HOME ACCIDENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 42, 17 January 1949, Page 8

HOME ACCIDENTS

Always Unexpected By Children

(By the Department of Health) Falls, apart from the occasional fatality, break bones, dislocate .■joints, bruise, and‘cut and sprain. They do this because they’re always unexpected. A fall in the home is always unforeseen. The only way to minimise home falls is to expect them, and plan ahead to prevent them, - Teaching children tidiness has the additional virtue of saving falls. Things left where they don’t belong do the damage. Folk expect a clear passage round the home guided by memory of where furniture be-, longs. Something left on floor or stairs, something left out of its, usual place, will trip anybody in the dark. Toddlers should be protected by safety gates on steps or else by teaching them from crawling days to go down backwards, feet first, and later when walking, holding on to the rail. Begin the feet first principle early. Children learn very quickly. Avoid loose mats on polished floors. Carefully • wipe .up any grease, oil, or butter dropped on the floor. A bath mat next the bath may save a slip. Upper story window fastenings should either be kept out of reach of toddlers —no handy chair or stool —or else wired against toddler use, or the window opening should be screened. Reaching for things off high shelves from the arm of a chair, or edge of a box, is unsafe. Better to have a small, firm step -ladder, and use it for all jobs above head height. Good ventilation is the safeguard' when doing any dry cleaning in the home. If you are using an inflammable dry cleaning fluid, get out into the open air and don’t smoke. Better still, confine your dry cleaning to spot removed only, using carbon tetrachloride or other fire safe solvent.