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S-HSE BOOKLET 23/03/2004 11:14 Page 1
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Contents
4 Home safety: armed with the facts
6 The most common hazards in the home:
6 Fire
9 Gas
10 Electricity
12 Burns and scalds
13 Suffocation
13 Poisoning
14 Slips, trips and falls
15 Do-It-Yourself (DIY)
16 Pests and pets
16 Hygiene
17 Drowning
18A room-by-room check for hazards
21 Emergency response equipment
22 Do you take care of safety in your home?
24 Emergency contact numbers
Gasco has produced this booklet,entitled Take care of safety in your home, to encourageyou to do just that. This initiative has been taken in line
with the Gasco Vision, which recognises the value of caring
for our people, our community and our environment.
Our homes are very special places where we feel
comfortable and safe. However, statistics show that
our homes are, in fact, full of hazards where a great
number of accidents take place, particularly involving
young children.
This booklet is aimed at helping you to make your
home a safer place for every single member of your
family. Please make sure that you read it thoroughly
and encourage all members of your family to do the
same. Then discuss with them the issues raised in the
booklet. Most importantly, make sure you complete
the emergency contact numbers in the centre pages
and on the enclosed card. The numbers in the booklet
can then be kept for future reference and the card
can be prominently displayed in your home close to
a telephone.
I sincerely hope that this safety booklet helpsyou and your family to minimise the risk of
accidents in your home - and please remember
that prevention is much better than cure.
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SAFETY AWARENESS FOR ALL YOUR FAMILY
This booklet can only be of real use to you and your
family if you take the time to read it thoroughly and
share its contents with all members of your family.
Safety awareness in the home should not be the
responsibility of just one person. It should be a priority
for all members of the family, and good safety practiceshould be taught from a very early age.
First aid courses are available to teach the basic
principles of dealing with accidents in the home until
medical help arrives. A few hours attending a first aid
course could be some of the most valuable time you
have ever spent as it could save the life of a member
of your family.
SO YOU THOUGHT YOUR HOME WAS SAFE?
There is no place like home. But did you know that thehome is the most common location for children, particularly
young children, to be injured? As you can see from the
figure below, 67 per cent of accidents involving young
children occur in their own homes where you would
expect them to be at their safest.
Your home can also
hold many hazards
for adults and
this booklet will
identify the most
common ofthese. It will
explain how to
help you guard
against them
and prevent
them from
causing accidents.
SUMMING UP THE STATISTICS
According to a recent survey, most accidents in the
home occur among children under five, and boys are
at a higher risk than girls.
For adults, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) procedures and fires
caused by smoking cigarettes, cigars and pipes are
rated highly in the list of hazards which can cause accidents.
The majority of serious accidents and deaths at home
result from fires or burns.
Faulty gas and electrical products and fittings, suffocation,
poisoning and falls are all common causes of injuries in
the home.
Whilst poor hygiene is not often the cause of death,
it is often the cause of illness. It is rated as a serious
threat as food poisoning and infections may require a
speedy medical response.
Home safety:ARMED WITH THE FACTS
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Smoking is not just a fire hazard. It is a hazard to your
health and to the health of those around you.
CARELESS SMOKING HABITS OFTEN CAUSE FIRESIN THE HOME
Passive smoking affects others. If you must smoke, do not
smoke at home and dissuade others from doing so.
If you must smoke at home, take precautions to preventsmokingrelated fires from starting.
Never allow anyone in the family to smoke in bed.
Older people can be especially careless in this respect.
Always use heavy, deep ashtrays for smokers.
Cigars and cigarette butts can smoulder for a long
time. Make sure cigars, cigarettes, pipe tobacco and
matches are completely extinguished before throwing
them in the waste bin.
DISCOURAGE SMOKING ALL TOGETHER.IT IS BAD FOR YOUR LUNGS ANDHEART, AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUSSAFETY PROBLEMS IN YOUR HOME
SMOKING IN THE HOME
Explosions and
fires caused by gas
leaks from faulty
gas appliances,
poor connections
and old gas piping
are another major
cause of accidents
in the home.
Turn off the gasat source in your
home when not in
use for a prolonged
period. Keep children
well away from
any source of gas
and from all gas
appliances when
they are being used.
TALK TO THE PROFESSIONALS
As with electricity, always ensure that all your
gas appliances and connections are checked
regularly by a competent contractor.
Seek professional advice on installing a gas
detector in your home. It is cheap, easy to
install - and may save a life.
IN THE EVENT OF A GAS LEAK
Before a gas leak occurs in your home, make sureyou know how to turn off the gas at source.
If you smell gas and cannot turn it off, leave the
premises with all members of your family immediately
and call the emergency services.
Never smoke cigarettes, use a naked flame or switch
lights on or off in the vicinity of a suspected gas leak.
GAS
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SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS
Stairs and steps, balconies, low
railings, loose carpets, highly
polished floors and slippery tiled
areas can all cause accidents.
Indeed, falls at home involving
children and elderly people are
commonly recorded and though
falls are rarely fatal, broken
bones often result.
TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO MAKEYOUR HOME A SAFER PLACE...
Child safety devices, such as lockable gates
and barriers, should be fixed firmly at the top and
bottom of stairs to prevent children from falling
down or climbing upstairs unattended.
Steps and stairs should be well lit at night. Children
should be able to reach light switches, or night lights
should be used.
Falls from open windows must be prevented by
restricting the size of the opening.
Falls from balconies must be prevented by the
installation of high railings, barriers or strong netting.
Never allow children to play on balconies.
Avoid highly polished floors and warn members of
the family if tiled areas are slippery after cleaning.
Take extra care when getting in and out of showers
and baths.
Do not use a babywalkernear changes in floor
surfaces or floor levels.
Use a full body harness for young children in baby
carriages and high chairs.
DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY)
Be aware that babies can easily roll off changing
tables. Have everything you need to use close by when
changing the baby. Always keep one hand on the baby.
Bunk beds should have guard rails and a fixed ladder.
Children under nine years of age should not sleep on the
top bunk.
Doing jobs in the home for which you are not properly
trained can prove, at best, to be uncomfortable and, at
worst, quite disastrous.
Power tools, ladders, knives, saws, sharp tools,
and electrical equipment are, according to statistics,
the worst offenders when it comes to inflicting damage.
In fact, the results of a recent survey show that
power tools are the most hazardous, particularly
the older power tools made over 20 years ago
which may not have been fitted with safety features
to prevent electrocution. Old electrical tools may
also have frayed wires or unsafe housings, which
present real hazards.
SWALLOW YOUR PRIDEAND TAKE ADVICE
If you do undertake DIY jobs around
the home, be aware of the pitfalls
and the risks involved.
Read the manufacturers
instructions very carefully beforestarting a job. Secure ladders,
keep knives and sharp tools
away from children, stay alert -
and put pride aside and consult
a professional first if you are not
sure how to tackle a particular job.
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You can make your home a safer place by taking the time
to go round each room and writing down anything you
think needs to be done to make your home a safer place.
Pay particular attention to such items as electrical and
gas fittings, combustible items, medicines, poisons andcleaning materials.
Once you have checked the inside of the house,
go outside and do the same with your garden and any
other outside areas.
Once you have identified each hazard and decided
how to deal with it, act straight away.
DONT PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW WHAT NEEDSTO BE DONE TODAY!
IN THE LIVING ROOMS...
Is there a smoke detector? If not, maybe it would be
a good idea to have one installed?
Is there a fire extinguisher? If not, is there one in the
kitchen or close by?
Do the electrical sockets need covers?
Can electrical leads be shorter?
Are electrical junction boxes overloaded?
Can the furniture be rearranged to avoid stumblingover it?
Do glass doors or large windows need safety film?
If there is a fan, is it protected by a guard?
Are there any loops or draw-strings from curtains
or blinds that could present a strangulation threat
for a young child?
Are the loose rugs fitted with grips to keep them in
place to prevent falls?
IN THE BEDROOMS...
Is there a smoke detector? If not, maybe it would bea good idea to have one installed?
Is there a fire extinguisher? If not, where is the
nearest one?
Do the power points need covers? Can electrical leads
be shorter? Are electrical junction boxes overloaded?
Are there pills beside any beds? If so, move them out
of reach of children.
Is the bedside electric light secure?
Does the cot have protective coverings over the slats?
Is it too near the window?
Are the curtain cords too near a childs bed or cot?Do the childrens bunk beds have secure rails and
a fixed ladder?
Are the childrens favourite toys kept where they
can reach them, without climbing?
Should any of the furniture be rearranged to stop
anyone falling over it?
Is there a night light?
TURN THE PAGE TO CHECK THE OTHER ROOMS IN THE HOUSE
A room-by-roomcheck for hazards:
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EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT AT HAND IN YOUR
HOME SHOULD INCLUDE:
at least one fire extinguisher,
preferably located in the kitchen.
smoke detectors/fire alarms,
positioned according to the advice
of the manufacturer.
fire blankets to smother small fires.
a first aid kit, including plasters,
bandages, lint, disinfectant, antisceptic
cream and antihistamine cream for
insect bites.
If you live in an apartment block, make sure
all members of the family recognise the fire
alarm, know the formal fire drill and the
location of all fire exits in the building.
Make the time to attend a first aid course.
Knowing what to do whilst you are waiting
for medical or emergency help to arrive can
save lives.
Have your emergency contact numbersclose at hand - see the centre pages of the
booklet and the enclosed card.
ROOM-BY-ROOM CHECK CONTINUED
IN THE KITCHEN...
Are sharp and electrical objects kept out of reach?
Are potentially hot items protected?
Is there a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket close
to hand in case of an emergency?
Is the cooker firmly fixed and stable?
Is your microwave oven out of reach of children?
Are the curtains or blinds near any open flame or
heat source?
Are there any electrical sockets too close to the sink?
Is there a lockable cabinet for cleaning materials?
IN THE BATHROOMS/LAUNDRY ROOM...
Remembering that water and electricity are a very
dangerous mix, are there any potentially dangerous
electrical connections?
If there are any electrical sockets, are they positioned
high up, away from the water source?
Can you turn down the hot water temperature setting?
Can you fit child-resistant taps?
Do you need a lockable medicine cupboard?
IN THE GARDEN AND OUTSIDE AREAS...
Are pesticides, weed killers, sharp tools and electrical
items inaccessible to young children?
Do you have a secure, lockable cupboard or lockable shed
where you can put away any of these potential hazards?
Are all the electrical fittings on the outside of the house
safe - or do they need safety covers?
If you have a pond, padding pool or swimming pool is
it fenced-off to restrict access for children?
Can you ensure that young children do not use the
garage as a play area?
HOW TO RESPOND TO AN
EMERGENCY IN YOUR HOME
Be equipped:
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1. Have you inspected all the electrical
goods and connections in your home in
the last 12 months to see if they need
professional attention?
Yes/No
2. Have you inspected all the gas connections
and appliances in your home in the last 12 monthsto see if they need professional attention?
Yes/No
3. Do you have sufficient smoke and gas alarms
fitted in your home?
Yes/No
4. If you have a balcony, does it have
sufficiently high railings or barriers to prevent
anyone from falling off it? Is there anythingon the balcony which children could climb on
to get over the railings and fall off the balcony?
Yes/No
5. If you live in an apartment block, does your
family know the evacuation route?
Yes/No
6. Do you have a fire extinguisher and fire
blanket in the kitchen?Yes/No
7. Do you keep all medicines and cleaning
materials, such as bleach, in a locked cupboard?
Do you keep all garden pesticides, weed-killers
and sharp tools locked away?
Yes/No
8. Have you installed electrical safety switches
in your childrens bedroom(s)?
Yes/No
9. If you have young children, have you
restricted the extent to which windows can
be opened?
Yes/No
10. If you have a swimming pool, do you restrict
the access to it for children?
Yes/No
11. Do you have a fully stocked first-aid kit in
the home?
Yes/No
12. Have you attended a first-aid course?
Yes/No
13.Are you planning to share the contents of thisbooklet with all members of your family?
Yes/No
14. Do you have emergency telephone
numbers close at hand (see centre pages
and enclosed card)?
Yes/No
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND
ACT QUICKLY ON THE ONES TO
WHICH YOUR ANSWER IS NO
Do you take care ofsafety in your home?
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