|
|
4
Home Hazard Hunt
Do you believe that your home is a safe place to be? Statistics show that most fires, accidents, and injuries occur in the home.
Getting Started: Using the checklist below, involve the whole family, especially your children, in a home hazard hunt Remember that anything that can move, break, fall, or bum is a potential hazard Foresight, imagination, and common sense are the only tools you will need! After identifying what needs to be done, devise a plan to do it.
|
Kitchen |
Smoking and Matches |
||||
|
Yes/No |
Wear snug-fitting clothes when cooking |
Yes/No |
|||
|
|
|
Do not leave cooking food unattended |
|
|
Store matches and lighters out of reach of children |
|
|
|
Keep pan handles turned in while cooking |
|
|
Use large, deep, non-tip ashtrays |
|
|
|
Keep a pan lid nearby in case of fire |
|
|
Never smoke when drowsy or in bed |
|
|
|
Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles |
|
|
Dispose of ashes and cigarette butts in a metal can at least daily |
|
|
|
Keep cords from dangling |
|
|
Check furniture for smoldering cigarettes every night, especially after parties |
|
|
|
Ensure outlets near the kitchen sink are GFI [Ground Fault Interrupt] equipped |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Keep sharp knives out of reach of children |
Electricity |
||
|
Outside |
Yes/No |
||||
|
Yes/No |
|
|
Avoid the use of extension cords [If used, ensure the correct wattage rating] |
||
|
|
|
Clear dry vegetation and rubbish from around the house |
|
|
Plug only one heat producing device into an electrical outlet |
|
|
|
Use barbecue grills away from buildings and vegetation |
|
|
Ensure cords are not placed under rugs |
|
|
|
Dispose of barbecue briquettes in a metal container |
|
|
Verify circuits are not overloaded |
|
|
|
Maintain a "greenbelt" around rural buildings |
|
|
Replace damaged cords, plugs, sockets |
|
|
|
Check with the fire department before burning debris or using a burn barrel |
|
|
Use bulbs with the correct wattage for lamps and fixtures |
|
|
|
|
|
Check fuses/circuit breakers for the correct amperage ratings |
|
|
All Rooms |
|
|
Do not override or bypass fuses or circuit breakers |
||
|
Yes/No |
|||||
|
|
|
Ensure floor coverings [rugs, carpets] are properly secured to prevent tripping hazards |
Clothes Washer and Dryer |
||
|
|
|
Separate draw cords on blinds and drapes to reduce strangulation hazards for kids |
Yes/No |
||
|
|
|
Verify that appliances are properly grounded |
|||
|
|
|
Ensure room exits are unobstructed |
|
|
Ensure lint filter IS clean and serviceable |
|
|
|
Check vent hose and vent line to ensue they are clean and provide unobstructed airflow |
|||
|
Garage/Attic/Shed |
Fire Extinguisher |
|||||
|
Yes/No |
Yes/No |
|||||
|
|
|
Use gasoline as motor fuel only and never use or store it inside the home |
|
|
Verify that an all purpose fire extinguisher [Class ABC] is maintained in an accessible location |
|
|
|
|
Keep only a small quantity of gasoline, if necessary, in an approved container locked |
|
|
Ensure that all occupants know how to use it |
|
|
|
|
Keep flammable liquids such as paints and thinners in their original containers and store on or near the ground and away from sources of heat, sparks, or flame. |
|
|
Are additional fire extinguishers kept in the kitchen, garage, basement, and sleeping area? |
|
|
|
|
Store used oily rags in sealed metal containers |
||||
|
|
|
Never store combustibles such as newspapers and magazines |
Smoke Detector |
|||
|
Yes/No |
|
|||||
|
Heating Equipment |
|
|
Installed properly on every level? |
|||
|
Yes/No |
|
|
Tested 1st Tuesday of each month? |
|||
|
|
|
Ensure fireplace inserts and gas/wood stoves comply with local codes |
|
|
Battery replaced every year? |
|
|
|
|
Clean and inspect chimney annually |
||||
|
|
|
Dispose of ashes in metal container |
Earthquake Hazards [All Rooms] |
|||
|
|
|
Keep clothes, furnishings, and electrical cords at least 12" from wall heaters and 36" from portable heaters |
Yes/No |
|||
|
|
|
Bolt heavy, tall, upright furniture to wall studs |
||||
|
|
|
Service furnace annually |
|
|
Lock or remove rollers on beds, furniture and appliances |
|
|
|
|
Set water heater thermostat at 120°F |
|
|
Secure hanging plants and light fixtures with one or more guy wires to prevent swinging into walls or windows and breaking |
|
|
|
|
Elevate new or replacement gas water heaters at least 18" above the floor |
|
|
Locate beds away from windows and heavy wall-mounted objects |
|
|
|
|
|
Secure kitchen and bathroom cabinets with "positive" [self-closing] latches |
|||
|
Bathrooms |
|
|
Secure items on shelves with quake mats, Velcro, low shelf barrier, etc. |
|||
|
Yes/No |
|
|
Store heavy and/or breakable items on lower shelves |
|||
|
|
|
Store poisonous cleaning supplies and medicines in "childproof" cabinets |
|
|
Strap water heater to wall studs |
|
|
|
|
Replace glass bottles with plastic containers |
|
|
Use flexible connections on gas appliances |
|
|
|
|
Ensure all outlets are GFI equipped |
|
|
Check chimney for loose bricks and repair as needed |
|
|
|
|
|
Check foundation for cracks and repair as needed |
|||
|
Family Preparedness |
|
|
Bolt home to foundation to prevent shifting during earthquake |
|||
|
Yes/No |
|
|
Secure mirrors and pictures to the wall or hang them with heavy wire, looped through eye screws or tongue-in-grove hangers |
|||
|
|
|
Plan two unobstructed exits from every room, including the second floor, and make sure everyone knows them |
||||
|
|
|
Designate a meeting place outside |
Practice drills are a great way to help your family plan and remember what to do in case of a disaster or emergency. |
|||
|
|
|
Have an out-of-state contact for family check after a disaster/emergency |
||||
|
|
|
Develop an escape plan and practice it regularly |
||||
|
|
|
Store important papers and valuables in a fire proof safe or cabinet |
||||
|
|
|
Maintain proper insurance coverage for your home and its contents [earthquake, flood, renter's, fire] |
||||
