Common Home Accidents and How to Avoid Them

Some of the most common and dangerous emergency situations occur at home. Precautionary measures can make homes as safe as possible, but accidents can still happen.

The National Safety Council says that 25 million in-home injuries occurred in homes in 2018. Accidental death is the third-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, the NSC says the home injury death rate increased by 150 percent between 1999 and 2018.

The top five most fatal household injuries in the United States are poisoning, falls, choking or suffocation, drowning, and fires/burns. Recognizing the threat these accidents pose can compel people to make every effort possible to prevent them from happening.

• Poisoning: Poisoning can be attributed to exposure to household chemicals, but illicit drugs and alcohol use, as well as prescription drug overdoses, have become major contributors to accidental poisonings. Keeping medicine and liquor cabinets locked can prevent children and teens from accessing items that are off limits. Disposing of unused or expired prescription medication can help remove drugs from the home. Educating children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol also may help.

• Falls: Falls can happen at any age but they're most common among the very young or very old. Installing grab bars in bathrooms, improving indoor lighting and removing tripping hazards like area rugs or toys from high traffic areas can reduce the likelihood of falls. Young children should be carefully supervised and deterred from climbing.

• Choking/suffocation: U.S. News & World Report says airway obstruction – which includes choking, suffocation and strangulation – claims about 1,000 lives a year. Children often put objects in their mouths and swallow them, resulting in choking. Eating too quickly and failing to chew adequately at any age can cause food to become lodged in the throat. Older adults may lose the ability to chew or swallow adequately due to cognitive disorders or other conditions. Suffocation can occur when children are put in unsafe sleeping environments. Too many blankets or toys can impede youngsters' ability to breathe. Keeping a home clean, monitoring children and seniors while eating and learning the Heimlich maneuver can help prevent injuries.

• Drowning: A young child can drown in just inches of water, but pools, bathtubs and other standing water can be of greatest concern. Install fencing with self-latching gates and supervise children at all times when they are around water.

• Burns/fires: Install plenty of working smoke alarms and hold fire drills to reduce the risk of fire-related deaths and injuries. Turning down the temperature of a home water heater to avoid scalding and exercising caution in the kitchen, where many fires originate, also is key. Never leave food unattended on the stove.

Home accidents can happen, but awareness of common incidents may compel people to place a greater emphasis on prevention.

~Metro Connection