1 Home Safety Slide Show Notes
Today, we’re going to talk about home safety. You may think that your home is a very safe place compared to the workplace, but the fact is that many accidents happen in the home. And some of those accidents can be very serious—even fatal. So it’s important to think about home safety and make sure your home is as safe as it can be for you and for your family.
2 Session Objectives Understand the importance of home safety
Identify hazards in your home Eliminate or minimize recognized hazards Keep your home and your family safe and secure Slide Show Notes The main objective of this session is to help you ensure that your home is safe. By the time the session is over, you should be able to: Understand the importance of home safety; Identify hazards in your home; Eliminate or minimize recognized hazards; and Keep your home and your family safe and secure.
3 Prequiz: True or False? More accidents happen off the job than on the job. You should have a home escape plan and practice it with your family. Most home fires involving gas grills are caused by unattended cooking. Household cleansers and other chemical products pose no safety or health risks. Slide Show Notes Before we begin the session, let’s take a few minutes to see how much you already know about home safety. Decide whether each statement on the screen is true or false. [PAUSE] Now, let’s go over the answers: More accidents happen off the job than on the job—This is true. You should have a home escape plan and practice it with your family—This is also true. Most home fires involving gas grills are caused by unattended cooking—This is false. And finally, household cleansers and other chemical products pose no safety or health risks—This is also false. How did you do? Did you get all the answers right? If not, don’t worry. You’ll learn all about these issues and a lot more during the session.
4 Why Talk About Home Safety?
More serious injuries happen at home than on the job Precautions aren’t always taken Safety should be 24/7 More serious injuries happen at home than on the job Precautions aren’t always taken Safety should be 24/7 Slide Show Notes More serious injuries happen at home than on the job. In fact, in the time it takes you to complete this session, probably about a hundred people across the U.S. will have a serious accident in their homes, and at least one of them will die as a result of their injuries. Why so many accidents in the home? Probably because we fail to take the same safety precautions we take on the job in our homes. We’ve come to recognize the many hazards of the workplace. At work, we follow OSHA regulations and safe work rules. We wear assigned personal protective equipment. And we’re careful and alert while we work. But at home there are no rules or regulations to require us to be safe. Besides, we tend to think of our homes as safe havens. We don’t take the same care there as we do on the job. We don’t think about the potential dangers. And yet, there are many hazards in the home. Whether you get hurt in an accident on the job or an accident in your home, the result as far as your job is concerned is often the same. You may be laid up for days or weeks. Or you could even be permanently disabled and not be able to perform your current job. That’s why you’re being asked to take work time to think about home safety. After all, safety is a 24/7 concern for all of us.
5 Fire Safety Wiring and appliances Fireplaces and stoves
Furnace/electrical Kitchen Workshop Smoke detectors Slide Show Notes Fire is a hazard that everyone must protect against in the home. A home fire is reported every 15 seconds in the United States. Eight out of 10 fire-related deaths occur in home fires. Many home fires are caused by faulty wiring or problems with the furnace. Fireplaces and woodburning stoves can also pose combustion hazards. Be sure to clean them properly and know and follow safe burning practices. Make sure that electrical and furnace inspections, updates, and repairs are done by competent people. Kitchens are another common source of home fires. Be extra careful while cooking. Keep towels and other combustible materials away from the range. Keep an eye on pots and pans, particularly if hot oil is involved. And make sure there’s a fully charged fire extinguisher in the kitchen that family members know how to operate. Like the kitchen, the workshop and garage are other fire danger spots. Be careful when working with electrical power tools, and make sure you don’t overload circuits. Keep any products that contain flammable materials in tightly closed containers away from ignition and heat sources. Also, make sure that you have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home and near bedrooms. Test them monthly and replace batteries on a regular schedule.
6 Home Escape Plan Don’t stop—just get out! Move quickly but calmly
STOP, DROP, and ROLL! Don’t open hot door Stay as low as possible Slide Show Notes Every family should have a home escape plan that should be practiced regularly. Plan at least two ways to get out of every room in your home. If you live in a multiunit building, find out what emergency procedures are recommended. Designate a meeting place once you are outside. Teach family members to recognize the sound of the smoke alarm and follow these emergency procedures in the event of a home fire: Don’t stop to get dressed or take things with you—just get out! Move quickly but calmly to the nearest exit. If clothes catch fire, STOP, DROP, and ROLL! Don’t open a door that feels hot—try to get out another way. Also, stay as low to the ground as possible to minimize smoke. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
7 Home Escape Plan (cont.)
Call 911 or fire department from outside Go to chosen meeting place Tell firefighters if pets are inside Slide Show Notes Call 911 or the fire department from outside—for example, from a neighbor’s house. Go to the chosen meeting place and stay there. Don’t go back into a burning house for any reason. And, tell firefighters if there are pets inside, and they will try to rescue them if at all possible. Be sure to conduct regular fire drills with the whole family.
8 Slips, Trips, and Falls Install grab bars and use bath mats
Hold handrails Turn on lights Use ladders and step stools Salt or sand icy spots Slide Show Notes Slips, trips, and falls are another common home hazard. The most dangerous places are bathrooms, stairs, ladders, and slippery pavements outside the home. About one-third of accidental deaths around the home are caused by falls. To prevent slips, trips, and falls in and around your home: Install grab bars in showers and tubs and use bath mats to prevent slips and falls in bathrooms. Hold onto the handrail going up and down the stairs. Turn on a light before entering a dark room to avoid trip hazards. Use ladders and step stools to reach high places, not chairs. We’ll talk more about ladder safety in the next slide. And finally, salt or sand icy or slippery pavements outside your home. A slip, trip, or fall could cause a back injury or even a broken bone. A fall from a ladder could be much more serious. Think about potential slip, trip, and fall hazards around your home. Lead a discussion about slip, trip, and fall hazards in the home.
9 Ladder Safety Tips Always: Inspect Lock Hold on Never: Go too high
Set up on uneven surface Overreach Slide Show Notes Falls from ladders can be disabling, so you don’t want to take any chances when you use a ladder to reach all those high places in and around your home. Here are some ladder safety tips to keep in mind next time you use a ladder around your home. Always: Inspect ladders each time you use them. Check for broken or cracked rungs and be sure they are dry and free of oil and grease. Don’t use a rickety ladder. Lock the braces on a stepladder and the locks on an extension ladder before climbing. Hold on to the side rails going up and down a ladder. Also, hold on with one hand while you’re working up on a ladder. And here are things you should never do: Never go too high. Stop at the third step from the top on a stepladder and the fourth rung from the top on a straight or extension ladder. Never set a ladder up on an uneven or soft surface. The ladder could shift when you’re on it, and down you’ll come. Also, remember the 4-to-1 rule for straight and extension ladders. Set the base of the ladder 1 foot from the wall for every 4 feet in height from the ground to the support point for the ladder at the top. And, never overreach. If you can’t reach a spot, get down and move the ladder, or use a taller ladder. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
10 Electrical Safety Don’t overload outlets Check cords/plugs routinely
Don’t use faulty appliances Keep electricity away from water Slide Show Notes Electricity is something we take for granted in the home. We use it all the time. What could go wrong? Lots! Electricity can cause fires, shocks, and electrocution. Make sure not to overload outlets; and if you have youngsters, use childproof outlet covers. Check cords and plugs routinely to make sure they’re in good condition and never place them in an area where they need to be stepped on or over. Replace damaged cords or plugs. Also, make sure to use only extension cords with the UL-approved tag. And, only use extension cords designed for outdoors outside your home. If you feel a shock from an appliance, or if it smells, smokes, or sparks, turn it off right away, unplug it, and don’t use it again until it is repaired. Remember that water and electricity don’t mix. Keep electrical appliances and other electrical equipment away from water and dampness. Don’t touch anything electrical with wet hands or while standing in water or a damp spot. Also, dry sweaty hands before touching electrical appliances or plugs. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003 © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
11 Hazardous Materials Always read labels
Keep hazardous materials away from children Use caution with flammable substances Never mix household cleaning products Slide Show Notes If your household is like most people’s, it’s full of products than contain potentially hazardous materials. All kinds of cleansers, stain-removing solvents, pool chemicals, pesticides, gasoline or kerosene, and other products can be harmful to your family’s health if not used properly. Some are poisonous if swallowed. Other substances, such as gasoline and kerosene, can burn easily and rapidly, or even explode. Always read the label for warnings and safe handling instructions before using any household product. Keep cleaning products and other hazardous substances that contain hazardous ingredients out of the reach of children. Keep flammable materials, such as gasoline, in properly labeled and tightly sealed containers away from heat and other ignition sources. And finally, never mix household cleaning products. The combination of ingredients can release hazardous vapors or cause a dangerous reaction. Think about the household products you have in your home. Have you read the labels on all these products to determine if there are any hazards and any precautions that should be taken when using them? Ask trainees to identify some potentially hazardous substances they have in their homes. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
12 In the previous slides, we identified four basic home hazards:
Fires Electricity Slide Show Notes Let’s see how much you remember now about the home hazards we’ve mentioned in the previous slides. We identified four basic home hazards. Can you remember what they are? Here are the answers. The four basic home hazards are: Fires; Slips, trips, and falls; Electricity; and Hazardous materials. How did you do? Did you remember all four home hazards? Slips, Trips, And Falls Hazardous Materials © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
13 Review Do you understand: Fire safety?
Preventing slips, trips, and falls? Ladder safety? Electrical safety? Hazardous materials? Preventing poisoning in the home? Do you understand: Fire safety? Preventing slips, trips, and falls? Ladder safety? Electrical safety? Hazardous materials? Preventing poisoning in the home? Slide Show Notes Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information presented so far. For example, do you understand what we’ve said about: Fire safety? Preventing slips, trips, and falls? Ladder safety? Electrical safety? Hazardous materials? Preventing poisoning in the home? It’s important for you to understand all this information so that you can make your home safer for you and your family. Answer any questions trainees have about the information presented in the previous slides. Conduct an exercise, if appropriate. Let’s continue now to the next slide and talk about backyard safety.
14 Backyard Safety Mowing PPE Labels Hoses Slide Show Notes
In addition to hazards inside your home, you also have to be careful when you’re working outside in your backyard. Remember these backyard safety tips. When mowing: Wear sturdy shoes—never go barefoot or wear sandals. Before mowing, check for stones, toys, or any other objects that could shoot out from under the mower. Most of the 75,000 or so mower accidents reported every year involve thrown objects and amputations. And, never reach under the mower unless it’s turned off and the blade has come to a complete stop. Wear safety glasses when using any kind of machinery or power tool. Use hearing protection when using loud equipment. Read labels carefully when using pesticides, fertilizers, paints, solvents, and fuels and store them in their original containers out of the kids’ reach. Coil garden hoses and store them carefully to prevent trips and falls. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
15 Barbeque Safety Check connections Keep grill away from house
No loose clothing Supervise kids Dispose of coals properly Never grill indoors Check connections Keep grill away from house No loose clothing Supervise kids Dispose of coals properly Never grill indoors Slide Show Notes If you’re not careful, grilling outside can turn into a home disaster. So, whether you use a gas grill or a traditional charcoal-fired grill, remember these simple accident-prevention tips for the barbeque. Before firing up a gas grill, check the connection between the propane tank and the fuel line to make it’s not blocked. Make sure the grill isn’t too close to the house. Don’t wear loose clothing around the grill. And never add lighter fluid to an already lit fire—the flame can flashback and cause an explosion. Supervise children around outdoor grills. Dispose of hot coals properly—douse them with plenty of water and stir them to ensure that the fire is out. Never place them in plastic, paper, or wooden containers. Never grill in enclosed areas like the garage. Carbon monoxide could be produced. The leading causes of house fires involving charcoal-fueled grills are unattended cooking and placing combustibles too close to the grill. The leading causes of fires involving gas-fueled grills are parts failure, leaks, or breaks in the fuel line.
16 Home Security Install dead bolts Secure sliders Lock windows
Trim shrubs Light property Participate in neighborhood watch Slide Show Notes Keeping your home secure also helps to keep it safe. Remember these simple home security do’s and use them to protect your family. Install and use dead-bolt locks on doors leading outside. Change the locks if you or someone in your family loses house keys. Secure sliders with locks or a piece of wood wedged in the track. Lock windows upstairs and down when you go out. Trim back shrubs around doors and under windows, and cut back tree limbs that could allow a burglar access to upper floor windows. Make sure your entrances, porches, and yard are well lit at night. Get together with neighbors and maintain a neighborhood watch.
17 Home Security (cont.) Hide keys Put address on key chain
Leave house keys with attendants Trust door chains Open doors to strangers Slide Show Notes Also, remember these important home security don’ts. Don’t hide house keys in mailboxes, planters, under doormats, or other obvious places. Don’t put personal identification on key rings. Don’t leave household keys on the ring with ignition keys when you leave car keys with parking attendants or mechanics. Don’t trust door chains, which can be easily broken by criminals seeking entry into your home. Don’t open the door to anyone you don’t know. Install a peephole or viewer in all entry doors so you can see who’s at the door. Require service personnel to verify their identity before letting them into your home. Think about your home and the steps you take to make it secure. Lead a discussion about home security and the steps trainees take to keep their home safe and secure.
18 Firearms Safety Keep locked Clean carefully Don’t point
Treat as loaded Slide Show Notes Many people are hurt or killed in firearm accidents every year. Tragically, a lot of them are children who get hold of firearms because of the carelessness of adults. Adults are also hurt or killed while cleaning guns. If you have firearms in your home, keep them locked up. Make sure children don’t have access to the key. Also, keep ammunition locked up in a separate location from the weapon. Store ammunition in a cool, dry place to avoid explosive hazards. Be extremely careful when cleaning guns. Make sure all ammunition has been removed. Never look down the barrel of an assembled gun while cleaning. Never point a gun at another person, even as a joke. And finally, treat all guns as if they are loaded. If you have firearms in your home, are they locked up safely right now? If not, lock them up when you get home and keep them locked up from now on. If any trainees keep firearms in their homes, ask them to describe the precautions they take to prevent accidents. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
19 Choking Response Stand behind victim Place fist against stomach
Pull in and up Slide Show Notes As many as 3,000 people die from choking every year, many of them right at home. Near misses number in the millions. The fastest way to find out if someone is choking and needs help is to ask, “Are you choking?” If the person can answer you, they’re not choking and don’t need assistance. However, if a person can’t talk, they’re in trouble. You need to try a rescue technique called the Heimlich maneuver. Here’s what to do: First, stand behind the victim and wrap your arms around the waist. Next, make a fist with one hand. Place your fist, thumb-side in, against the victim’s stomach, above the navel, but below the ribs. Grab your fist with your other hand. Then, pull in and up sharply. Repeat if necessary. If you are successful, the victim will spit up whatever he or she was choking on. If the Heimlich maneuver fails, call for emergency help immediately and try the finger sweep while you’re waiting for help to arrive. Stick your fingers in the persons throat and try to grasp the object with your index and middle finger, and then slowly remove it. Demonstrate the Heimlich maneuver and have trainees practice it.
20 Drowning Prevention Keep pools fenced in Don’t let children swim alone
Don’t leave child unattended in the bathtub Install grab bars in bathtubs Slide Show Notes Most drownings occur in the pool or in the bath. Usually, they involve unsupervised young children. Remember these rules to prevent drowning: Keep backyard pools secure with a fence and gate; Do not allow children to swim without an adult in attendance who can swim; Never leave a child under 5 years of age unattended in the bathtub; and Install grab bars in bathtubs if you have an older or disabled person living with you. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
21 Holiday Safety Use fire-resistant decorations
Keep away from heat sources Avoid lighted candles Keep natural trees moist Use your fireplace safely Use only UL-approved cords and lights Use only approved waterproof lights outside Slide Show Notes Holidays are joyous times for most people. But they can also be a dangerous time at home. So don’t let your guard down during any holidays. Make sure all decorations are made of fire-resistant materials. Keep decorations clear of sources of heat or flame such as radiators, fireplaces, and candles. Avoid lighted candles and turn off indoor holiday lights when you’re not home. Keep natural Christmas trees moist—dry needles can catch fire. Trees need up to a gallon of water a day to keep fresh. Don’t use a fireplace without a metal screen or glass doors in place, and don’t burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. Don’t leave discarded gift wrap near a fireplace, candles, or heat sources such as radiators. Use only UL-approved extension cords and lights. And finally, outdoors, use only lights and extension cords that are waterproof and approved for outdoor use. Also avoid falls while decorating inside and out by using a ladder to reach high spots, being careful to hold on while up on the ladder. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
22 Fireworks Safety Never use indoors or near dry grass Have water nearby
Keep clear Read directions and warnings Supervise kids Slide Show Notes Fourth of July and other summer holidays also raise safety concerns, and the issue is often fireworks. When fireworks are used, it doesn’t take much for a celebration to turn into a tragedy. Every year, hospital emergency rooms are full of adults and kids with burns and other horrible injuries caused by careless use of fireworks. To help prevent these accidents, remember these important safety pointers: Never light fireworks indoors or near dry grass. Always have a bucket of water and/or a fire extinguisher nearby. Stand several feet away from lit fireworks. If a device does not go off, don’t stand over it to investigate. Douse it with water and dispose of it. Always read the directions and warning labels on fireworks. If a device is not marked with the contents, directions, and a warning label, don’t light it. And, supervise children around fireworks at all times. Never let young children handle any kind of firework, even sparklers, which get incredibly hot and can cause terrible burns. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
23 Radon Hazards Lung cancer or death can occur Be sure to test your home
If high levels are detected, act promptly Slide Show Notes Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. You can’t see, smell, or taste it. Outdoors it’s harmlessly dispersed in the air, but when it’s trapped inside a building, it can pose a chronic health problem. If high levels of radon are trapped in your home, for example, it could make your whole family sick. The main hazard of radon is lung cancer—and sometimes radon poisoning can cause death. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes for radon. Testing for high levels of radon is simple and inexpensive. Radon test kits that meet EPA requirements are available at local hardware stores and home improvement stores, and many kits cost less than $25. If the test indicates dangerous levels of radon in a home, prompt action should be taken to correct the problem. This generally requires the services of an experienced professional contractor. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1003
24 Fire-resistant materials
Matching Bucket of water Home security Barbeque safety Fireworks Choking Firearms Backyard safety Holiday safety Keep locked up Heimlich maneuver Light property Slide Show Notes Now it’s time for an exercise to see if you can match the home safety issues in the column on the left side of the screen to the safety measures in the column on the right. [PAUSE] OK let’s review your matches: Home security and light property are a match. Barbeque safety goes with no loose clothing. Fireworks matches bucket of water. Choking and Heimlich maneuver are a match. Firearms and keep locked up go together. Backyard safety and PPE are a match. And, holiday safety and fire-resistant materials are a match. How did you do? Did you make all the correct matches? PPE No loose clothing Fire-resistant materials
25 Review Do you understand: Backyard safety? Barbecue safety?
Home security? Firearms? Choking and drowning? Holiday and fireworks safety? Radon hazards? Do you understand: Backyard safety? Barbecue safety? Home security? Firearms? Choking and drowning? Holiday and fireworks safety? Radon hazards? Slide Show Notes Let’s take a moment now to review and make sure you understand the information presented in the previous slides. For example, do you understand what we’ve said about: Backyard safety? Barbecue safety? Home security? Firearms? Choking and drowning? Holiday and fireworks safety? Radon hazards? Understanding all this information will help you improve the safety and security of your home. Answer any questions trainees have about the information presented in the previous slides. Conduct an exercise, if appropriate. Now continue to the last slide and some key points to remember.
26 Key Points to Remember There are many hazards in most homes.
Take same safety precautions at home. Routinely check your home for hazards. Eliminate hazards right away. Develop a home escape plan and practice it. Slide Show Notes Here are the main points to remember from this session on home safety: There are many hazards in most homes. Take the same safety precautions you take at work at home. Routinely check your home for hazards. Eliminate or minimize recognized hazards right away. Develop a home escape plan and practice it with your family. This concludes the Home Safety training session. Give trainees the quiz, if appropriate.