By Jay Gregg
Each year about 2.5 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home. These terrible accidents can be prevented by using simple child-safety devices available on the market and by hiring an experienced home inspector to ensure your home is safe.
One of the most common hazards children are exposed to this season is drowning in the family pool. More than 1,000 children drown in the U.S. each year according to The National Safe Kids Campaign. A secured fence around the pool and hard covers on hot tubs are necessary items if you ever have small children in the home. Doors leading outside should have locks that are placed high enough to be out of reach for young children.
It only takes as little as one inch of water for a child to drown. Be sure to keep toilet lids shut or even attach a child lock on your toilet so that there is no chance of them accidentally falling in headfirst.
Carbon monoxide is invisible, odourless and tasteless and most tragedies involving CO occur while occupants are sleeping. Both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors outside of bedrooms and sleeping areas are imperative. They can now be purchased as one device. Homes with gas stoves or ranges, oil heating systems or even attached garages are prone to carbon monoxide poisoning and homeowners should be extra weary of this potential hazard. The CO from the fumes can build up in places that don’t have a good flow of fresh air and simply breathing in CO can cause death.
Check detectors monthly to ensure proper function. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries.
If you live in a two-storey home, staircases and railings can also be hazardous. By placing safety gates at both ends of a staircase, you can prevent a small child from falling down the stairs or slipping through the railings. Stairways with four or more risers should have a continuous handrail not lower than 34 inches or taller than 38 inches on at least one side, with balustrades not more than four inches apart from each other. Spaces between vertical rails any larger than four inches can be extremely hazardous and cause a child’s head to wedge between them or allow a smaller child to slip through the space.
Once children are old enough to stand on their own or wander around the house, be sure to cut window blind cords to help prevent them from strangling on blind-cord loops. Safety tassels on mini-blinds and tension devices on vertical blinds can help prevent deaths and injuries. Although most young children are supervised by an adult when in the bathroom, anti-scald devices on faucets and showerheads help prevent burns from hot water. Making sure your water heater temperature is set to 120 F is another way to prevent child burns.
By having a home inspector check your home for potential hazards this summer, you’ll be sure to breathe a sigh of relief knowing your child and the rest of your family is that much safer in your home. From edge bumpers on furniture to door stops and safety latches on cabinets, you can turn your home into a safe zone from top to bottom.
Jay Gregg is Pillar To Post’s director of marketing as well as a certified home inspector based in Orangeville, Ont. Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post is now the largest home inspection company in North America with over 400 franchisees in 47 states and eight Canadian provinces. www.pillartopostfranchise.com.
