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When you think of your home, you think of it as a safe space. Yet, accidents can still happen at home, and you should know how to prevent them to avoid severe injuries and fatalities. Read on to find out more about the six common household accidents to look out for at home.

Trips and Falls

Did you know that trips and falls are a leading cause of emergencies and fatalities when it comes to home accidents? In most cases, the elderly and younger children are most vulnerable. If a fall causes severe injuries like broken bones, it can lead to other complications such as a hip fracture in older people.

It’s crucial to minimise the risk in your home to prevent medical emergencies or fatalities. The following are effective ways to avoid injuries associated with trips and falls:

• Install security gates at the top and bottom of your staircase.
• Ensure you stay clear from wet floors.
• Wear shoes or walk barefoot instead of wearing socks inside your home, especially on tiled floors.
• Remove or repair any potential tripping hazards around the house.

Poisoning

Children are vulnerable to poisoning incidents at home. There are many substances that can lead to accidental poisoning. For instance, medicines and cleaning agents can be dangerous when you don’t follow safe storage measures.

You should ensure you keep any harmful substances out of reach of children. You should consider moving them to higher shelves that can be locked. Most importantly, you shouldn’t leave your children unattended when you have any products that pose a poisoning risk.

Consuming common household products can lead to accidental poisoning. As a result, it can be hard to detect when your child is at risk. The following are signs that your child could have ingested a poisonous substance:

• Trouble breathing.
• Nausea or vomiting unexpectedly.
• Unconsciousness or seizures.
• Lip blisters or mouth sores and unusual drooling.

Drowning

According to research, children under the age of four are at a higher risk of drowning. Drowning is one of the leading causes of fatalities in children around that age. Additionally, young children can drown in shallow water, like when bathing.

Water can be exciting for children. That’s why you should ensure you follow these four water safety tips to prevent drowning incidents at home:

• Don’t leave your children unattended near water sources even when they appear shallow.
• Avoid slips and falls inside the bathtub or swimming pool.
• Empty buckets or containers of water immediately after use.
• Learn CPR techniques to improve your peace of mind.

Burns

Burn accidents at home are common. Children younger than six are at a higher risk of being burn victims. Research suggests that approximately 1300 burn-related fatalities amongst children are reported in South Africa.

There are areas in your house that require more attention to prevent the high risk of burn accidents. Winter sees an increase in burn injuries and as a result, you should ensure you do the following:

• Keep your children away from open fires and heating appliances.
• Cover electrical outlets.
• Store matches and lighters away from your children’s reach.
• Don’t let your children near the stove when you’re cooking.
• Unplug hot irons and kettles.
• Ensure you smoke outside, away from areas that can trigger a fire.

Choking

There are many household choking hazards you may have missed. For instance, you can choke while eating dried fruit or eating hard candy. Children are more vulnerable to choking incidents since they spend their early childhood years exploring things through touch and taste.

You should do a thorough check of your home to ensure you prevent most choking hazards. The following are things you should keep an eye out for:

• Toys and other smaller objects like marbles.
• Coins, safety-pins, and paperclips.
• Bolts, nails, and screws.
• Small bottle caps.
• Deflated balloons.
• Small decorations like pebbles or fridge magnets.

Sharp Objects

Your house has different types of sharp objects. For example, your kitchen drawer has knives and other utensils that can lead to cuts and severe injuries. Ensure you take measures to prevent accidents caused by sharp objects.

If you have children, you should be prepared for the worst-case scenario. This means you should keep sharp objects from out of reach. Most importantly, have a first-aid kit in case any incidents by sharp objects occur.

In summary, your home is meant to be a safe space where you minimise most common household hazards. It’s essential to take preventative measures to improve safety if you have children. If anyone in your household is affected by any of the listed common accidents, use the iER App to access over 13 000 medical and non-medical emergency responders nationwide.