn is serious, seek medical treatment immediately.

If your clothing catches fire remember the phrase, “STOP, DROP and ROLL.” This can save your life and limit your burn injuries. Stop where you are. Drop to the floor. Roll over and over to smother the fire. If someone else’s clothing catches fire, help them by telling them to stop, drop and roll. If they attempt to run, use a heavy rug or blanket to try to stop them and use it to smother the flames if you can do so safely.

Precaution from Carbon monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas that is difficult to detect because it is odorless and invisible. As a result, it is known as “the silent killer.”

CO is produced by fuel-burning appliances and equipment in our homes. If we have heating, cooking or power equipment that uses fuels such as oil, natural gas, coal, wood, propane, gasoline, etc., then our home is at risk for potential CO poisoning. Homes with attached garages are also at risk, because vehicles left running in the garage can cause CO to seep into the home.

CO poisoning can be prevented by proper care and use of household equipment. CO alarms can provide early detection if CO leaks or accumulation occurs. Both are important for your safety.

If you suspect CO poisoning in your home, call the appropriate responding agency, Keep all emergency response numbers posted by every telephone.

CO alarms are different from smoke alarms, and have different functions. CO alarms do not provide early warning of a fire. Smoke alarms do not provide early warning of CO exposure. Your home needs both CO and smoke alarm protection.

Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to symptoms of the flu, and can include headache, dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath. To distinguish between symptoms of flu and CO poisoning - if you feel better after leaving home and then worse again when you return, it may be CO exposure causing the symptoms. If your CO alarm sounds check to see if it is plugged in properly, or if battery-powered, check the battery to be sure the device is operating. If you suspect that CO is leaking in your home, follow these steps:

Open windows and doors to ventilate the rooms, or in severe cases of CO exposure, evacuate the home.

Call to report that you suspect CO is accumulating. Usually the appropriate agency

Seek immediate medical treatment for anyone who has severe symptoms.

Follow the advice of the responding agency before re-entering your home, and quickly obtain repairs as needed.

Children SafetyAlways watch your baby very carefully and follow these simple tips from the Home Safety Council. They will help you protect your baby in and around your home.

Keep Your Baby Safe From Choking and Suffocation

Window blind cords should not have a loop. Cut any loop in two pieces and place them up high where children cannot get them.

Put babies to sleep on their backs. Keep pillows, blankets and toys out of cribs. Do not hang anything with strings or ribbons over cribs.

Children can choke on small things. If something is small enough to fit in a toilet paper tube, it is not safe for little children. Look in every room of your home. Pick up small items like buttons, coins, jewelry and small toys. Keep latex balloons out of children’s reach – use mylar balloons instead. Watch carefully for loose magnets. If more than one is swallowed, they can attract each other in the body and cause serious injury or even death.

Keep Your Baby Safe From Falls

Use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than “pressure gates.”

Always use safety straps on high chairs, changing tables and strollers.

Wipe up spills when they happen.

Cover the ground under playground equipment with a thick layer (9-12 inches) of mulch, wood chips or other safety material

Keep Your Baby Safe From Poisons

Know the things in your home that are poisons.

Look at the labels for the words “Caution,” “Warning,” or “Danger” on the box or bottle. Remove all medicines and medical supplies from purses, pockets and drawers. Keep them out of reach of children and lock them away.

Put cleaners, medicines, alcohol and other poisons in a cabinet with a child safety lock or latch. Have child safety caps on all chemicals, medications and cleaning products.

Keep Your Baby Safe Around Water

Drowning can happen very fast. Most of the time you will not hear someone drowning. Stay within an arm’s reach of young children when they are in or near water

Store large buckets turned over, so water cannot collect inside them. Very young children can drown in 1-2 inches of water.

Put a high fence all the way around your pool or spa. Always keep the gate closed and locked.

Hot water burns like fire. Set your home water heater at or below 120 degrees F to prevent burns. Use a water thermometer to test bath water. The water temperature should be at 100 degrees F.

Window Safety

Follow these tips provided by the Home Safety Council to safeguard your family from preventable window injuries:

Protect Children from Window Falls

children are more likely to die or be severely injured from window-related falls than falls associated with any other product. Additionally, most of these injuries occur during the spring and summer months. To help prevent window falls in your home, the Home Safety Council suggests the following precautions:

Be aware that conventional window screens are not designed to prevent a child’s fall from a window.

Install specially designed window guards on upper windows to prevent children from falling out of windows.

Purchase window guards that have a quick-release mechanism inside so that they can be easily opened by an adult in a fire emergency.

Move furniture away from windows in children’s rooms to prevent them from reaching windows.

Never leave young children unattended near open windows.

Fires and burns are the third leading cause of unintentional home injury and related deaths. Fire safety and survival begin with everyone in your household being prepared. Follow these safety measures from the Home Safety Council to reduce the chance of fire in your home

Think Safe Be Safe: Fire Prevention Tips

Prevent Fires Caused by Cooking:

Keep things that can burn, such as dishtowels, paper or plastic bags, and curtains at least three feet away from the range top.

Before cooking, roll up sleeves and use oven mitts. Loose-fitting clothes can touch a hot burner and catch on fire

Prevent Fires Caused by Smoking:

· Use “fire-safe” cigarettes and smoke outside.

· Use large, deep ashtrays on sturdy surfaces like a table

· Douse cigarette and cigar butts with water before dumping them in the trash.

Prevent Fires Caused by Gasoline and Other Products:

· Store gasoline in a garage or shed in a container approved for gasoline storage.

· Never bring or use gasoline indoors; and use it as a motor fuel only.

Close the lid on all dangerous products and put them away after using them.

· Store them away from the home and in a safe place with a lock.

Don’t plug in too many appliances at once.

Keep Your Family Safe At Home

Know how to put out a small pan fire by sliding a lid over the flames.

Teach every family member to “Stop, Drop and Roll” if clothes catch fire.

· If you have a fire in your home, once you get out, stay out. · Do not go back inside for any reason.

Thanks