Other Areas

• There are many dangers lurking in the laundry room, including the dryer, detergent, and dangerous items that may be stored there. Be sure to keep the door to the laundry room or laundry closet locked.


• Home offices are particularly challenging to childproof because there are so many hidden dangers, including cords, filing cabinets, paper clips, staples, etc. It is best to keep your child away from the home office area entirely by locking the door or placing a gate in the doorway. If your child must be in the home office, be sure to use powerstrip covers, cover electrical outlets, secure tall bookshelves to the wall, lock filing cabinets and keep all choking hazards such as pen caps, push pins, etc. in a locked drawer.


• If your family spends time on an outside deck, be sure to install a gate at the top of the stairs as well as a railnet to prevent falls. Sand down any wood banisters or boards that be may splintering. Clean off any rusted areas. Keep your child away from the grill when barbecuing.


• Be sure to install a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. Change the batteries when you change your clocks for daylight savings time and test them once a month. If your home uses gas for cooking or heat, be sure to also install a carbon monoxide detector. CO is especially dangerous because it is colorless and odorless, making it a silent killer.


• Basement stairs are very dangerous. Be sure to lock your basement door or install a hardware-mounted gate at the top of the stairs.


• If you have a pool, to prevent drowning make sure there is a locked fence surrounding it to prevent your child from accessing the pool unsupervised. Drain all kiddy pools when not in use. Also, if there is a hot tub in your home, make it off-limits to children. Drain the water when not in use or keep the cover or door locked.