When you think of injury you think of harm that occurs somewhere other than your own home, but it may surprise you to learn that nearly 45 percent of unintentional injury deaths happen in or around the individual’s home. This is a scary and sobering thought. We all want our homes to be a safe place for our family, loved ones, and ourselves. Despite that, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that approximately 12,175 children from infants to 19-year-olds died each year from an unintentional injury.

If you’re involved in an accident in your own home it’s difficult to bring a lawsuit. However if you were to slip and fall or be injured in a home other than your own residence you may be entitled to bring a claim. 

How to avoid accidents in the home

The best way to prevent accidents or injuries in the home is to make sure you have taken necessary safety precautions. There are very simple fixes that you can make in your home to be sure that you make you best attempt at preventing home injuries. Here are 10 ways you can make your home safer for you and your loved ones.

1. Clean up spills immediately. When there is a spill of liquids, grease, or anything else you could slip on clean it up as soon as possible to avoid falls.

2. Secure rugs. To prevent rugs from moving around and causing slips, secure them with nonskid pads or purchase rugs with slip-resistant backings. Another alternative is to use double-sided carpet tape to keep the rug in its place.

3. Beware of where you put hot liquids. If you have young children in the house, always be wary of where you put that cup of hot coffee. Refrain from placing hot liquids on a table that has a runner or table cloth hanging over—the child may pull on the fabric causing the liquid to spill on them. Overall, just do not leave hot liquids in a place where children can reach it.

4. Install grab bars in the shower. For anyone who is unsteady on their feet such as an elderly family member, a shower can be a very dangerous place. Installing grab bars could help prevent disaster should they slip.

5. Check your hot water heater. Children and the elderly are more susceptible to burns from hot water. Make sure your hot water heater has the water at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to best avoid unintentional burns.

6. Keep electronics away from water. This seems to go without saying yet accidents involving electronics and water still happen every year. Do not keep electronics near water or in a place where they could fall in or a child could pull them in.

7. Check your basement and garage. These areas of the home are often used for storage, with that comes the risk of tripping over things. Check that these areas have a clear path to walk in and make sure boxes are stacked securely so that nothing falls on anyone.

8. Keep guards on all tools and store out of reach. Power tools come with safety covers for a reason. Be sure to keep all safety covers on the tools. Also, store the tools out of the reach of children or in a locked tool chest.

9. Stair safety. Stairs can be the cause of accidents for many different reasons. To best avoid falls make sure your handrail runs the full length of the staircase, carpets are secure, and do not put area rugs or mats at the base or top of the stairs. Also if you paint basement stairs it will be beneficial to add some sand to the pain to give the stairs more traction. For outside steps that are not well lit, paint the edges white so they can be seen in the dark.

10. Keep cleaning products out of reach. All cleaning products should be stored in a place where kids and pets cannot get to them. Put them in a cabinet with child-proof locks or better yet store them in a high cabinet.