Basic home safety

Basic home safety: A checklist

Here are some important things to do to help prevent the most common childhood injuries in every part of your home.

	Whole home
	Install carbon monoxide detectors (testers) on every level of your home.
	Install smoke detectors on every level of your home, including near sleeping areas. Check monthly to be sure they are working. Change batteries twice each year, when you change the clocks in the spring and fall. Replace alarms older than 10 years.
	Set hot water heater to no more than 49º C (120º F) or anti-scald device installed on faucets. If you have difficulties adjusting the temperature, contact your landlord or local utility company for help.
	Install child-resistant door handle covers—especially for rooms with hazards, and exit doors.
	Store cleaning supplies and other corrosive or poisonous household products (laundry detergent, dish detergent, bleach) safely out of sight, out of reach and away from food.
	Remove or put out of reach sharp, breakable or heavy objects.
	Secure curtain and blind cords to the wall or beyond your child’s reach.
	Ensure space heaters are cool-to-the-touch models, have an automatic shut-off, and are kept away from fabrics such as bedding and curtains.
	Install window guards, or ensure windows are latched so that they won’t open more than 10 cm (4 inches). Window screens do not prevent falls – they come loose and cannot withstand the weight of a toddler.
	Keep furniture away from windows that open.
	Secure non-slip backing under loose rugs, so toddlers don’t trip on them.
	Put away toys when not in use so that no one trips on them.
	Keep doors to stairwells, basements, bathrooms and balconies closed and latched.
	Be careful when opening or closing any door and teach siblings to take care too. Little fingers often get caught in closing doors and pinch injuries are especially common in households with more than one child.
	Keep pet food and water off the floor between feedings or in an area that your child cannot access.
	Remove poisonous houseplants or keep them out of reach.
	Keep your poison control center's number close to the phone.

	Electrical outlets Electrical outlets are right at a baby’s eye level. Dangling wires, a power bar or even empty wall sockets will attract the attention of a curious baby. Remember: a baby wants to chew on that wire and examine that outlet with wet fingers.
	Put safety covers on all electrical outlets that are not in use.
	Unused safety plugs are out of baby’s reach.
	Use only electrical cords provided by the manufacturer of the appliance or fixture, and keep out of reach.
	Use extension cords that are the single-receptacle type. Cover empty outlets with safety plugs.

	Safety gates and barriers Safety gates prevent your baby from falling down stairways or entering rooms you want him to stay away from, like a busy kitchen.  Fire-safe barriers stop him from stumbling into something hot, like a gas fireplace, and getting burned.
	Be sure safety gates meet current safety standards and are labeled with the manufacturer name, model name or number, date of manufacture, and a warning statement about use and installation. Follow instructions carefully.
	At stairway openings, install gates with vertical bars made of metal or wood and be sure they are fixed securely to studs in the wall. Pressure mounted gates are not safe at the top of stairways.
	For between rooms, you can use pressure gates made of a see-through plastic panel, a fine mesh or smooth plastic holes.
	Place fire-safe barriers around, and at a safe distance from, space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves. Position the barrier so that the lowest point of its top edge is at least 56 cm (22 inches) off the floor.
	Place barriers around gas fireplaces. Although it may not look hot once it’s been turned off, it is. Some gas fireplaces have safety glass or barriers that can be purchased. Check with your fireplace manufacturer or installer.

	The kitchen Most serious or fatal childhood injuries happen in the kitchen or bathroom.
	Keep baby behind a safety gate or secure in a highchair when you are cleaning, cooking or making hot drinks.
	Cook on stove’s back burners with pot handles turned in from the stove-edge.
	Remove front- or top-mounted stove knobs between cooking times, especially if you have a gas stove.
	Tie up dangling cords and push appliances or gadgets to the back of the counter when not in use.
	Keep oven and dishwasher doors closed.
	Keep sharp or pointy objects (scissors, skewers, knives) in a latched drawer or out of reach.
	Keep hot food and drinks away from table or counter edges.
	Use non-slip place mats instead of a tablecloth.
	Tie plastic bags in a knot before putting them out of reach and out of sight.
	Keep kitchen garbage in a latched cupboard.
	Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and check it monthly.

	The bathroom
	Install hook-and-eye latch on the outside of the door so it’s always closed when not in use. Install the latch at the top of the door so an older child cannot reach it.
	Keep all cleaning products, medications, personal products (shampoo, make-up) and tools (hairdryer, curling iron, shaving equipment) stored high, or out of reach. Lock cabinets for safe storage, if possible.
	Be sure dangling electrical cords are rolled up and out of reach.
	Keep diaper pail tightly closed, inside a latched cupboard.
	Keep toilet lid latched tight so that your baby cannot open it.

	The living or family room
	Anchor top-heavy furniture or objects (like televisions or bookcases) to the wall.
	Reclining (La-Z-Boy-type) chairs have a space between the foot rest and seat when the chair is raised. Lower the foot rest when not in use. Young children should be kept away when raising and lowering the foot rest.
	Keep exercise equipment out of a room where your baby plays.
	Ensure trash cans or baskets have secure lids or are kept in a latched cupboard.
	Ensure locks and guards are on patio or balcony doors.

	The baby’s room Even the nursery needs to be made a safer place for a baby who is crawling, sitting up, pulling up to standing position, and reaching to grasp objects
	Set the crib mattress at its lowest level. Once your child starts trying to climb out of the crib or grows to 35” tall, he is probably ready to switch to a toddler bed or put the crib mattress on the floor as a transitioning step.
	Check for loose fittings regularly, especially whenever the crib is moved.
	Lock and raise the crib rail to its highest position when your baby is in the crib.
	Remove bumper pads, pillows, quilts, stuffed toys or comforters from the crib.
	Remove crib gyms and mobiles when the baby is sleeping.
	Keep large toys out of the crib. Babies can use these to climb out.
	Remove wall hangings, pictures, furniture or windows and blinds that are near enough for your baby to grab from inside the crib.
	Keep diaper pail tightly closed and in a latched cupboard.
	Keep nightlights away from the crib or change table. Your baby will want to reach for them.
	Keep containers with safety pins or diaper cream closed and safely out of your baby’s reach.