Being Aware of the Possibility of Accidents in the Home Helps Avoid Them

By Bill Primavera

When I was eight years old, I experienced something harrowing for a youngster when, home alone with my mother, I suddenly heard a loud bang and a scream from the kitchen.  I ran to find that my mother had tried to light her oven after there had somehow been a build-up of gas and it exploded, catching her hair on fire.  My mother acted swiftly to put the fire out with a towel and saved herself.  I can still conjure up in my mind that smell of burning hair.

For any of us, there can always be an accident in the making, just by living a day-to-day life. Just the other day, for instance, when sauntering absent-mindedly from my bedroom down a hallway toward the kitchen, I spontaneously decided to change course midway and, with a sudden turn, lost my balance and barely avoided falling against a glass-top table in my home office area. Whew, I thought, close call.

We are probably all aware of famous people who died from falls in the home, and we might always seek to avoid them ourselves. Actor William Holden, for one, fell down when drunk, bumped his head and exsanguinated (the official term) to death. Fatal falls also befell actor Jack Cassidy (Shirley Jones’ ex-husband) and Ivana Trump.

Indeed, research would show that the most common accidents in the home are falls (including slips and trips), which are often caused by wet floors, clutter, loose rugs, and poorly lit areas.

This is followed by burns from hot surfaces in the kitchen and poisonings from medications, cleaning products, and cosmetics left within reach of children; all of which can lead to serious injuries.

    Other common home accidents include:

      Burns from hot liquids,

      Choking hazards,

      Drowning, especially for young children,

      Electrical shocks from faulty wiring or appliances,

      Fire hazards from cooking accidents,

     Suffocation,

     Falling objects (such as a bureau falling on a small child). 

 Some tips to prevent kitchen burns and scalds include:

    Never leave your stove unattended while cooking,

    Create a kid-free zone,

    Keep your cooking area free of flammable materials,

    Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove,

    Keep a fire extinguisher nearby, and

    Keep cooking equipment clean. 

And, finally, it’s an essential idea to have a first-aid kit on hand.

Happy and safe homekeeping!

Bill Primavera is a Realtor® associated with William Raveis Real Estate and Founder of Primavera Public Relations, Inc., the longest running public relations agency in Westchester (www.PrimaveraPR.com), specializing in lifestyles, real estate and development. To engage the services of The Home Guru and his team to market your home for sale, call 914-522-2076.