Safety is no accident

A lot of us are paid to think about safety at work every day. But, for one reason or another we leave that mind-set at work. Maybe that’s it. We’re so used to leaving work at work, we forget that there may be some lessons we should be taking home. I think safety is one of those lessons. So let’s talk about those things that we take for granted at home that maybe we shouldn’t.

Housekeeping is the first that springs to mind for me. This one leads to so many other categories. Fire, slips, and falls just to name a few. I know that my son Joshua is always on me about it. He’s ten times the housekeeper I am. But I know that it’s the other way around with the rest of the world. Try pointing out to the kids the hazards that all that clutter creates. Is it worth a sprained ankle or a broken wrist just because we couldn’t put a toy away? I’m just as guilty as the next guy of leaving a half full glass on the counter, but what if it spilled and someone slipped? I’d feel like a heel having to take that person to the doctor because I was too busy to put that glass into the dish washer!

How about those fire hazards we choose to live with every day that would never fly at work? Believe it or not, your smoke detector isn’t a kitchen cooking timer. Have you put the batteries back in it since the last time you slapped them out because the alarm was screaming at you for forgetting the oatmeal on the stove? When was the last time you checked to see if the fire alarms are working? Do you have fire alarms in the house? One of the most common causes of fires this time of year is the portable heaters we spread around the house. Believe me, they are safe if used properly. I remember talking to a firefighter friend of mine that said every portable heater fire he put out had clothes piled up against the heater. Remember the housekeeping we just talked about?

Some of the biggest accidents have the most humble beginnings. Someone walks over the throw rug and kicks up a corner but doesn’t straighten it out. The next guy trips and knocks his head on a wall because of it.

I’m as guilty as the next guy of buying the new light fixture at the big-box store and running home to wire in the fixture, but have you thought the hazards and consequences of that action? There’s a right way and a wrong way to install a wire nut. I remember in a beginning electrical class I once took, the instructor said, “I’ll keep you busy for the next two hours on what you don’t know about a wire nut. And a wire nut improperly installed is a fire hazard!” Do you know your limitations when it comes to electrical? I haven’t even started on the topic of sizing the appliance to the circuit you’re installing it to. Is it near plumbing? Does it have the proper overload for its application?

How many times have you run for a ladder, plopped it down and tromped up it, never once thinking about the footing of the ladder. Is it the right ladder for the job? Did you think about the load limit of the ladder? If it’s a 200lb weight limit, you may only be 170lb, but are you carrying 50lb of tools and material with you?

I know we get busy around the house. Sometimes there don’t seem to be enough hours in a day. But a personal injury is going to really limit the things we can get done. And when you think about it, it really doesn’t take a lot of time for that one or two extra steps to insure safety. Remember, safety is no accident!

By ROB WHITE, Home Matters host

Home Matters can be heard on the new 97.3 KIRO FM Weekends Sunday at 8 a.m. Available anytime ON DEMAND at MyNorthwest.com