• An easy-to-follow guide to achieving a perfect result. • Outlines all the tools you will need for the job.• Includes a materials checklist.

PLEASE NOTE: Before starting this project or buying any materials, it is well worth your time to read through all steps first to be sure you understand what is required.

mitre10.com.auMitre I0 is proudly Australian owned.

MItrePlAn PrOJeCt PlAnner

Your local MITRE 10 Store is:

Childproof your homeCHILD SAFETYEDUCATION■ Accidental poisoning: Each year in Australia 140,000 calls are made to Poisons Information Centres by concerned parents or carers of young children. Around 3,500 children under five years of age are admitted to hospitals because of poisoning annually. Poisoning can occur from medication, household cleaning products, pool chemicals and garden pesticides stored in the garage/home.

■ Falls: Falls are still the highest cause of injury for children under five years of age.

■ Sharp objects: Kids accessing knives and other sharp objects in unsecured drawers is an everyday occurrence and a major cause of hospital visits.

■ Drowning: As we know from the headlines many children drown each year in backyard pools but did you know that children also drown in baths and toilets? It takes just a few centimetres of water to pose a drowning threat to babies and toddlers.

■ Scalds and burns: These can happen in the blink of an eye from contact with cooking appliances such as ovens, stoves, heaters, irons, hot water and steam.

■ Choking: Children can easily choke on small items such as beads, toys, pieces of foam, coins, miniature batteries etc. Food items such as small pieces of raw carrot also pose a threat.

■ Entrapment: Children can trap themselves between cot railings and balustrades. They can also strangle themselves by becoming entangled with curtain and blind cords.

Childproof your home

#9

Visit mitre10.com.au for more S

IMPORTANT: The highest cause of injury to children occurs in and around the home. While it is impossible to make your home completely safe and injury free, you can take steps to lessen the risk and make your home a safer place for children although remember nothing beats parental supervision.

Mitre 10 gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Dream Baby® in the preparation of this Mitreplan.

Have I secured all cupboards and drawers around my home to stop children from gaining access?

Are outlet plugs blocking all power points firmly in place to protect against electrocution?

Have I fitted door stops to prevent little fingers from being jammed?

Do I have corner cushions positioned on all sharp furniture around the home to prevent injury?

Do I have safety products in place to protect my child near the stove, oven, microwave and fridge to prevent burns and accidental poisoning?

Do I have a thermometer at hand to test water temperature before bath time to prevent scalds?

Have I placed non-slip stickers at the bottom of the bath and shower to prevent slips?

Are secure locks in place on all windows and doors to prevent accidental falls?

Have I installed a toilet lock to prevent drowning and poisoning?

Have I installed a bath spout to prevent scalds and bumps?

Does a night light illuminate the bedroom and hall areas for safety and comfort?

Are there barriers or gates on hallways, stairs, steps and rooms to prevent children accessing dangerous areas?

Avoid a crisis before it happens – your essential ‘Safety Checklist’ for the home.

YES NO

General Home Safety

Tips - with help from Mitre 10

Bedrooms Position furniture away from windows, blind cords, electrical outlets and ceiling fans. Always use blind cord wind-ups, outlet plugs and a door stopper. Check that your cot complies with the Australian Standards and that the cot mattress fits snuggly. Install a night light for comfort and safety.

BathroomsMake sure the thermostat on your hot water is set no hotter than 50°C. Ensure bath taps are inaccessible to children and use bath caps. Make sure hazardous products (such as shampoos, razors and medications etc.) are out of reach and stored in a secured cupboard. Remove electrical appliances from the bathroom. It is also very important that children are supervised at all times.

KitchenEnsure access to the kitchen is restricted by installing a gate. Place cleaning and hazardous products such as medications, chemicals, plastic bags etc. in cupboards that have been secured with safety locks and latches. Use rear burners on the stove and turn pot handles away from the front of the stove. To help prevent burns install a stovetop guard and oven lock, stovetop covers are also a good idea because they prevent knobs from being turned on by children. Last but not least, don’t forget to secure the fridge with a refrigerator latch especially if you are storing medicines.

Living areasEnsure furniture is positioned away from windowsand that protective covers are placed on sharpcorners/edges of furniture. Safety glass or safety filmneeds to be installed on low-level glass doors andwindows. Stickers or frosting also needs to beapplied to glass sliding doors to prevent collisions.

The highest cause of injury to children occurs in and around the home. While it is impossible to make your home completely safe and injury free, you can take steps to lessen the risk and make your home a safer place for children although remember nothing beats parental supervision.

Always make sure safety gates are in place at the top and bottom of stairs and steps to prevent falls. Also secure hallways and entrances and it’s also an idea to gate off entire areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Remember to fit outlet plugs in unused power outlets. Children, like to poke and prod, often with forks or toys, which can lead to electrocution if safety covers are not in place.

Ensure blind and curtain cords are out of a child’s reach to avoid strangulation. Use blind cord wind-ups, and always keep a close eye on animals near your children.

Make sure you have a variety of locks, latches and catches in place to secure cupboards and drawers to guard against choking and poisoning dangers.

Kids learn through repeated observation. By using a number of locks that work in different ways, it becomes harder for young children to work out how to open them. Also, make sure you have the right lock or latch for each cupboard depending on the type of handle. You could also consider magnetic locks which are installed on the inside of furniture hidden from little fingers. They are activated and deactivated with a magnetic key.

REMINDER: Child proofing your home allows children to thrive and grow in a safe yet stimulating environment, which is better for their development.