take care home english imran khan

8/4/2019 Take Care Home English Imran Khan

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S-HSE BOOKLET 23/03/2004 11:14 Page 1


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Contents

4 Home safety: armed with the facts

6 The most common hazards in the home:

6 Fire

9 Gas

10 Electricity

12 Burns and scalds

13 Suffocation

13 Poisoning

14 Slips, trips and falls

15 Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

16 Pests and pets

16 Hygiene

17 Drowning

18A room-by-room check for hazards

21 Emergency response equipment

22 Do you take care of safety in your home?

24 Emergency contact numbers

Gasco has produced this booklet,entitled Take care of safety in your home, to encourageyou to do just that. This initiative has been taken in line

with the Gasco Vision, which recognises the value of caring

for our people, our community and our environment.

Our homes are very special places where we feel

comfortable and safe. However, statistics show that

our homes are, in fact, full of hazards where a great

number of accidents take place, particularly involving

young children.

This booklet is aimed at helping you to make your

home a safer place for every single member of your

family. Please make sure that you read it thoroughly

and encourage all members of your family to do the

same. Then discuss with them the issues raised in the

booklet. Most importantly, make sure you complete

the emergency contact numbers in the centre pages

and on the enclosed card. The numbers in the booklet

can then be kept for future reference and the card

can be prominently displayed in your home close to

a telephone.

I sincerely hope that this safety booklet helpsyou and your family to minimise the risk of

accidents in your home - and please remember

that prevention is much better than cure.



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SAFETY AWARENESS FOR ALL YOUR FAMILY

This booklet can only be of real use to you and your

family if you take the time to read it thoroughly and

share its contents with all members of your family.

Safety awareness in the home should not be the

responsibility of just one person. It should be a priority

for all members of the family, and good safety practiceshould be taught from a very early age.

First aid courses are available to teach the basic

principles of dealing with accidents in the home until

medical help arrives. A few hours attending a first aid

course could be some of the most valuable time you

have ever spent as it could save the life of a member

of your family.

SO YOU THOUGHT YOUR HOME WAS SAFE?

There is no place like home. But did you know that thehome is the most common location for children, particularly

young children, to be injured? As you can see from the

figure below, 67 per cent of accidents involving young

children occur in their own homes where you would

expect them to be at their safest.

Your home can also

hold many hazards

for adults and

this booklet will

identify the most

common ofthese. It will

explain how to

help you guard

against them

and prevent

them from

causing accidents.

SUMMING UP THE STATISTICS

According to a recent survey, most accidents in the

home occur among children under five, and boys are

at a higher risk than girls.

For adults, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) procedures and fires

caused by smoking cigarettes, cigars and pipes are

rated highly in the list of hazards which can cause accidents.

The majority of serious accidents and deaths at home

result from fires or burns.

Faulty gas and electrical products and fittings, suffocation,

poisoning and falls are all common causes of injuries in

the home.

Whilst poor hygiene is not often the cause of death,

it is often the cause of illness. It is rated as a serious

threat as food poisoning and infections may require a

speedy medical response.

Home safety:ARMED WITH THE FACTS

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Smoking is not just a fire hazard. It is a hazard to your

health and to the health of those around you.

CARELESS SMOKING HABITS OFTEN CAUSE FIRESIN THE HOME

Passive smoking affects others. If you must smoke, do not

smoke at home and dissuade others from doing so.

If you must smoke at home, take precautions to preventsmokingrelated fires from starting.

Never allow anyone in the family to smoke in bed.

Older people can be especially careless in this respect.

Always use heavy, deep ashtrays for smokers.

Cigars and cigarette butts can smoulder for a long

time. Make sure cigars, cigarettes, pipe tobacco and

matches are completely extinguished before throwing

them in the waste bin.

DISCOURAGE SMOKING ALL TOGETHER.IT IS BAD FOR YOUR LUNGS ANDHEART, AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUSSAFETY PROBLEMS IN YOUR HOME

SMOKING IN THE HOME

Explosions and

fires caused by gas

leaks from faulty

gas appliances,

poor connections

and old gas piping

are another major

cause of accidents

in the home.

Turn off the gasat source in your

home when not in

use for a prolonged

period. Keep children

well away from

any source of gas

and from all gas

appliances when

they are being used.

TALK TO THE PROFESSIONALS

As with electricity, always ensure that all your

gas appliances and connections are checked

regularly by a competent contractor.

Seek professional advice on installing a gas

detector in your home. It is cheap, easy to

install - and may save a life.

IN THE EVENT OF A GAS LEAK

Before a gas leak occurs in your home, make sureyou know how to turn off the gas at source.

If you smell gas and cannot turn it off, leave the

premises with all members of your family immediately

and call the emergency services.

Never smoke cigarettes, use a naked flame or switch

lights on or off in the vicinity of a suspected gas leak.

GAS

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SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS

Stairs and steps, balconies, low

railings, loose carpets, highly

polished floors and slippery tiled

areas can all cause accidents.

Indeed, falls at home involving

children and elderly people are

commonly recorded and though

falls are rarely fatal, broken

bones often result.

TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO MAKEYOUR HOME A SAFER PLACE...

Child safety devices, such as lockable gates

and barriers, should be fixed firmly at the top and

bottom of stairs to prevent children from falling

down or climbing upstairs unattended.

Steps and stairs should be well lit at night. Children

should be able to reach light switches, or night lights

should be used.

Falls from open windows must be prevented by

restricting the size of the opening.

Falls from balconies must be prevented by the

installation of high railings, barriers or strong netting.

Never allow children to play on balconies.

Avoid highly polished floors and warn members of

the family if tiled areas are slippery after cleaning.

Take extra care when getting in and out of showers

and baths.

Do not use a babywalkernear changes in floor

surfaces or floor levels.

Use a full body harness for young children in baby

carriages and high chairs.

DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY)

Be aware that babies can easily roll off changing

tables. Have everything you need to use close by when

changing the baby. Always keep one hand on the baby.

Bunk beds should have guard rails and a fixed ladder.

Children under nine years of age should not sleep on the

top bunk.

Doing jobs in the home for which you are not properly

trained can prove, at best, to be uncomfortable and, at

worst, quite disastrous.

Power tools, ladders, knives, saws, sharp tools,

and electrical equipment are, according to statistics,

the worst offenders when it comes to inflicting damage.

In fact, the results of a recent survey show that

power tools are the most hazardous, particularly

the older power tools made over 20 years ago

which may not have been fitted with safety features

to prevent electrocution. Old electrical tools may

also have frayed wires or unsafe housings, which

present real hazards.

SWALLOW YOUR PRIDEAND TAKE ADVICE

If you do undertake DIY jobs around

the home, be aware of the pitfalls

and the risks involved.

Read the manufacturers

instructions very carefully beforestarting a job. Secure ladders,

keep knives and sharp tools

away from children, stay alert -

and put pride aside and consult

a professional first if you are not

sure how to tackle a particular job.

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You can make your home a safer place by taking the time

to go round each room and writing down anything you

think needs to be done to make your home a safer place.

Pay particular attention to such items as electrical and

gas fittings, combustible items, medicines, poisons andcleaning materials.

Once you have checked the inside of the house,

go outside and do the same with your garden and any

other outside areas.

Once you have identified each hazard and decided

how to deal with it, act straight away.

DONT PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW WHAT NEEDSTO BE DONE TODAY!

IN THE LIVING ROOMS...

Is there a smoke detector? If not, maybe it would be

a good idea to have one installed?

Is there a fire extinguisher? If not, is there one in the

kitchen or close by?

Do the electrical sockets need covers?

Can electrical leads be shorter?

Are electrical junction boxes overloaded?

Can the furniture be rearranged to avoid stumblingover it?

Do glass doors or large windows need safety film?

If there is a fan, is it protected by a guard?

Are there any loops or draw-strings from curtains

or blinds that could present a strangulation threat

for a young child?

Are the loose rugs fitted with grips to keep them in

place to prevent falls?

IN THE BEDROOMS...

Is there a smoke detector? If not, maybe it would bea good idea to have one installed?

Is there a fire extinguisher? If not, where is the

nearest one?

Do the power points need covers? Can electrical leads

be shorter? Are electrical junction boxes overloaded?

Are there pills beside any beds? If so, move them out

of reach of children.

Is the bedside electric light secure?

Does the cot have protective coverings over the slats?

Is it too near the window?

Are the curtain cords too near a childs bed or cot?Do the childrens bunk beds have secure rails and

a fixed ladder?

Are the childrens favourite toys kept where they

can reach them, without climbing?

Should any of the furniture be rearranged to stop

anyone falling over it?

Is there a night light?

TURN THE PAGE TO CHECK THE OTHER ROOMS IN THE HOUSE

A room-by-roomcheck for hazards:

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EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT AT HAND IN YOUR

HOME SHOULD INCLUDE:

at least one fire extinguisher,

preferably located in the kitchen.

smoke detectors/fire alarms,

positioned according to the advice

of the manufacturer.

fire blankets to smother small fires.

a first aid kit, including plasters,

bandages, lint, disinfectant, antisceptic

cream and antihistamine cream for

insect bites.

If you live in an apartment block, make sure

all members of the family recognise the fire

alarm, know the formal fire drill and the

location of all fire exits in the building.

Make the time to attend a first aid course.

Knowing what to do whilst you are waiting

for medical or emergency help to arrive can

save lives.

Have your emergency contact numbersclose at hand - see the centre pages of the

booklet and the enclosed card.

ROOM-BY-ROOM CHECK CONTINUED

IN THE KITCHEN...

Are sharp and electrical objects kept out of reach?

Are potentially hot items protected?

Is there a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket close

to hand in case of an emergency?

Is the cooker firmly fixed and stable?

Is your microwave oven out of reach of children?

Are the curtains or blinds near any open flame or

heat source?

Are there any electrical sockets too close to the sink?

Is there a lockable cabinet for cleaning materials?

IN THE BATHROOMS/LAUNDRY ROOM...

Remembering that water and electricity are a very

dangerous mix, are there any potentially dangerous

electrical connections?

If there are any electrical sockets, are they positioned

high up, away from the water source?

Can you turn down the hot water temperature setting?

Can you fit child-resistant taps?

Do you need a lockable medicine cupboard?

IN THE GARDEN AND OUTSIDE AREAS...

Are pesticides, weed killers, sharp tools and electrical

items inaccessible to young children?

Do you have a secure, lockable cupboard or lockable shed

where you can put away any of these potential hazards?

Are all the electrical fittings on the outside of the house

safe - or do they need safety covers?

If you have a pond, padding pool or swimming pool is

it fenced-off to restrict access for children?

Can you ensure that young children do not use the

garage as a play area?

HOW TO RESPOND TO AN

EMERGENCY IN YOUR HOME

Be equipped:

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1. Have you inspected all the electrical

goods and connections in your home in

the last 12 months to see if they need

professional attention?

Yes/No

2. Have you inspected all the gas connections

and appliances in your home in the last 12 monthsto see if they need professional attention?

Yes/No

3. Do you have sufficient smoke and gas alarms

fitted in your home?

Yes/No

4. If you have a balcony, does it have

sufficiently high railings or barriers to prevent

anyone from falling off it? Is there anythingon the balcony which children could climb on

to get over the railings and fall off the balcony?

Yes/No

5. If you live in an apartment block, does your

family know the evacuation route?

Yes/No

6. Do you have a fire extinguisher and fire

blanket in the kitchen?Yes/No

7. Do you keep all medicines and cleaning

materials, such as bleach, in a locked cupboard?

Do you keep all garden pesticides, weed-killers

and sharp tools locked away?

Yes/No

8. Have you installed electrical safety switches

in your childrens bedroom(s)?

Yes/No

9. If you have young children, have you

restricted the extent to which windows can

be opened?

Yes/No

10. If you have a swimming pool, do you restrict

the access to it for children?

Yes/No

11. Do you have a fully stocked first-aid kit in

the home?

Yes/No

12. Have you attended a first-aid course?

Yes/No

13.Are you planning to share the contents of thisbooklet with all members of your family?

Yes/No

14. Do you have emergency telephone

numbers close at hand (see centre pages

and enclosed card)?

Yes/No

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND

ACT QUICKLY ON THE ONES TO

WHICH YOUR ANSWER IS NO

Do you take care ofsafety in your home?

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