Ensuring Your Entire Home Is Safe for Your Baby

Children may pinch their fingers in hinges when opening/closing door and/or may access dangerous items inside said door. Lock bi-fold door to prevent pinching of fingers and to deny child access to room/area behind bi-fold door.

If your oven is on, your child can easily open the oven door and get burned. When cooking or using the oven, always supervise your children. You should also lock the oven door to prevent child access.

A child could easily open a refrigerator door and access the contents inside, some of which may be unstable and come tumbling down. Always use a latch on your refrigerator door(s).

Children have a tendency to pull and/or climb on shelves/drawers, resulting in the furniture tipping forward onto the child. It is in your best interest to anchor furniture securely to wall or other stable surface.

Children can bump their body on the bathtub spout. Cover the bathtub spout with a soft, colorful spout cover for your child’s safety.

Your child may open and/or fall through window (or screen) to surface(s) below, causing injury or death. Keep windows closed and locked, or prevent the child from opening window more than 4 inches. Remember to install window guards for windows that will be open more than 4 inches!

The chest lid can slam down on your child’s fingers, arms or head. Be sure to install chest lid support(s) to prevent lid from slamming shut once child removes hand(s) from lid.

Children can tumble down stairs easily from either the top of the stairs or after climbing up stairs. As a parent, it is always best to gate off the top (installed gate only) and bottom of your staircases.

A child can access the buttons or openings in equipment and cause injury to themselves or equipment damage by sticking fingers and/or objects into equipment. Use guards and/or locks to prevent access to audio/visual equipment by your child.

Child may pull cord(s), exposing electrical outlet(s) and possibly bringing down lamps or other objects onto child. The risk of electrocution is present if the child chews through the electrical cord. Organize electrical cords by:

1. Covering them
2. Wrapping up unused cord and tying off with nylon or Velcro ties
3. Running single cords along base molding or wall and secure using cord holders or within cord covers
4. Bringing groups of cords together with ties and covering with plastic flexible tubing.

Out of sight, out of mind, is a good rule of thumb for electrical cords and other hazardous materials/items!

If space between rails and/or space at bottom of railing is greater than recommended for safety, it poses the risk of strangulation and/or falling from dangerous height. Cover railing with weather-resistant plastic netting.

Children can sustain injuries from falling & hitting hard surfaces – especially edges and corners. Cover the hearth edges and corners in your home with corner and edge cushioning to help prevent injury.

Child risks for fireplaces and hearths include the danger of burn injury or smoke inhalation, and fireplace tools and/or hard hearth surface (brick or marble) may cause injury. Restrict your child’s access in and/or around fireplace with gate or by securing fireplace door/screen.

Home fires can be furious and deadly. Use the tips below to prevent fires and develop a safe home for your child.

1. Smoke Alarms: Install at least one smoke alarm on every floor for your home (including basement) and outside each sleeping area. If you sleep with the door closed, install smoke alarms inside the room. Remember to test your smoke alarms monthly, replace batteries at least twice a year, and replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
2. Develop & practice home fire escape plans. Use escape ladders for multi-level structures.
3. Install a multi-purpose fire extinguisher close to an exit and keep your back to a clear exit when using the device.
4. Keep matches, lighters and other heat sources out of children’s reach!

Out of sight, out of mind, is a good rule of thumb for electrical cords and other hazardous materials/items!