When you have visitors at your New Jersey home, you may not think about the ways people can get hurt. If your guests have young children, though, it is important to consider their safety. Although you may think you do not need to childproof if you do not have children, it is a good idea to know childproofing basics so your house will be safe for all of your visitors.
If a friend’s children will spend time in your kitchen, it is important to make sure they will be safe in this room. According to Parents magazine, children can easily reach the burners on a stove, as well as appliances on countertops. To make sure the kids are safe, you should typically take the knobs off of the stove when you are not cooking or install a stove guard while the kids are visiting. You should also make sure the appliances are put away. It is a good idea to put latches on the lower cabinets so a child cannot open them.
Your young guests will likely spend a lot of time in your living, so it is a good idea to make sure your TV is mounted, even if it is on a stand. If you have glass tables, you should usually put guards on the edges so the children do not get cuts. Additionally, if you have a fireplace, you should generally put padding over the edges of the hearth. You should usually put away any tools for the fireplace so the kids cannot reach them.
It is also important to make sure your bathroom is safe for children. If you keep toiletries and medications on the counter, put these away until your guests have gone home. Additionally, you should typically keep liners out of the wastebaskets while the kids are visiting and put a spout cover over the tub faucet.
This information is intended to educate and should not be used in place of legal advice.
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