Slips, Trips & Falls

Falls are the major cause of householdinjuries. Most falls happen when someone slips on icy, wet, or slick surfaces;trips over a loose rug, toy, or other object; or stumbles on stairs.

Tips to reduce the risk of falls

• Use rubber-backed rugs on hard floors.

• Avoid very thick carpets and rugs with busy patterns, especially on stairs.

• Replace loose, torn, or frayed rugs.

• Replace wooden stairs and floors that are broken, warped, or rotted.

• Install non-skid strips or mats and grab bars in the bathtub or shower.

• Keep stairs and walkways clear of cords and clutter.

• Be sure outdoors and indoors stairs and hallways are well lighted.

• Install handrails on both sides of all staircases.

• Before climbing a ladder, be sure it is in good shape and is stable. Never stand on the top two rungs of a ladder. Have a friend nearby in case you fall.

• Repair broken or uneven concrete in walks and steps.

• Keep sidewalks and steps clear of snow and ice in winter.

• Spread sand or salt on icy spots.

Tips to protect young children from falls

• Don’t let children jump on beds or other furniture.

• Install rails on their beds to keep them from falling.

• Don’t use infant walkers. These cause many serious injuries each year, especially on stairs.

• Install safety gates at the top and bottom of all stairs if you have a toddler.

• Install guards on upper floor windows.

• Adjust electric garage doors so they reverse easily when they hit something.

• Make sure everyone in your family wears a helmet when riding a bike.

Suffocation, Strugling & Choking

Each year hundreds of people die afterchoking on food or other small items. Most deaths involve infants, toddlers,and the elderly.

Tips to prevent choking and suffocation

• Learn how to use the Heimlich maneuver to remove something stuck in a person’s throat.

• Keep small objects away from toddlers. Anything that is small enough to pass through a toilet paper tube is a choking hazard.

• Place infants on their backs to sleep. Use a firm crib mattress and avoid soft bedding.Remove drawstrings from children’s clothing.

• Don’t serve foods that are hard to chew. Toddlers and some older people have trouble chewing and swallowing foods. Cut fruits and vegetables, hot dogs, and other hard foods into bite-sized pieces.

• Remove doors before throwing out old appliances.

• Keep plastic bags away from children. A thin plastic bag can suffocate a child.

• Keep empty balloons and balloon pieces away from small children.

Water Safety

• Drowning is the sixth leading cause of accidental death.  From 1999 to 2003, 338 Wisconsin residents died as a result of drowning.  Many of these deaths could have been prevented. 

Tips on water safety

• Learn CPR.  This easy-to-learn technique can save the life of someone who has stopped breathing.

• Never place electrical radios, hairdryers, or fans near a sink, bathtub or pool.

Tips to protect young children from waterhazards

• Never leave a child alone near water. Children love to play in water and can drown in a matter of seconds. Keep the toilet lids down and bathroom doors closed. Empty bathtubs and buckets right after use. If outdoors, store pails upside down so they won’t collect rain or snowmelt.

• Teach children to swim and talk to them about water safety.

• Surround pools and hot tubs with a 5-foot fence and install childproof, self-latching gate.

Firearm Safety

• Every two hours a child is killed by a gun. Guns attract children, but they can kill instantly. Children and teens do not fully understand how dangerous guns can be.   Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Wisconsin’s teens. Many suicides are committed with handguns.

Gun owners have a responsibility to besure their guns and ammunition are stored safely.Tips for gun owners:

• Always keep guns unloaded and locked up.

• Store guns and ammunition in separate locked cabinets.

• Keep the keys for gun cabinets hidden or with you at all times.

• Take a gun safety course.

• Talk to your children about gun safety.

• Remove ammunition from guns before storing them.

• Make sure each gun is fitted with a trigger lock.

Electrical & Fire safety

Fire and Burn Prevention

• Fires and burns are the second leading cause of household injuries.  Each year nearly 4,000 people in the U.S. die in home fires.  Thousands of others are injured as a result of fires or accidental burns.  Most of these deaths involve children and elderly adults.  Kitchen accidents, space heaters, chimney fires, faulty electrical wiring, and cigarettes are common causes.  Check your home for fire hazards.  Install smoke detectors on every floor.

Tips on Fire Safety

• Dispose of cigarettes, cigars, and matches carefully.

• Install smoke detectors on each floor of your home and test them often.

• Plan two escape routes from each floor of your home and practice using them.  Be sure you can open doors and windows from the inside without a key.

• Never leave a burning candle or fireplace unattended.

• Don’t place anything that will burn near a furnace, water heater, space heater, or the stove top.

• Don’t use flammable chemicals near appliances with pilot lights.

• Have your furnace and chimney inspected each year.  Some utility companies provide free or low cost inspections.

• Know how to put out kitchen fires.  If a fire occurs, don’t panic.  For oven fires, close the door and turn off the oven.  Use a pot lid to smother a stovetop fire.  Keep a filled ABC-rated fire extinguisher near the kitchen.

• Pay attention when you are cooking.  If you must leave the kitchen turn off all burners.

• Prevent scalds by setting your water heater to 120 degrees or lower.  Anti-scald devices are available for bathtubs or showers.

• Know emergency phone numbers for your area.  In most places it is 911.  Post the number near each telephone.  Teach children the emergency number.

Tips to Protect Children from Fires andBurns

• Teach children not to play with matches or lighters.  Store them out of sight and reach.

• Teach your children what to do if they smell smoke or hear the smoke alarm.

• Have children practice escaping from a fire.

• Never leave young children alone.

• Place pots and pans on the rear burner of the stove and always turn handles inward so they are not accessible to toddlers.

• Keep the cords for crockpots, coffee makers, and deep fryers out of the reach of small children.

ElectricalSafety

• While enjoying electric TVs, radios and other appliances, we may forget they can cause shocks and fires.  In 1990, bad plugs, cords, switches, and outlets caused about 13,000 home fires and nearly 200 deaths.  Most electrical fires and injuries can be prevented.  People should take the time to have their electrical systems inspected and learn about electrical safety.

Tips on Electrical Safety

• People who live in homes that are more than 10 years old should consider having the wiring inspected.  If your home is more than 40 years old, an inspection is overdue.  Be sure to consult with your local building inspector before making repairs.

• Never place electric cords under rugs or bedding.  Heat or sparks from these cords could cause a fire.

• Follow the safety tips on new appliances.

• Check electrical cords for signs of wear.  Replace frayed or cracked cords to prevent shocks and fires.

• Check labels on lamps and use the right size bulb.  Check the label on your fuse box and be sure you use the right size fuses.

• Fix electrical problems right away.  If fuses blow often, circuit breakers trip often, switches get hot or people are shocked, something is wrong.

• Cover unused outlets with plastic plugs.

• If a cord has 3-prongs, use it properly.  Don’t remove the extra prong.  The third prong is there because the appliance must be grounded to prevent electrical shocks.

• Take cover during a thunder storm.  If you are indoors, stay away from open windows and doors and use the telephone only in an emergency.  If you are outdoors stay in your car and away from water, trees, and metal objects.  Avoid low areas that might flood in a heavy rain.

• Do not overhaul outlets.  Extension cords shouldn't be used as permanent fixtures in home rebuilding.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

• A ground fault circuit interrupter or GFCI is a special type of outlet that prevents shocks.  These outlets are recommended for areas where water is used.  Install GFCIs in bathrooms, kitchens (within 6 feet of the sink), laundry areas, garages, basements, outdoor outlets, and around pools, saunas, and hot tubs.  Test these outlets monthly.

For more information

• Fire Prevention: call your local fire department.

• Electrical Safety: call your local utility or an electrical contractor.

Fire Protection Improve

Australia, -- Standards Australia has released an interim standard to assist fireauthorities in the selection and development of protective clothing forfirefighters. Fire agencies, the fabric technology industry, manufacturers andunion representatives contributed to the development of interim standard AS4967 -- 2001 -- Protective clothing for firefighters -- Requirements and testmethods for protective clothing used for structural firefighting. The recentlyselected New South Wales Fire Brigade uniforms have a garment shell andprotective liner for ease of cleaning and long-term maintenance. They conformto the standard. Two other fire clothing standards have also been released --AS 4824 (Int) -- 2001 -- Protective clothing for firefighters -- Requirementsand test methods for protective clothing used for wildland firefighting, andAS/NZS 4821 (Int) -- 2000 -- Firefighters' protective footwear. 

A draft revision of the StandardsAustralia portable fire extinguisher standard is expected later this year.Changes to AS/NZS: 1841 -- Portable fire extinguishers, may include the removalof the "E" fire classification when the extinguishing agent is aconductor of electricity, such as water or a conductive aqueous solution. Thereis concern about the potential exposure of an operator to electrocution. 

Work continueson a revision of the Standards Australia fire maintenance standard. It isanticipated the revised AS 1851 -- 1995 -- Maintenance of fire protectionsystems, will be published in the second half of 2002. The existing 16 parts ofthe standard will be consolidated. It is also anticipated the standard will bereferenced in the Building Code of Australia, making it mandatory.

Cylinder Marking

• Cylinders must be properly labeled, including the gas identity and appropriate hazards (e.g., health, flammability, reactivity).

• Cylinders have several stamped markings. The top mark is either a DOT or an ICC marking indicating pertinent regulations for that cylinder. The second mark is the serial number. Under the serial number is the symbol of the manufacturer, user, or purchaser. Of the remaining marks the numbers represent the date of manufacture, and retest date (month and year). A (+) sign indicates the cylinder may be 10% overcharged, and a star indicates a ten year test interval.