Each year in the United States, nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits result from unintentional injuries at home, according to the Home Safety Council. June is Home Safety Month, and Lowe's Companies Inc. has provided useful tips and information to help prevent accidents around the house.
Builders and remodelers should recommend some important safety measures to clients:
- Nearly nine out of ten fire deaths occur at home. Install smoke detectors in or near every sleeping area, near the kitchen and in other living spaces. Wireless interconnected smoke detectors enable all alarms inside a home to sound at the same time, improving response time in the event of a fire. Some also feature voice warning alerts for children and a low-frequency signal for older adults.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors, preferably those with sensors that record the levels of the gas in the air. With approximately 2,100 unintentional deaths each year, carbon monoxide is the number-one cause of poisoning deaths in the United States, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.
- Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury in the home, and the elderly are most at risk. Install safety rails or grab bars in tubs or showers to make entrances and exits safe and easy to use, particularly for children and the elderly.
- Make sure major pathways through the house are free of floor clutter to prevent slips and falls.
- Keep flashlights with fresh batteries in convenient places throughout the house to use in case of a power outage.
- Protect your home from intruders by locking all doors and windows at night and when you're away. Install peep-holes in exterior doors so you can see who is at the door before you answer.
- Install outdoor lighting to guide visitors on the path to your door.
For more tips on how to make homes safer, visit www.homesafetycouncil.org.
| 
