Home Safety Center

How Safe is Your Home?

Child-Proof Your Home Inside and Out

Ask homeowners which room in their house they consider the most dangerous and they’llmost often name the kitchen, bathroom, stairway/hallway or garage. But a new study by the Home Safety Council finds that most of us haven’t done much to improve the safety of any of these rooms.

Overall, the study found, homeowners cite uncertainty about what steps to take, concerns about money and time, and too many other obligations as reasons for not taking action to make these rooms safer.

There’s no substitute for vigilant supervision when it comes to keeping children safe in and around the home. But it’s a good idea to take a regular tour of your home (or anywhere your kids spend a lot of time) with a special focus on safety in each room or area.

Continue below for room-by-room lists of safety tips and reminders and the <, Stairs, Windows and In the Yard

TIP: Pass this page on (via email or print) to your child’s grandparents or caretakers.

Bedrooms

• Have working smoke alarms on each floor of your home – especially the floor where your bedrooms are located – and hold regular family fire drills. If you build a new home, consider having a fire sprinkler system installed.
• Use flame resistant clothing and bedding.
• Don’t put pillows or large, floppy toys in crib.
• Crib slats should be more than 2-3/8 inches apart.
• All windows should have window guards. Keep furniture away from windows to prevent children from climbing on further and falling out of windows.
• Clip the loops on window cords and place them up high where children can’t reach them, or consider replacing them with new “cordless” blinds.
• Make sure your changing table is safe and sturdy.