Working from home? How to ensure your house is accident-free

We’re all spending a lot more time at home this year and you might think that would mean we’re all going to be safer. However, there are dozens of common home accidents that are more likely to happen if you’ve let your guard down. Indeed, the home is actually the most common location for accidents, with 2.7 million of us needing to visit the hospital after an accident at home last year. 

So, we thought we’d put the most common home accidents under the microscope to highlight the areas of the home that you might want to focus on if you’re going to make your home your workplace and sanctuary.

Start with the kitchen

This is where you’ll find everything from boiling kettles to sharp knives and hot ovens, all of which can lead to injury. Of all the rooms in your home, you’re 60% likely to have an accident in the kitchen (and only 11% likely to have one in the attic) so this is comfortably the room you’ll want to look at first. The most common household accident to occur is during food preparation, with kitchen knives the most common implement. So, ensure you’re calm and steady when using knives and that the kitchen is clean and all spills are cleaned up immediately.

Secure rugs and carpets

Another common accident that can happen just about anywhere win the home is when a rug or a loose bit of carpet slips out from under you and sends you flying. If you want to avoid a trip to the hospital you want to ensure that these are all secure. If you do unfortunately have to make a hospital visit, don’t hold anything back and explain everything so the medical specialist is able to get an understanding of what the potential injury could be. However, if something still isn’t right, then you may want to discuss any issues that have arisen with some legal specialists. 

Staircase safety

There can be few things more painful than taking a tumble down the stairs. The best way to ensure this never happens is to install a handrail that runs the full length of the stairs and that you hold on to it every time you’re ascending or descending them. Painted wooden stairs can be very slippy so you should always add sand to the mixture to provide some traction. Also, never leave a rug or loose carpet at the top of the stairs!

More top tips

• Keep all electrical equipment away from water at all times.
• All areas such as spare rooms and basements where there is often lots of equipment being stored away should be kept as clear as possible to avoid tripping.
• Install grab bars in your shower in case you slip up.
• All power tools and cleaning products should be kept secure and out of reach of young children.
• Don’t let your guard down! Working from home can be quite relaxing but it can also lead you into a false sense of security if you’re not careful.