Prioritise child safety at home

THE most effective method to check that your child is safe in your home is to get down to their level.

This may mean literally crawling through your home checking for anything that may pose a danger to them – and here’s a comprehensive checklist provided by our friends at ER24, that may help.

In general

Cover sharp furniture edges with padding or foam, and cover plug points with safety covers.

These are available at most hardware stores.

Hide all electrical cords (they cause a choking hazard, and can lead to heavy items being pulled from shelves), and use doorstops to protect little fingers from being caught in slamming doors.

Window blind cords are extremely dangerous – cut them, or tie them into high knots to keep them well out of reach.

Flat screen televisions are major safety hazards, and these should be securely mounted to a wall to prevent them toppling over.

If you have a staircase, install a safety gate at the top to prevent falling.

In the kitchen

Household cleaning products should be moved to high shelves, well out of reach of little hands, and put a safety latch on oven, microwave and fridge doors.

Drawers containing sharp knives and cutlery should have a child-lock fitted to them, as should the cupboard containing your heavy pots and pans.

Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen.

Washing machines and tumble dryers should have safety locks put onto them, to prevent children climbing into them.

It goes without saying that abandoned fridges and freezers are extremely dangerous, and should have their doors removed if they are being stored on your property.

Bathroom

Install a toilet lid lock, and put cleaning products out of reach.

It is important to remember that children can drown in a teaspoon of water – never leave buckets or water vessels in the shower or around the house unattended (ie during mopping of floors).

‘Nappy’ buckets are extremely dangerous, too.

Medications should be stored in a locked cupboard well out of reach of children.

Place a non-slip mat outside the bath and shower, and never leave a bath unattended.

In your garden

Pools, pools, pools! Keep them covered at all times, and install gates to restrict access.

Don’t forget about ponds and water features, which are just as deadly.

Don’t disregard buckets that may lie around collecting water.

Poisons, fertilizers and pesticides should be in a locked cabinet in your garage or shed, as should sharp tools.

Make sure your electric driveway gate has a safety stopper, to prevent it derailing and falling onto a child.

General

Keep a well-stocked first aid kit at home, and pin emergency numbers in a visible place.

Walk your domestic worker or home carer through an emergency situation, ensuring they know which panic buttons to push, and who to call for emergency assistance.

Taking a first aid course is never a bad idea – with basic CPR being a literal life-saver in many home emergencies.

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