Identify home hot spots to prevent burns
According to national U.S. burn statistics, approximately 2.4 million burn injuries are reported every year. What's more, four out of every five burn incidents occur in and around the home, with the kitchen and bathroom being the home's top "hot spots." This Fire Prevention Week, UL is helping families identify potential burn hazards around the home that parents may overlook, and providing them with easy-to-remember burn prevention tips.
Hot Spot Highlight: Kitchen
- Create a kids-free zone in the kitchen. Parents should keep kids about three feet away from the stove - if possible - while cooking. Better yet, parents could have children do homework or chores to earn allowance to keep them out of the kitchen altogether while preparing meals.
- Keep the pots in back. Cook on the back burners. Never leave a pot on the stove within reach of a child as children have a tendency to reach up and grab anything in their line of sight.
- You win with pot handles in. Turn pot handles inward to help prevent small children from reaching and pulling down a hot pan.
- Keep cords clear from curious children. Store appliance cords away from counter edges. A dangling cord is a potential hazard as it can get caught in a cabinet door or be pulled on by a child.
- Inspect product packaging for safety. The UL Mark confirms a product has been tested and certified to meet specific safety standards has been found free of foreseeable hazards.
Hot Spot Highlight: Bathroom
- Keep a close eye on kids - especially in the bathroom. Adequate and constant supervision is the single most important factor in preventing tap water scalds. It takes only a second for a child to turn on the hot water and get burned. If you must leave the bathroom while bathing a child, take them with you.
- Setting your water heater to 120°F or less. To avoid accidental scalds, make sure your water heater's temperature is set below 120°F or set to "low." Anything above that temperature can cause severe burns within seconds.
- If the water is too hot for you, it's too hot for your child. Before bath time, make sure your child's bath water isn't too hot. An adult should be able to place his or her arm in the water for 30 seconds without discomfort. To cool the bath water down, run some cold water before your child gets in.
- Keep bathroom counters clear and uncluttered. These products get very hot and are major sources of burns in young children. Turn these items off and store them away to prevent your child from accidentally burning his/her hand.
Hot Spot Highlight: Family Room
- Blow out candles before leaving a room! Be aware of burning candles throughout the house and always blow them out before leaving a room. If you have children or pets running around the house, a candle can easily be knocked down and start a fire.
- Cover electrical outlets. Sticking things like fingers or toys into an electrical outlet can cause an electrical burn. Make sure to cover all electrical outlets with outlet covers so children aren't tempted to play with them.
- Store candles away from children and pets. If you like to keep candles burning in the home, make sure you place them up high and in the center of a table so children can't reach up and touch the hot flames.
- Supervise space heater use. Space heaters can get very hot, and can potentially cause accidental burns. Always monitor children when using space heaters and teach children not to touch any part of the heater.
- Keep the fire in the fireplace. Fireplaces are a common way to heat the home. Make sure to store matches and lighters in a place where children do not have access to them. And, cover your fireplace with a metal mesh screen.
Hot Spot Highlight: The Entire Home
- Install smoke alarms in your home, they save lives. Install smoke alarms on each level of the home to ensure every area of the home is covered and replace smoke alarms every ten years. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of fire-related deaths. Also consider outfitting your home with interconnected technology to link all alarms so when one detects smoke, all alarms will sound.
- If there is a fire in the home - GET OUT - quickly and safely! If a fire breaks out, your first step is to get everyone out of the house and call the fire department. Make sure you and your family knows the quickest way to get out of the house and practice your home fire escape drill so that it becomes second nature.
- Keep fire extinguishers handy. Read the instruction manual and know your extinguisher's capabilities before trying to fight a fire. Portable fire extinguishers are useful for putting out small fires, but recognize your limits and the limits of the extinguisher.
