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Twenty Safety Items for Your Home
1. Smoke Detectors. Change the batteries twice a year when
you change your clocks. The National Fire Protection Agency
(NFPA) recommends that you replace your smoke detectors
after ten years and test them once a month to be sure they
work.
2. Carbon Monoxide Detectors. The NFPA recommends these
alarms for households with attached garages and those with
fuel-burning appliances or fireplaces.
3. Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters. These electrical
outlets with quick-tripping circuit breakers help prevent
death or injury from electrocution and can be installed
by an electrician.
4. Fire Extinguishers. A multipurpose dry chemical class
ABC type is the best fire extinguisher for home use. Keep
one in the kitchen, one in the bedroom, one near the fireplace,
and one in your car. Make sure everyone in the household
knows how to use them. Check the extinguishers periodically
and replaced them when they expire.
5. Emergency Evacuation Plan. Come up with a plan for escaping
in a fire and for natural disasters. Make sure everyone
in the house participates in the practices.
6. Flashlights. Keep a flashlight under or near each person's
bed and one in the basement. If you live in an area with
frequent power failures, buy a few of the kind with a large
base so they don't have to be hand held if the power is
off for several hours. Check batteries every few months
and store a supply of extra batteries where you can find
them easily.
7. First Aid Kit. Include First-aid manual, Sterile gauze
pads, Adhesive tape, Adhesive bandages, Scissors, Elastic
bandage, Safety pins, Latex or thin plastic medical gloves,
Peroxide for cleansing wounds and dissolving blood stains,
Antiseptic liquid or ointment, Small plastic bags, Benzocaine
spray, Hydrocortisone cream, Benadryl, Ibuprofen, Saline
eye drops, Tweezers, Thermometer, Mouthpiece for administering
CPR, Cotton swabs.
8. List of Emergency Phone Numbers.
9. Shutoff Valve Tags. Label the turnoff valves for gas,
oil, and water and clearly mark the main electricity shutoff.
Know how to use each in case of emergency.
10. Grab Bars. Since falls are among the leading causes
of home accidents, and bathtubs are among the slipperiest
surfaces, anchor grab bars into the wall studs in tubs and
showers.
11. Slip-Resistant Finishes. Use non-slip mats or strips
or decals in bathtubs and showers to help prevent slipping.
12. Safety Glazing. Every glass pane in your house should
be shatterproof. Look for a mark in the lower corner showing
the manufacturer's name and type and thickness of safety
glass. Don't forget shower and patio doors.
13. Handrails. Indoors or outdoors, every staircase in
your home should have secure handrails on both sides.
14. Step Stool / Utility Ladder. Keeping a lightweight,
sturdy step stool in a convenient spot will decrease the
likelihood of anyone taking chances standing on a chair
or other dangerous perch.
15. Sufficient Lighting. Help prevent falls with nightlights
near bedrooms and bathrooms. Keep interior and exterior
stairways and walkways adequately lit.
16. Tested Appliances. Every electric and gas appliance
in your home should carry the Underwriters Laboratories
(UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), or American
Gas Association (AGA) designations.
17. Safety Goggles. These are an absolute necessity when
using certain tools; they're also recommended by the NSC
for indoor cleaning, garage, and yard work.
18. Survival Kit.
19. Childproofing.
20. Pool Safety. Homes with swimming pools should have
the following: A four-foot fence with self-closing and latching
gate, Life preservers, Rescue equipment, Lockable cabinet
for storing pool chemicals, Poolside telephone.
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