HSC Celebrates Home Safety Month with 'Hands-On' Tips, Resources
The Washington, D.C.-based Home Safety Council has ramped up its educational and motivational efforts in recognition of June as Home Safety Month. In keeping with its national campaign theme for the month--"Hands on Home Safety"--the council has created ready-made home safety resources for sharing with family and community members, employees and coworkers, and whoever else will listen to help encourage people to take a "hands-on" approach to making their homes safer. Graphics, brochures, and other materials are available at the nonprofit group's Web site, www.homesafetycouncil.org/hsmshare.
As part of its activities, HSC just completed a safety survey and found that while the vast majority of U.S. adults think they are knowledgeable about home safety (92 percent), very few have taken action to make their homes safer from the leading causes of home injury (36 percent). Key findings of the survey included:
- Falls Prevention: When asked about falls prevention products that are in the home, less than a quarter of respondents said they have handrails on both sides of the stairs (22 percent) or grab bars in the shower (24 percent).
- Poisoning Prevention: Less than one-fifth of U.S. adults put safety locks on cabinets (18 percent) or have the Poison Control Hotline posted on or near all phones (18 percent).
- Fire and Burn Safety: Almost all U.S. adults (93 percent) indicate having a smoke alarm installed in their home, yet only one-quarter (26 percent) have a fire escape plan.
- Choking and Suffocation Prevention: Only 39 percent of U.S. adults indicated that they require children to be seated while eating.
- Being Smart Around Water: Of U.S. adults who indicated swimming in pools regularly, only half indicated that any safety items are present where they swim--four-sided fencing (53 percent), shepherd's hook or buoy (48 percent), self-latching gates (47 percent), and first aid kits (46 percent).
HSC offers new research and safety advice against all of these leading causes of home injury. Find out more at www.homesafetycouncil.org.