safety in the home

• Causes of accidents in the home

  • Lack of supervision, e.g. a child being left on their own in the bath
  • Curiosity (especially for children)
  • Badly designed homes, e.g. hidden steps, poor lighting
  • Faulty or badly maintained equipment, e.g. electrical flexes being mended with tape
  • Unsafe storage of dangerous substances or equipment, e.g. dishwasher tablets stored in an unlocked press under the sink
  • Carelessness around water or water spillages, e.g. a spill being left on a floor causing someone to slip
• Preventing falls


  1. Fit stair gates on the top and bottom of stairs if there are small children in the home

  2. Hold onto stair rails when walking up and down stairs

  3. Babies should never be left unattended on beds or changing tables as even a very small baby can wriggle and fall off

  4. Have a light switch at the top and the bottom of stairs

  5. Never leave objects, such as toys, on the stairs

  6. Make sure the carpet is not loose or frayed and floors are not overpolished

  7. Have grips on the sides of baths and showers

  8. The bottom of the shower or bath should have a non-slip surface (especially for older people)

  9. Be careful on freshly washed floors. Wipe up spills immediately
• First Aid: Heimlich Maneuver


  • If you start choking and you on your own...
  • If a baby starts choking...
• Steps to prevent children from: Drowning


  Ring 112 and start CPR
• Guidelines for electrical safety in the home

  • Never overload sockets using adaptors or extension leads or repair flexes with tape, as this can cause fire or electrocution
  • Check for safety symbols on appliances and only buy appliances with Irish and/or EU safety symbols on them
  • Never touch anything electrical with wet hands or take anything electrical, such as a hairdryer, into the bathroom, as this could cause electrocution
  • Unplug electrical appliances at night, as if a fault occurs when they are plugged in they could catch fire
  • Fit childproof covers on electric sockets, so that children cannot poke items such as screwdrivers into the sockets, as this can cause electrocution
• Gas safety in the home

  • Gas is highly flammable - a gas leak can cause a fire or an explosion
  • When gas burns it produces a poisonous substance called carbon monoxide (CO) which is colourless, odourless and tasteless. A faulty gas appliance can release CO into the home, poisoning the occupants. This can happen very quickly if rooms are not well-ventilated.
• Guidelines for gas safety in the home

  • Gas appliances should be fitted only by a registered gas installer and should be regularly serviced by them
  • Ensure that rooms are well-ventilated to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Never block ventilation ducts
  • Install carbon monoxide alarms
• What to do if you suspect a gas leak

  1. Don't smoke or use a naked flame, as this could cause the gas to ignite or explode

  2. Don't switch anything electrical on or off, as this can cause a spark that could ignite the gas

  3. Open windows and doors to let the gas disperse

  4. Check appliances to see if the gas has been left on without them being lit

  5. Turn off gas at the metre to cut off gas supply

  6. Go outside and call the gas emergency services (1850 20 50 50) or dial 999 - do not call from inside the house, as phones can cause a spark that could ignite the gas

  7. Wait outside for the gas emergency services to arrive
• Guidelines for fire safety in the home

  • Close doors at night - this stops a fire from spreading
  • Install smoke alarms and check they are working on the same day each week
  • Buy a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket for use in the kitchen
  • Fire extinguishers should be aimed at the base of the fire
  • Fit a fireguard so that coals and other burning material cannot fall out of the fireplace
  • Have chimneys cleaned regularly - almost half of all domestic fires are chimney fires
  • Do not hang a mirror over the fireplace, to avoid the clothing of a person looking in the mirror from catching on fire
  • Do not leave frying pans unattended, as they can go on fire
  • Have a fire exit plan. This is a plan that shows occupants of a house the quickest and safest way to get out of the house should a fire occur. Make sure everyone in the house knows the plan
  • Carry out regular fire drills so that all occupants know what to do in the event of fire
• Safety symbols


  Safety symbols are displayed on products or labels to indicate that the product has been tested and deemed safe for sale. Safety is an important aspect of quality.
• Warning symbols


  Warning symbols are carried on certain products (e.g. household bleach) to inform the consumer of the dangers associated with these products.