Word of Advice

1 September 2008

Staying safe around the home

Our home is a place that we like to think of as safe. But did you know that one in seven Kiwis were injured in their homes last year? That’s more than on the road and on the sports field.

That’s why this week has been selected to be 'Safety Begins at Home' week. So now’s a good time to think about how you could make your home a safer place for both you and your family.

Top five safety at home tips

Based on the number of injuries reported to ACC, a set of five top tips for keeping safe around the home have been developed. They are:

• Use non-slip mats in the shower and bath and mop up any water that you see.
• Have well-lit stairs by installing a light switch at both ends of the stairs. Always use the handrail.
• Wear slippers or non-slip shoes on wooden floors. It’s easy to slip or trip if you’re just wearing socks.
• Make sure that you can see sliding glass doors. The easiest way to see the glass is to put stickers on it, or add a frosted panel.
• Play it safe with ladders - keep three points of contact on a ladder at all times and don’t overreach sideways – try to keep a belt buckle between the ladder rails.

Safety with kids’ toys

Remember the five S’s when either buying toys for your kids or letting kids play with toys:

Size - the smaller the child, the bigger the toy should be. Children under three put everything in their mouths, up their noses and in their ears. Also, they can’t cough things up until they’re over three years old. If a toy is small enough to fit into a small container about the size of a film canister, or can easily break into small parts, a child under three should not be playing with it.

Smooth - if a toy has sharp points or rough edges a child could badly scratch or cut themselves.

Surface - check that any decorative bits and pieces on the surface of toys are firmly attached and any stuffing from soft toys can’t come out.

Strings - check that strings or tails on toys are not long enough to pose as a strangulation or choking hazard. Watch out, as they can also cause wounds around little fingers or toes.

Supervision - buying toys that don’t need close supervision may make life a lot easier. However, small children need close supervision with toys to help prevent accidents. Remember that toys for older siblings shouldn’t find their way into the hands of younger brothers and sisters. A toy designed for a 12 year old may well pose a risk to a two year old.

What’s Consumer Affairs involvement with safety?

The Ministry's Measurement and Product Safety Service investigates unsafe products and takes part in developing national voluntary standards.

Along with that, the Ministry can suggest modifications to make a product safe, request that unsafe products be removed from sale, and assist companies to recall unsafe products. The Minister of Consumer Affairs can also ban unsafe products, and order a compulsory recall of an unsafe product.

Further information

Visit our website for more information about unsafe products and how to report them.

Visit here for more information on the ‘Safety Begins at Home Week’ campaign.