The family home should be a safe haven for yourself, your family and your possessions. However, all too often simple home safety requirements are overlooked, resulting in avoidable tragedy. Be smart and think ahead by following these important home safety tips so you can rest easy knowing your home and family are protected.

Fire and gas safety

Frighteningly, each year there are over 10,000 house fires in Australia, resulting in 70 deaths and more than 1500 injuries and the sad fact is that many of these could have been avoided with simple fire and gas safety precautions.

Smoke alarms are absolutely essential in the home and it’s vital to check their batteries regularly.

Have a fire extinguisher in the house, keep it up to date and ensure the family knows how to use it properly.

Keep flammable chemicals and materials such as tea towels and curtains away from hot plates and gas flames and never leave an active stove unattended.

Always have a qualified service person do all your wiring, gas fitting and installations. Ensure all appliances and equipment meet Australian industry standards and follow all electrical and gas appliance safety directions.

Ensure gas meters and pressure regulators are properly maintained. Store gas cylinders appropriately and have them checked and stamped every 10 years.

If you live in a high-risk bushfire area, speak to your local fire brigade about keeping your home and the surrounding area safe and prepared in the case of a bushfire.

It’s a good idea to have a professional do a fire and gas safety assessment in your home and educate you and your family on the best practices.

Security

Having proper home security in place is a precautionary measure against theft and vandalism and helps protect your family against intruders.

Installing a burglar alarm system is a good idea, particularly if you are in a high-risk area and invest in a safe if you keep valuable jewellery, cash or documents in the house.

Speak to your home insurance company or a security specialist about the best locks for all windows and doors and consider installing security screens or safety glass on accessible windows which most window repair specialists should be able to do.

Making sure all entrances, including windows and garages are locked when you are out or occupied in a remote part of the house, never leaving a hidden key outside the home, leaving a light and the radio on when you are out for the night, installing sensor lighting outside and joining up to your local neighbourhood watch scheme are all valuable security measures.

Chemicals

Many household chemicals such as cleaning fluids, pool chemicals, garden fertilizers and pest control products can be highly dangerous and it’s important that you store them safely and dispose of them correctly.

Pool safety

If your house has a pool or spa you must have proper safety measures in place. Consult your local council or state Swimming Pool and Spa Association for information on your legal responsibilities. Also ensure everyone in the family learns how to swim and that several family members know how to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Introduce a ‘no diving’ policy and consider a swimming pool alarm.

Prepare the family

Educate your family on home safety. Make sure everyone is prepared for what to do in the case of an emergency and ensure kids know how to call 000 and say the home address. Have easy access to other emergency numbers such as the poisons information centre (13 11 26), your local doctor and your neighbours. It’s also a good idea to have an emergency kit on hand, including handheld torches, spare batteries and a corded telephone (in case of power outage).

Timothy Jones writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.