Even when there isn’t a pandemic going on, the home is among the most common place for an accident. According to data from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, around 2.7 million domestic accidents each year require a hospital visit – and around 6,000 result in fatalities.
Where in the home are accidents most likely?
According to research from the National Accident Helpline, an online solicitor specialising in medical negligence, it’s the kitchen that’s the most dangerous room in the home, with 60% of around 2,000 respondents reporting having been injured there. This is followed by the garden, living room, and bathroom, on 33%, 31%, and 26% respectively.
Avoiding accidents in the kitchen
There’s a reason that so many people manage to injure themselves in the kitchen: it’s full of dangerous items, like knives, gas hobs, and julienne slicers. Exercise caution when using these items. Having a fire-extinguisher to hand will provide peace of mind, should the worse happen. Most kitchen fires occur when items on the stove are left unattended. Make sure that the workspace is tidy, and that knives are put away once you’re done with them. Cleaning the grill pan regularly is a must, too – those dried up fats and oils can easily ignite if you accidentally leave them in the oven.
Avoiding accidents in the bathroom
Many accidents in the bathroom involve slips and trips, and thus anything you can do to limit this possibility is going to have an effect. That means installing the right bath and shower mats, and supervising young children when they’re taking a bath. The water that comes out of a tap can easily get to scalding – so be aware of it. Any electric appliances that you might use in the bathroom should be strictly controlled. Ideally, you’ll want to dry your hair in an entirely separate room.
Avoiding accidents in the living room
The dangers in the living room aren’t quite so obvious – but since we tend to spend so much of our time in there, even rare events can become common. You might be attempting exercise in the living room, or trying to move furniture around – but sometimes, just getting up off the sofa in the wrong way can inflict an injury. The best way around this problem is to remain fit and active, and to ensure that you don’t have any weaknesses in posture that might lead to injury.
