Julie-Ann
30-06-2010, 07:09 PM
If you are building or renovating your home there are several things you can do to make your home safer for your children and any little visitors.
Kitchen:
1. Try to avoid the kitchen being a major thoroughfare in the home.
2. Install a wall oven instead of an under bench oven.
3. Gas hotplates should have a flame- failure device to turn off the gas if it doesn't ignite.
4. Keep your microwave above the bench.
5. Keep knives out of reach of young children.
Laundry and Bathroom:
1. Use non slip flooring.
2. Keep poisons and medicines out of reach of young children. This may require using child safety locks on your cabinets.
3. Install a hot water system with a temperature control device and set below 50c.
Staircases:
1. Install stair lights or at least switches within easy reach of children and adults at both ends of the stairs.
2. Use balustrading that is either glass or vertical bars that are less than 100mm apart.
Power Points:
1. Use protective plugs in any power points.
2. Don't have cords dragged over the floors for someone to trip on.
I hope this helps some of our new parents and grandparents. But it is something to think about if you are likely to have any little visitors to your home.
If you can add to the list please do - it might help to prevent someone's little cherub having a nasty accident.
Kitchen:
1. Try to avoid the kitchen being a major thoroughfare in the home.
2. Install a wall oven instead of an under bench oven.
3. Gas hotplates should have a flame- failure device to turn off the gas if it doesn't ignite.
4. Keep your microwave above the bench.
5. Keep knives out of reach of young children.
Laundry and Bathroom:
1. Use non slip flooring.
2. Keep poisons and medicines out of reach of young children. This may require using child safety locks on your cabinets.
3. Install a hot water system with a temperature control device and set below 50c.
Staircases:
1. Install stair lights or at least switches within easy reach of children and adults at both ends of the stairs.
2. Use balustrading that is either glass or vertical bars that are less than 100mm apart.
Power Points:
1. Use protective plugs in any power points.
2. Don't have cords dragged over the floors for someone to trip on.
I hope this helps some of our new parents and grandparents. But it is something to think about if you are likely to have any little visitors to your home.
If you can add to the list please do - it might help to prevent someone's little cherub having a nasty accident.