Home and environmental safety

# Home & Environmental Safety: What Every Parent Should Know

**Creating a Safe and Healthy Environment for Children**

Home should be a place where children feel safe, protected, and free to explore. However, many common household items and everyday environments can present unexpected dangers, particularly for infants and young children.

Falls, poisoning, burns, choking, drowning, fires, and exposure to harmful substances are among the most important household safety concerns.

Children are naturally curious. As they grow, they explore their surroundings by touching, climbing, opening cabinets, and placing objects in their mouths. Because young children cannot consistently recognize danger, parents and caregivers play an essential role in preventing injuries.

**The good news is that many childhood injuries can be prevented through simple safety precautions, active supervision, and regular home safety checks.**

This guide highlights the most important home and environmental safety practices every parent should know.

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## 1. Preventing Falls and Furniture Tip-Overs

Falls are among the most common causes of childhood injuries. Young children are particularly vulnerable because they are still developing balance, coordination, and awareness of danger.

Falls may occur from beds, changing tables, stairs, windows, furniture, and playground equipment.

### How to prevent falls at home

- Install safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases. Use hardware-mounted gates at the top of stairs.
- Secure dressers, bookshelves, televisions, and other heavy furniture to the wall.
- Install appropriate window guards or window stops.
- Keep furniture away from windows to prevent children from climbing.
- Never leave infants unattended on beds, sofas, or changing tables.
- Keep floors free of toys, cords, and other tripping hazards.
- Use nonslip mats in bathrooms and other slippery areas.
- Ensure balconies and elevated areas have secure railings.

### Furniture tip-over prevention

Young children may attempt to climb dressers or bookshelves to reach toys or other objects.

Heavy furniture can tip over and cause serious injuries.

Parents should anchor furniture to the wall, avoid placing attractive objects on high shelves, and teach children not to climb furniture.

**Key message:** Anchor heavy furniture and televisions, even if they appear stable. A single climbing attempt can cause a serious injury.

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## 2. Poison Prevention: Keeping Dangerous Substances Away From Children

Young children frequently explore their environment by placing objects in their mouths.

Many household products can cause serious poisoning if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.

### Common household poisoning hazards

- Prescription and over-the-counter medications.
- Cleaning products and disinfectants.
- Laundry detergent packets.
- Pesticides and insecticides.
- Alcohol and nicotine products.
- Cannabis products and edible preparations.
- Cosmetics and personal care products.
- Essential oils.
- Automotive fluids and antifreeze.
- Certain indoor and outdoor plants.

### How to prevent poisoning

1. Store medications and chemicals in locked cabinets.
2. Keep products in their original labeled containers.
3. Never transfer cleaning chemicals into food or beverage containers.
4. Use child-resistant packaging, but remember that child-resistant does not mean childproof.
5. Avoid taking medications in front of young children when possible, because they may imitate adults.
6. Never describe medication as candy.
7. Dispose of expired or unused medications safely.
8. Keep visitors' handbags, backpacks