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Accidents happen.
They happen to a lot of people all around the world.
Every day somebody, somewhere has an accident.
And not just one somebody, but thousands every day.
While accidents can occur anywhere and to anyone, some of the most dangerous are the most common and they happen in our homes.
Below is a list of 6 of the most common, and often very dangerous, accidents that could take place in your home.
Trips and Falls
It's true that anyone can fall at any time.
Some of us are even clumsy enough to trip over our own feet.
The dangerous falls usually occur in young children and the elderly, and at home there are plenty of things to strike your head against on the way down.
Thankfully, you can help to prevent trips or falls by making sure the kids toys are all cleaned up when they finish playing, and ensuring the carpet or tiles are properly laid.
Cords and cables are always a trip hazard and should be kept tight, tidy and covered where possible.
You should check for tripping hazards before allowing young children to play in a room, or the elderly before they take a trip to the bathroom.
Don't leave loose cables tracking through the centre of your room, for instance.
Often times a fall can be treated with kind words and a hand off the floor.
If you notice drowsiness, vomiting or loss of consciousness, however, there could be a serious problem and you should seek a medical attention straight away.
Dangerous Furniture
It's important to watch out for edged or sharp corners on furniture in the home, or large heave furniture that could be knocked over.
A coffee table, dinner table or chest of drawers all pose a risk when children or the elderly are making their way through the home.
Especially if they're made from glass like a lot of coffee tables.
Make sure to properly assess what furniture you have, and how you can prevent injury should an accident occur.
There are soft plastic covers that can be fitting to counter top and table corners.
Your large and heavy wardrobes or television should be properly anchored to the wall to prevent anyone from being trapped underneath, especially small children who love to climb.
Falling Objects
If you're reading this, it's likely you are doing so to protect your children.
Everyone with kids knows that once they reach a certain age, they just never stop moving; always trying to climb, touch, pull and push on anything they can find.
It's important to make sure that anything kids can reach is secure and doesn't have objects on top of it that could be easily knocked over, potentially drop straight onto a soft toddler head.
Long table cloths are an immediate concern, especially since the table is usually stacked with dishes of food and utensils.
Electrical cables should also be secured and out of the way to prevent something being pulled from a shelf.
Sharp Objects
It's especially important to be always aware where any and all sharp objects are at any time.
Small children, as we have discovered, love to touch things and sharp knives, forks or even small spoons pose a large risk.
A kid gripping a fork and spoon and swinging their arms wildly around their faces is just waiting for a nasty accident.
Probably in the eyes.
Make sure to always clean and put sharp objects back into their designated drawer.
Getting Burnt
Globally there are a staggering amount of burns cases due to hot drinks and food spilling from a table all over somebodies child.
Children and the elderly are especially at risk here.
Burns are very painful and continue to burn down into the flesh for a long time after the initial spillage.
Children should be kept way from any ovens, hobs with open flames or anything else that emits flame or heat in the house.
Make sure to keep the water heater to a reasonable temperature.
A child touching the boiler, or jumping into a bath, can be easily burned through the use of excessively hot water.
For children the temperature should never rise above 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit.)
If a burn occurs, running the wound under cold water could help to ease the burn and should slow down the spread.
If it's a serious burn, for example through scalding hot water, then immediate medical attention should be sought.
Poisoning
Our homes are filled with dangerous cleaning chemicals and medications that could prove fatal if ingested, accidentally or purposefully.
It's critically important to keep any pills or cleaning chemicals always out of the reach of young children and anyone you feel may want to use it intentionally to cause themselves harm.
When it comes to the health and well-being of our loved ones at home, it's important to take all possible precautions to prevent accident and injury.
If an accident does happen, it's vital that you know what to do.
Take the new COSHH Risk Assessor Certification™.
