What are the best kinds of window coverings to have in homes with young children?
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission calls corded window coverings one of the top five hidden hazards in American homes, as infants and children can accidentally becoming entangled in window blind cords. The best way to ensure a safe environment for young children is to look for the Best for Kids™ logo. Products with the Best for Kids™ logo either have no cords or have no operating cords and no inner cords that are accessible or capable of forming a hazardous loop. In order to be eligible for this certification, manufacturers must meet the specified program criteria and submit their window covering products to a designated third party testing laboratory. Once products pass testing they may be labeled “Best for Kids”
Where is the safest place to keep your trash can to avoid a child coming into contact with sharp objects such as a metal can or glass bottle?
Open and accessible trash cans can pose hazards to children who may decide to climb in them and therefore come into contact with sharp glass bottles or metal cans, or may even eat plastic or something else that poses a choking hazard. The best place for a trash can should be tucked away out of site such as in a cabinet that has a child-lock on it, in the garage or in a closet they can’t access. In addition, your trash can should have a lid to further deter any risky behavior.
What is the safest way to use a stovetop oven, especially if you have a gas stove?
For children who are mobile and who especially may like to climb, stovetops pose a large burn risk. While you should never leave a hot stovetop unattended, especially with young children around, you can minimize a child’s burn risk by using only the back two burners - it’s less likely that your child will be able to reach or come into contact with these burners. With some gas stoves you may also be able to remove the dials when not in use.
What type of furniture should you avoid placing near a window?
Because children can use low-standing furniture to reach corded window covering cords, even when they’re tied up, it’s best to keep climbable furniture such as a couch, crib or bed away from window coverings. Even better, families and caretakers are encouraged to go cordless when possible. If you’re in the process of updating your home blinds to cordless, make sure that any furniture you have near a window is not something that a child could climb in order to reach window covering cords. In addition, low-standing furniture near open windows can lead to potential injuries if a child falls out a window – screens are not a secure protector against such accidents.
What room is the most hazardous in a home?
While every room in a house contains safety hazards for young children, the bathroom poses the largest risk and, it’s best to keep it closed and locked so that young children can’t access it, even when not in use. Things to keep in mind when child-proofing your bathroom: •Keep your toilet lid down and locked to prevent kids from falling in •Make sure vitamins, medications, sharp objects like razors, household cleaners and common toiletry products like mouthwash and face washes are kept in a locked location out of reach of children, even if they climb •Set your hot water heater to no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce the risk of scalding •Create nonslip surfaces inside and outside of your tub/shower to avoid slips and falls
