Beyond the Electrical Outlet: A Guide for Household Safety

As a first time mom, I have marveled at every milestone my daughter has reached. When she first smiled at me, my heart melted. The first time she laughed, I beamed. When she rolled over for the first time, well, I missed it because I was cooking. But, when she rolled over the SECOND time, I squealed in excitement. Then, a few months later she crawled and… I panicked! I had been too busy beaming, melting, squealing and cooking to baby proof the house! Luckily, for me, my daughter has become an expert consultant on all things related to household safety.

Each family will approach household safety differently, perhaps depending on their parenting style and the personality of their child. In my case, our daughter is very mobile and adventure-seeking which means we have had to develop a balanced strategy – one that encourages exploration in our home without compromising the safety of our little pathfinder.

Based on a little research and hands-on experience, this is the list we’ve developed (so far!):

1. Use plug covers in all electrical outlets, and be sure these covers are not easily removed by the child.
2. Install a baby gate at the top and bottom of stairs and any area deemed “off-limits” in the home.
3. Door knob covers should be put on rooms or closets to limit access. Consider also putting them on exterior doors if your little one really enjoys the outdoors.
4. Secure all furniture that can tip over on a child including dressers, media centers, bookshelves and televisions.
   Contributor tip: You can order free furniture straps through Charlie’s House.
5. Lock or latch cabinets and drawers you don’t want them getting into (and taking the stuff out of). This also includes mounting a latch on the oven door to prevent children from opening. Keep cleaning products, medicines, and other hazards chemicals out of reach.
6. Install an anti-tip bracket on your range. This ensures protection when weight or force is applied to an open oven door.
7. Install window blind cord wind-ups and shorten cords a child could reach. Cords pose a significant risk of strangulation to young children.

   Contributor tip: Free retrofit kits for older corded window blinds, shades and draperies, as well as Roman shades and roll-up blinds can be ordered through Window Covering Safety Council.

8. Properly store and lock away firearms and ammunition.
9. Invest in edge and corner guards to use on furniture.
10. Purchase a fire extinguisher. Make sure someone in the home at all times knows how to operate it.
11. Make sure your home has printed information in case of an emergency. This should include important phone numbers, addresses to closest hospital and pharmacy, insurance information, and directions to your home. Hang this information where it can be easily referenced by caregivers.
12. Adopt common sense safety practices including cooking on the back burners of your stove, staying informed on product recalls, and testing your smoke and fire detector every six months.
13. The best tip is to get on your child’s level. Literally, get low and see what is within their reach to identify other potential hazards. For instance, when I crawled around in our home, I found concerns with what my daughter could get into in my purse. It wasn’t even something on my radar, but has made me examine everything brought into our home.

We have also adopted the mentality in which household safety is not a weekend project. It is an ongoing commitment to ensuring our child is safe as she reaches new milestones.

Additional Resources:

United States Consumer Product Safety Commission: Safety Education and Guides
Charlie’s House: In-Home Safety Checklist and Virtual House Safety Tips