Hidden Dangers At Home – Security Savvy

You get home and you believe that all is safe but be aware there are hidden dangers that we all need to pay attention to. The following are some of the day to day dangers that we all seem to become complacent about.

Bathroom: Slips and Falls
If one is up in age or even has an injury that may hinder the way you get around, beware of the bathroom. More slips have happened in the shower/tub area and those of us who may be a bit older could really get injured. I would install some sort of handrail in the shower area to help prevent such an occurrence. If you have an elderly parent living with you, have some sort of panic button in the bathroom so if there is a problem you can be notified.
Children in the bathroom should never be left alone when bathing. It would take no time at all for a child to drown or hit their head while in a tub of water. There are close to 43,000 injuries each year in the bathroom and children make up approximately half of them. Most of these could have been prevented if there had been an adult in the bathroom with the child. Common excuses for not being present include the doorbell, something on the stove, or answering a phone call. When you have a child in a tub, always stay with them.

Kitchen Hazards
Hot stove tops (especially the glass ones) are hazards for anyone in the kitchen. A child or even an adult could touch the top of the stove and not realize that it’s extremely hot. How do you avoid that? Good question. I have done that myself; all it takes is one moment of distraction. I would suggest informing people, especially children, that you are cooking and that the surface is HOT. When you are cooking, make sure you have the handles of the pots and pans facing inward as much as possible. A child can try to grab a handle and could end up burned. You could also catch a handle yourself and knock it off the stove, burning yourself or others. Don’t leave potholders or kitchen towels near a hot stove. You should also keep an ABC fire extinguisher close to the kitchen area to put out small fires if necessary.

Den or Living Room
The hub of most homes is the TV room. It is where most of us go to have snacks, eat dinner and so on. When you have children or even pets there is a hidden danger: TOYS. Most of us are not looking down to try and avoid these items, and then it happens: you trip on a toy or a piece of a dog chew and the plate goes flying along with you. That cup of tea, coffee or a soft drink lands on grandma’s head. You end up with a sprained ankle or worse. You can’t avoid all the dangers but being vigilant in picking up such items can result in avoiding the above scenarios.

Mowing the Lawn
This job is for the weekend warrior. Whether it is he who straddles his riding mower or starts up the push mower, both can become a source of danger for children and adults alike. How? Well, let’s look at the area that needs to be mowed. Do a walk through to make sure you haven’t left any projectiles that could be sent toward a child, adult, pets, or even a window. I have seen animals get hit by a rock or other projectile that have caused severe injury to the recipients. So when we are mowing these areas it would be helpful to keep a good eye out so not to cause injury or even window damage at your neighbors house, or even your own.
Stay safe and aware.
By: Jim Doyle, owner of Madison Security Group
203 Us Highway 31 S, Athens, AL 35611