Slips, trips and falls

Falls are the most common home accident. Be smart, don’t walk around the house in low light! Use good lighting and low energy light bulbs. If you are up during the night, put on a bedside light before you get out of bed.

Burns and Scalds

Cooking, eating or kitchen equipment along with food and drink account for more than half of the burns and scalds injuries to children that occur in the home.

Around two-thirds of serious hot water scalds from kettles and almost nine out of ten serious scalds from hot drinks involve children under five.

Young children are curious about things. Keep your kettle well back from the edge of your kitchen worktop so that the kettle and cord are out of their reach.

Fire Safety

Fit a smoke alarm on every floor of your home. Check that it works every week and replace the batteries if necessary. The chances of surviving a fire when you are asleep are almost zero if you don’t have a working smoke alarm.

www.nifrs.org

Poisioning

Keep medicines and pills out of sight and reach of children, preferably locked away in a cupboard. Store medicines in the kitchen - not the bathroom or bedroom - where you can keep a close watch on them.

Keep household and garden chemicals in their original bottles - never transfer them to lemonade bottles. Always look for containers with child resistant caps.

Choking

Young children like to put things in their mouths but their throats are narrow and get blocked easily.

Keep buttons, coins and small toys away from under - threes, they may choke on them.

Make sure older childrens toys with small pieces are kept away from younger children.

Drowning

Remember - children drown in just a few centimetres of water and in a very short time.

Never leave children under 4 years old unattended in the bath, even with an older brother or sister. Fill in garden ponds or protect them with a fence. Empty paddling pools straight after use. Never leave children alone in or near a swimming pool or open water.

Fireworks

Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable.

• Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time.
• Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary.
• Light the firework at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back.
• Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks.
• Never return to a firework once it has been lit.
• Don’t put fireworks in pockets and never throw them.
• Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators.
• Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire.
• Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.