Guide to Baby Home Safety

This Guide is intended to provide awareness of safety issues for your baby and does not try to cover every aspect of home safety.

Introduction

It’s easy to take the view that accidents always happen to someone else and from a statistical viewpoint that is true; you need to ensure you and your baby don’t become part of the statistic! With a good level of safety awareness/common sense and vigilance, baby can be reared in a safe home.

There are 7 main considerations:

• Falling over/down
• Falling objects
• Ingesting
• Water
• Electricity
• Fire
• Other

Falling over/down

Stairs are a major risk for both baby and parents. Many accidents are caused by falling down stairs. A few simple changes can make stairs much safer.

• Ensure there are no tripping hazards like loose carpet.
• Use stair gates top and bottom. Chose gates which are easy to open and close to ensure that they will be used. This should be one-handed operation.
• Ensure there are secure banisters either side of the stairs. These rails must allow for a good hand grip is case of a trip – try yours by making a quick grab to check that your grip will stabilise a potential fall.
• Keep stairs clear of objects
• Babies soon learn to climb – check that the windows have locks or opening restrictors.
• Modern houses are filled with safety glass in doors. If you cannot positively establish that your doors have safety glass then use a specialised safety film to prevent accidents – this is readily available.
• Wherever possible move objects with sharp corners or try to fit corner protectors.
• Try to keep the floor clear of tripping hazards; this includes toys.
• A carrycot on a table with an active kicking baby can fall to the floor.
• Remove loose mats

Falling objects

Babies DNA seems to include a gene which requires them to grab at anything!

Keeping baby out of the kitchen would save many accidents but regrettably this is not always an option.

• Items should be pushed to the back of the work surface
• Knives can be a particular hazard. Develop a discipline of returning the knife to the holder or have a special dish at the back of the work surface for knives. Fit a lock on the knife drawer.
• Where possible fit a hob guard to prevent saucepan spills onto baby.
• Always move the saucepan handles away from the front
• Ensure that the clothes iron or any electrical item with a power cord cannot be pulled causing the object to drop onto baby.
• Self standing book shelves are a potential hazard if they can be pulled over. Test the book shelves to establish how easy they can topple. If in any doubt then attach the book shelf to the wall with secure screws. Cupboards with drawers can also topple if baby is trying to climb the “drawer ladder”. Attach these to the wall or use weights in the base (house bricks are suitable)
• Loose objects, e.g. flower pots on low shelves/window sills are always attractive to babies – ensure that the objects are not a weight hazard.

Ingesting

If it can go into the mouth it will!

The kitchen is full of nasties which will attract baby. Fortunately most have child resistant tops but don’t rely on these to prevent accidents.

• Install a cupboard lock where cleaning materials are stocked. Keep it locked
• Consider moving cleaning materials from their traditional home under the sink to a higher cupboard. Keep it locked
• Ensure you are aware of the emergency procedure if baby manages to drink hazardous materials.
• Keep the rubbish bin out of sight or lock the lid.
• Ensure medecines and tablets are locked away.
• Check toys for loose or dangerous parts. If they can enter the mouth it’s a hazard.
• Keep small coins out of sight – they can easily cause choking.
• Many garden plants are poisonous – seek advice to identify these
• Playing in garden soil is to be avoided due to animal fouling – this also applies to uncovered sandpits.

Water

Babies love water but there are significant dangers.

• Keep baby out of the bathroom unless supervised.
• Fit a lock near the top of the door
• Keep house water at a temperature which will not scald.
• Never leave baby unattended in the bath
• Use a non slip bath mat to prevent slips
• Never leave water in the bath when bath time is over – it’s too easy to forget the hazard.
• Ponds, pools and water features in the garden are serious drowning hazards
• Ensure that neighbours fencing is in good condition if they have a pond or water feature
• Deflated paddling pools can contain small pools of water – these are a hazard – 2cm is a sufficient depth to drown.
• Ensure hot water bottles will not scald.

Electricity

Babies love to poke little fingers into little spaces. Mostly electrical devices comply with regulations which are designed to be finger safe.

• Ensure baby does not have access to metal rods (knitting needles?) which may be poked into electrical equipment.
• Check that all mains plugs have part insulated pins on live and neutral.
• Check that mains cables are securely clamped into the plug (most are moulded and will be ok) and the inner coloured wires and not visible.
• Check that cables are not frayed – particularly the clothes iron cable.
• Never use electrical appliances of any kind in the bathroom.

Fire

Babies and young children always seem to have a fascination with fire – unfortunately they don’t mix.

• Keep matches locked up
• Never leave lighted candles unattended.
• Open fires and gas fires need a fully enclosed and secured fire guard.
• If you have a gas boiled then a carbon monoxide detector is a must.

Other hazards

• Curtain and blind cords can be fun to play with but they provide a significant strangulation hazard. These cords should be removed or securely tied at rail height.
• Pets are a known suffocation hazard in cots and prams with small babies.
• Fingers can easily be crushed in a closing door. Anti-slam door stops and hinge protectors ensure door safety.
• Kitchens are fascinating for baby. Consider an extra lock on the door for times when you are away from the kitchen.

Finally

Safety awareness is key to avoiding accidents. Should an accident happen it is wise to have a procedure to be followed – this should be written down and displayed in a prominent position, e.g. by the telephone. Telephone numbers and basic immediate first aid information should be included.

A good source of accident prevention information may be found at: http://www.rospa.com/homesafety/advice/child/accidents.htm

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