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To
make sure that your new home is a safe haven for your children
- and you - learn to spot and eliminate hazards throughout the
house. This checklist will show you how. |
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Safety measures
for every room: |
- Install child-resistant
covers on all electrical outlets.
- Keep dangerous
chemicals out of children's reach.
- For strings
and ribbons, follow the six-inch rule.
- Always use
a safety belt on your baby when she is sitting in a bouncy seat
or a swing.
- Shorten curtain
and blind cords.
- Place furniture
well away from windows.
- Use corner
bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges.
- Place houseplants
out of children's reach.
- Know the names
of all plants in case a child eats one of them.
- Keep cigarettes,
matches, and lighters out of children's reach.
- Safeguard heating
and gas systems against accidents.
- Be sure that
furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and
gas appliances are vented properly.
- Place screened
barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and portable space heaters.
- Install carbon-monoxide
(CO) alarms outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning.
- Install smoke
alarms outside each bedroom and on every level of your home.
- Remove the
plastic end caps on doorstops or replace the stops with a one-piece
design to prevent choking.
- Consider placing
plastic guards along the hinge side of frequently used interior
doors to prevent the doors from pinching fingers.
- Safety-proof
windows and fire exits.
- Make a fire
evacuation plan and practice fire escape routes at least twice
a year.
- Keep firearms
and ammunition safely locked away.
- Secure unsteady
furnishings.
- Avoid household
water hazards.
- Test homes
built before 1978 for lead paint.
- Learn first
aid and CPR.
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Hallways and
staircases: |
- Avoid dark
hallways and rugs that slip.
- Safety-proof
stairs.
- If possible,
install carpeting on stairways to protect from falls.
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Kids' rooms: |
- Position your
child's crib away from all drapery, electrical cords, and windows.
- Make sure the
crib meets national safety standards.
- Make sure the
mattress fits snugly.
- Be sure the
crib sheet fits snugly.
- If you use
a crib bumper, make sure it's firm (not fluffy) and secured tightly
with at least six ties.
- Remove mobiles
and other hanging toys from the crib as soon as your child can
reach up and touch them.
- Place infants
under one year on their backs to sleep.
- Never use an
electric blanket in the bed or crib of a small child or infant.
- Place night-lights
at least three feet away from the crib, bedding, and draperies
to prevent fires.
- Always use
a safety belt on your infant when you have her on a changing
table, and never leave her unattended.
- Provide padding
for falls.
- Check age labels
for appropriate toys.
- Be vigilant
about choking hazards.
- Use side railings
for children just getting used to "big kid" beds.
- If bedrooms
are on second or third stories, be sure to have a fire-escape
ladder in each room.
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Bathroom: |
- Put a lock
on the medicine cabinet.
- To prevent
poisoning, lock away all vitamins and medicines.
- Install toilet-lid
locks to prevent drowning.
- Lower the household
water temperature.
- Always test
the water first before bathing a child.
- Make sure bathtubs
and showers aren't slippery.
- Use electrical
appliances carefully.
- Install ground-fault
circuit interrupters on outlets near sinks and bathtubs.
- Never leave
a young child alone in the bathroom.
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Kitchen: |
- Keep knives,
cleaning supplies, and plastic bags out of children's reach.
- To avoid fires
and burns, never leave cooking food unattended.
- If stove knobs
are easily accessible to children, use protective covers to prevent
kids from turning them.
- Teach your
kids how to respond to fire.
- When they're
not in use, unplug electrical appliances.
- Replace any
frayed cords and wires.
- Keep chairs
and step stools away from counters and the stove.
- Keep activated
charcoal (helps absorb some poisons) and syrup of ipecac (used
to induce vomiting) on hand.
- Beware of foods
that children can choke on.
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Yard: |
- Store tools,
garden, and lawn-care equipment and supplies in a locked closet
or shed.
- Don't use a
power mower to cut the lawn when young children are around.
- Don't allow
children to play on a treated lawn for at least 48 hours following
an application of a fertilizer or a pesticide.
- Know the types
of trees on the property in the event children ingest berries,
leaves, or other plant life.
- If you have
a swimming pool, install a fence (with an automatic childproof
gate) that separates the house from the pool.
- When you barbecue
outdoors, never leave kids unattended around the grill.
- Store propane
grills where children cannot reach the knobs.
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Other resources
for childproofing your home: |
- To find outlet
covers, cord shorteners, cabinet latches, and toilet-lid locks,
check with your local hardware store.
- For consumer-product
and home-safety information, contact the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission.
- For details
about child and home safety, contact the National Safe Kids Campaign.
- For information
about child lead poisoning, read the "Lead Hazard Information"
pamphlet from the department of Housing and Urban Development.
- For information
about safe drinking water, contact the Environmental Protection
Agency's Office of Water.
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