There are not many areas of life where safety isn’t top priority, and home safety is one of those. It’s not just for the hard-hat brigade to denounce and stop fun. No. It’s peace of mind for many, especially for those who live alone or even have children and/ or elderly family members with them.
Your dwelling place must always be a space where you can minimise accidents and increase your comfort. A secure living environment can be achieved in a variety of ways, so let’s get into it!
Prevent Slips and Falls
Slips and falls are a risk in all homes. Wet floors in bathrooms and kitchens (and even staircases if you’re running up them in a rush with a coffee to answer a work call). Decreasing this risk is essential so no one potentially gets seriously injured.
How? For starters, and most obviously, mop and clean up your messes! Keep those floors as dry as possible and free from clutter and obstacles. A slip-resistant mat can help elderly family members or those who have less secure mobility. Handrails on both sides of staircase can provide extra support too.
This is especially true for elderly individuals (or family members with mobility challenges) – you might want to invest in a walk in bath. Traditional baths are far removed from walk-in baths, because walk-in baths have a low threshold and an outward or inward-opening door, which provides a safer entry and exit. Many of these baths come with built-in seats and grab bars, and more importantly, non-slip surfaces, which makes them an excellent addition to the modern bathroom for both safety and comfort.
Adequate Lighting in the Home
It comes as no surprise that poor lighting is another major contributor to household accidents. Think about all the risks: dim hallways, staircases, and entryways can result in trips and missteps. But there is a solution: install bright LED lights or motion-sensor lighting that can make a huge difference in visibility. Night lights are also particularly useful in bedrooms and bathrooms for extra safe navigation at night.
For further safety, you can also place light switches at staircases – particularly the top and bottom part. Even a small adjustment like this ensures that no one has to fumble blindly in the dark when moving between the different areas of the home.
Safe Design in the Bathroom
Bathrooms are both a place of relaxation and a place of risk. It’s those slippery surfaces again. That walk-in bath will go a long way, but you can enhance safety in the bathroom by installing grab bars near the toilet and shower area. You can also place non-slip tiles or rubber mats on the bathroom floor. Just remember to wash those mats so they don’t smell mildewy.
A curbless shower or an extra shower seat? Elderly family members could thank you for the extra security. Thermostatic mixing valves, too, could generate gratitude, as they help regulate water temperature to avoid the scolding heat that makes you buck forward, risking slips and falls, or for elderly members and children who may not react quickly enough to sudden changes in temperature.
Fire and Electrical Safety
House fires are another serious risk – but fortunately, you can take steps to protect your household. For starters, you can install smoke detectors – but make sure to test them regularly to ensure their effectiveness. In the same vein, keeping a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and any other areas with high fire risk (such as near fireplaces) is always a good idea. On the electrical side, any electrician will tell you to avoid overloading outlets and ensure your wiring is up to code. You can also use surge protectors to help mitigate the risks associated with power surges. Another reminder: if you notice frequent circuit breaker trips or flickering lights, it’s best to consult a licensed electrician to make an inspection.
Childproofing and General Safety
There shouldn’t be a parent in the UK who hasn’t attempted to childproof their home. If you’ve bought a stairgate, you’ve made a start, and a good one! Stairgates are great for keeping your children safely on the same floor as you – stopping those keen climbers or descenders.
What else can help keep those keen climbers and descenders safe? Secure the furniture: ensure they cannot tip a chair, push a sofa away from the wall, or even just simply fall off it because it’s unstable.
Investigative children can find their way into areas they shouldn’t, too – that cupboard under the sink or even kitchen drawers that contain harsh chemicals and sharp objects. Moving them to areas they can’t access or even locking those cupboards can provide peace of mind.
And not many may be aware of this, but cordless window blinds are also recommended by the experts to prevent strangulation risks. Do regular safety checks around the house to identify hazards before they cause harm, and replace worn-out appliances, repair loose tiles, and address any leaks or damp areas that may lead to mould growth, which is also dangerous in itself.
