Home safety

As the saying goes, accidents happen. No matter how safe you think your house is, opportunities for mishaps are sometimes hard to spot.

We’re here to help you identify hidden dangers in your home and to limit the risks they may present to you and your family.

Making room for safety – in every room in your house

We’ve put together effective tips for making every room you live in safer for you, your children and your whole family.

Let’s look at checklists you can use for each room, one-by-one:

Kitchen

• Store sharp knives, utensils, dishwasher detergent and other supplies in a cabinet with a child lock.
• Keep chairs and stools away from the stove, the sink and counters.
• Use the back burner on the stove.
• Point pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• Keep your child away from the stove while cooking.
• Keep electrical appliances unplugged and out of reach when not in use. Tuck cords away.
• Use a highchair that is sturdy and has a seat belt and crotch strap.
• Keep working fire extinguishers in the kitchen and know how to use them.

Family room

• Pad the edges and corners of hard furniture.
• Keep household plants out of your child’s reach as some may be poisonous.
• Make sure TVs and other heavy objects like lamps, bookshelves and pictures are properly secured or tethered to a wall. TVs should be put only on furniture that is low, sturdy and designed to hold them.
• Check electrical cords. They should run behind furniture and not hang down to avoid pulling. Replace cords that are damaged or frayed and get rid of unused ones. Never overload your outlets.
• Place protective barriers around fireplaces and other heat sources.
• Store matches and lighters away from your child and teach them that only adults can use them.

Bedroom

• Keep night-lights away from window coverings and buy only cool lights that don't get hot.
• Install smoke alarms outside every bedroom, in furnace areas and on every level of your home. Use only long-life lithium batteries and change them every year. You also should test your smoke alarms every month.
• Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors on every floor. CO is a toxic gas that has no taste, color and odor. It comes from appliances and heaters that burn gas, oil, wood, propane or kerosene.
• Make sure to use window guards and secure them tightly to prevent your child from falling out of a window.
• Use a cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer to avoid burns. Clean it according to the manufacturer's instructions to avoid mold/bacteria growth.

Baby’s room

Changing table:

• Never leave your child unattended.
• Keep all supplies in an arm's reach.
• Use the table’s safety belt to prevent falls.
• Keep at least one hand on your child at all times, even when using the safety belt.
• Use cordless window coverings and make sure drapes or blinds are tied up with no loops to avoid strangulation.
• Be careful with the use of baby powder or talc. Your child's lungs could get injured if those products are ingested.

Crib:

• Lay your child on their back to sleep if under the age of 1.
• Use a firm mattress with a fitted sheet.
• Never allow your child, if an infant, to sleep in an adult bed or on the couch.
• Keep pillows, quilts, bumper pads, sheepskins and stuffed toys out of your child's crib, as those items present suffocation risks.
• Don't hang anything with strings or ribbons over the crib.
• Keep monitor cords away from the crib.
• Use a crib that meets current standards. It shouldn't have drop sides or corner posts. The crib's slats should be no more than 2⅜ inches apart, and its mattress should fit snugly to avoid entrapment.

Bathroom

• Stay within an arm's reach of your infant or young child when they are in the bathtub. Drowning can happen even in just a few inches of water.
• Don't allow another small child to watch your infant while in the tub.
• Keep the bathroom door closed when it's not in use. The toilet seat lid also should be down, doorknob covers in place and cabinets locked.
• Empty all buckets or containers immediately after use.
• Use nonskid bathmats in the tub and on the floor.
• Keep all medicines, toiletries, cosmetics and cleaning supplies out of your child’s reach. All medicines should have child-resistant caps on and be tightened.
• Unplug hairdryers, curling irons, shavers and any other electrical appliances when not in use. Keep them out of your child’s reach.
• Make sure the outlets in your bathroom have ground fault interrupters (GFIs).
• Avoid burns by keeping the hottest temperature of the faucet at no more than 120°F. You may need to adjust your water heater.

Playroom

• Use a toy chest without a lid. If your toy chest has a lid, make sure the hinges hold the lid open and do not pinch. The chest should have air holes just in case your child gets trapped.
• Make sure TVs and other heavy objects like lamps, bookshelves or pictures are properly secured or tethered to a wall. TVs should only be put on furniture that is low, sturdy, and designed to hold them.
• Check electrical cords. They should run behind furniture and not hang down to avoid pulling. Replace cords that are damaged or frayed and get rid of unused ones. Never overload your outlets.
• Use cordless window coverings and make sure drapes or blinds are tied up with no loops to avoid strangulation.

Entryway/foyer

• Block all stairs with gates.
• Make sure there are no shoes or toys left on stairs.
• Install handrails on all staircases.
• Lock up all firearms. Make sure safety locks are on and bullets are stored elsewhere.
• Create a fire escape plan and practice it with your family.
• Post the Illinois Poison Center's number (800-222-1222) for all to see and store it in your mobile devices.
• Teach your child how to dial 911.