Is your home a safe haven? It may house many hazards. You can work hard to prevent diseases and health conditions by adopting healthier habits, forgetting that simple safety can prevent a multitude of costly and debilitating problems. We offer the following tips to help you take care at home.

Making Your Home Safe

According to the Home Safety Council, there are a number of safety guidelines you should be aware of to keep your home safe for your family. Some of the questions to ask yourself include:

• Have you tested your hot water and turned the temperature of your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to reduce the risk of burns and scalds?
• Do you have a first-aid kit that is easily accessible and stocked with emergency items?
• Have you installed UL-listed smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home?
• Do you test your smoke alarms once a month to make sure they are working, and replace the batteries every year?
• Does your family practice a home fire escape plan at least twice a year?
• Are all matches and lighters secured in a locked cabinet?
• Are dangerous household items, such as medicines, toxic bleaches, oven and drain cleaners, paint solvents, polishes, and waxes, stored safely in a locked cabinet?

Electrical safety is also a very important factor in keeping your home safe. Think about the following questions to make sure your home is as safe as it can be.

• Are wet areas in your home, such as the kitchen and bathrooms, protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)?
• Do you use the safe lightbulb wattage for each light fixture?
• Do you keep electrical cords out of traffic areas?
• Are all cords in good condition and not knotted or coiled or pinched under furniture or rugs?
• Are all electrically powered appliances and equipment dry and kept away from places where water is used?
• Are portable space heaters used away from such combustibles as curtains or stacks of newspapers?
• Are countertop electrical appliances located away from the sink, and their cords away from hot surfaces? Consider unplugging electrical appliances when not in use.
• Are the range top and the areas above it free from things that can burn, including towels, potholders, and plastic utensils?
• Are electric blankets in good working order and unplugged when not in use?

According to the National Safety Council, falls are the most common cause of accidental death and serious injury in the home. They are a particular problem for seniors, who often have limited mobility and problems with balance. Older people generally prefer to live at home, enjoying familiar surroundings and proximity to their loved ones. To keep seniors safe at home, make minor adjustments around the house such as:

• Putting a second railing on stairways
• Marking trouble spots with bright tape (e.g., a change in floor level)
• Putting grab bars in the bathtub
• Getting a tub seat and other bath accessories
• Installing lights in dark places and night-lights throughout the home
• Investing in a personal alarm
• Securing or eliminating throw rugs

Keeping your home safe for you and your family is as important as it is simple. We hope some of these tips will come in handy when you are ready to "safeproof " your home.

Sources: Home Safety Council, 2005, www.homesafetycouncil.org; National Safety Council, 2005