Not many life experiences can cause you as much emotional and psychological pain as knowing that your loved ones and, especially innocent children, have suffered an injury under circumstances you could have prevented. The guilt can be unbearable, living with you for a lifetime, especially if the accident results in death.

According to recent government statistics, approximately 9,000 children die of unintentional injuries. A significant portion of these fatalities occur in the home. Accidents in the home can be caused by anything, meaning creating a safe home environment will depend on your unique circumstances. 

This guide looks at the common hazards for kids at home and how to avoid them.

Falls

Kids have underdeveloped motor skills, meaning they can trip over anything from mats, toys, utensils, cords, and sometimes their worn clothes or shoes. While you can't avoid all falls, you can minimize the chances of falls by keeping the floor and play areas free of objects that could trip them. You may want to install gates at the bottom and the top of the stairs to keep them off.

You also need to offer close supervision for toddlers to prevent them from getting into mischief that could cause an accident. For older kids, clearing obstacles, establishing ground rules, and eliminating obvious hazards can help prevent most fall accidents.

Drowning

The mention of drowning brings to mind a swimming pool, so you might think that's not a problem for you if you do not own one. While it's a major drowning hazard, swimming pools are not the only cause of drowning. Your child can drown in an unattended bathtub, toilet, or any water-holding container. 

If you have kids at home, keep bathroom doors locked to prevent unsupervised access to hazards. If you do not have any use for a bathtub, drain the water and do the same for other containers in locations they can access. For swimming pools, you will need to fence it off, and more importantly, give your kids swimming lessons so it doesn't become much of a hazard. 

Poisoning

Toddlers will put everything in their mouths. Older kids will also, at times, out of mischief, eat or drink anything that looks or they think could be edible, putting themselves at a huge risk of poisoning. 

The only way of preventing accidental poisoning in kids is to put chemicals such as medicines, detergents, and poisons under lock and key or on high shelves that kids cannot access. Also, consider training your kids on chemical and drug safety as they grow because there will always be a time when your preventative measures might not work, so it would be beneficial for them to be educated on the subject.

Falling Furniture

Kids love climbing on furniture, especially when they are young. The most common damage associated with climbing over furniture is falling. However, when the furniture's design is faulty, it can topple and crush the kid. 

An example of poor furniture designs that resulted in product liability lawsuits is Ikea drawers that had stability issues, resulting in the deaths of at least eight children and dozens of injuries. The company agreed to pay $46 million to impacted families as compensation for damages suffered.

No amount of compensation can replace a dead child or a changed life. As a parent, do everything to ensure your furniture is stable by tethering it to walls or going for safer alternatives. Your supervisory role can also make a huge difference.