Ways to prevent child accidents at home | Toledo, Ohio Child Accident Lawyer

Your home seems like it should be the safest place on earth but most accidents and injuries occur in and around the home. Unfortunately the truth is that most accidents could have been prevented if a few precautions had been taken. You might be surprised to find out how many ways there are to become hurt by everyday items. Taking a good look around your home and yard and eliminating obvious risks for injuries can go a long way towards protecting your family from senseless tragedy.

One of the most common causes of injury and death around the home is drowning. A small child can drown in only a few inches of water. If you have small children you should install locks on your toilet bowl lids and eliminate any standing water around the home. Be sure to keep any buckets or containers free from water and never leave your child unattended in the bathtub.

When you are filling a bathtub with water do not leave it unattended for any length of time. Swimming pools should have fences built around them with lockable gates or have removable ladders. Place water alarm devices in your swimming pools that will sound a piercing alarm when something enters the water. If you have a baby pool in the yard keep it empty when you are not using it. Never leave children unsupervised in a pool. Older children and adults should use the buddy system when swimming in a pool. Make sure your family is trained in CPR and take refresher courses from time to time.

Another common injury around the home is burns. Scalds from hot water top the list in burning injuries so be sure your water heater's thermostat is set below 120 degrees. Always keep hot liquids out of a child's reach and take care when walking with hot coffee or tea. Many children are scalded when an adult accidentally spills a hot beverage on them. When you are cooking on the stove keep all pot handles turned towards the back of the stove so that small children can't pull them on top of themselves. Always check the temperature of your child's bath water before letting them enter the tub. Keep items such as curling irons or clothes irons supervised at all times and place them in a high location after use.

Electrocution is a common household tragedy. Keep all electric outlets covered with safety plugs so that children can't insert metal items or fingers. Keep plugged in cords hidden from view so that children or pets will not be tempted to chew on them. Place objects in front of outlets that have plugs in them. In the bathroom keep all appliances unplugged when not in use and never keep an appliance near the bathtub. Exposed wires should be immediately discarded or taped with electrical tape.

If you or someone you know has a child who has been injured by one of the possible accidents listed above you need information. Contact our Ohio child accident lawyers at 800.637.8170 to order your free copy of Little Kids, Big Accidents.