HOME SAFETY CHECKLIST
FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE
Homes are wonderful places to care for children, but they are full of
hazards including electrical appliances, stairs, bathtubs, and dozens of
poisonous medicines and household cleaners.
Accidents are a leading cause of death in children. Accidents leave more
children crippled than do diseases. Most accidents can be prevented if
more care is taken.
There is no golden rule to prevent accidents, but you can decrease the
risks significantly by following the ideas listed below. Use it as a
checklist and find out how well you are doing with safety in the house. Go
over the checklist from time to time to maintain safety.
FALLS AND FALLING OBJECTS
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Position tables, chairs,
shelving, and other furniture so that they cannot be toppled
easily. |
____ |
Screen windows, and make
sure they open from the top or have a barricade in front. |
____ |
Provide railings on
stairs, porches, decks, and lofts. |
____ |
Equip steps with tread
mats or carpet to prevent slipping and a handrail that children
can reach. |
____ |
Secure carpets and rugs
so that children cannot trip. |
____ |
Use safety gates to
block access to stairs and other dangerous areas. |
____ |
Do not use infant
walkers especially near stairs. |
____ |
Use only high chairs
that have a wide base so they cannot tip easily. |
____ |
Use high chairs with a
waist strap. |
____ |
Never leave infants in
infant carriers that are left on a high surface such as a table,
counter, or chair. |
____ |
Keep sides of playpens
and cribs raised always. Make sure that crib sides cover at least
three-fourths of a child's height. |
____ |
Keep electric cords to
lamps and appliances up and out of the way. |
____ |
Keep unused rooms,
basement, attic, etc., locked when children are in your home. |
____ |
Make sure that all doors
to rooms and closets can be unlocked from both sides. |
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Place heavy items (like
an iron or skillet) out of a child's reach. |
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Teach children safe and
unsafe areas for climbing. Shelves or counters are not for
climbing. |
____ |
Wipe spills from floors
immediately. |
____ |
If your garage door has
an electric opener, make sure that it has a safety feature that
causes the door to go back up when it touches an object or person
in the way. |
POISON
____ |
Keep trash covered and
out of the reach of children. |
____ |
Keep all cigarettes,
cigarette butts, and all tobacco products away from children.
Tobacco is poisonous when eaten. |
____ |
Provide a non-smoking
environment for children. |
____ |
Keep perfumes and
cosmetics and other drug products in high cabinets with safety
latches or locks. |
____ |
Do not store alcoholic
beverages, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, pet supplies, medicines,
vitamins, gasoline, paint thinner, fertilizer, weed killer, and
other poisons in areas used by children. |
____ |
Store hazardous products
in their original containers. Do not transfer them to used food or
beverage containers or to a food storage area. |
____ |
Keep purses out of the
reach of children. |
____ |
Do not use insect
poisons, rat poisons, or weed killers when children are present.
Dispose of leftover poisons immediately. |
____ |
Follow directions and
caution warnings on drugs, cosmetics, and chemicals. |
____ |
Make sure that walls,
furniture, and toys have lead-free paint only. |
____ |
Check to make sure that
there is no peeling paint on walls or furniture. |
____ |
Have your home checked
for radon-an odorless gas that seeps through the soil into homes.
Inexpensive test kits can be purchased at most hardware stores.
Call ISU Extension for more information. |
____ |
Check toys and materials
to make sure they contain nontoxic, nonpoisonous materials. Look
for the "CP" or "AP" seal signifying safe art
material for children. |
____ |
Keep Syrup of Ipecac in
the first aid kit. |
____ |
Flush old medicines down
the toilet. |
____ |
Store medicines
immediately after use in a high, locked, or otherwise
child-inaccessible space. |
____ |
Teach children not to
taste things like berries, roots, plants, pills, or tablets
without your permission. |
____ |
Label all house plants
and remove poisonous plants. |
____ |
Remove all outdoor
plants that might have poisonous parts. |
CHOKING AND SUFFOCATION
____ |
Make sure that toys have
no small parts that could be broken off and swallowed. |
____ |
Use balloons only with
close adult supervision. Pop and dispose of balloons immediately
after use. |
____ |
Do not allow children
under 3 to play with any toy that is less than 11/4 inch in
diameter (about the size of a half dollar). |
____ |
Make sure that
mesh-sided playpens have holes no larger than 1/4 of an inch. |
____ |
Remove hanging crib toys
when infants are able to pull themselves up. |
____ |
Remove plastic wrap on
crib mattresses. |
____ |
Do not feed children
under 4 nuts, hard candies, popcorn, pretzels, or raw carrots. Cut
hot dogs or sausages into small bites and NOT round slices. |
____ |
Put infants to sleep in
a crib or a play pen and NEVER on an adult bed, waterbed, thick
rug, pillow, or bean bag. |
____ |
Teach children to chew
their food well and to eat only when sitting down. |
____ |
Do not store clothing in
dry cleaning bags that are accessible to children. |
____ |
Store all plastic bags
including small bread sacks out of reach of children. |
____ |
Remove doors or lids
from old freezers, refrigerators, and cars and car trunks. |
____ |
Remove latches and lids
from toy chests. Install a slow closing hinge and make sure the
chest has ventilation holes. |
____ |
Do not allow children to
use or play with objects that have long cords. This includes
pacifiers with strings attached, long telephone cords, old
jewelry, necklaces, and long scarves. |
____ |
Tie hanging cords on
draperies or blinds up high and out of reach. |
____ |
Install clotheslines out
of reach of children. |
____ |
Use only safety gates
that have a straight topped edge and a rigid mesh screen. Do not
use old accordion style safety gates. |
____ |
Space stair railings and
crib rails 23/8 inches apart. |
____ |
Make sure that crib
mattresses fit tightly with no more than two finger widths in the
gap between mattress and crib frame. |
BURNS, ELECTRICAL SHOCK,
OR FIRE
____ |
Do not heat bottles and
baby food in the microwave. |
____ |
Stir and check all
microwave heated foods for "hot spots" before serving to
children. |
____ |
Set the water heater in
your home to a temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. |
____ |
Cover unused electrical
outlets with safety caps. |
____ |
Block electrical outlets
when possible with some type of barrier or furniture. |
____ |
Fit Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupters (GFCI) on electirical outlets in kitchens, bathrooms,
and outdoor areas to prevent risk of electrical shock when in
contact with water. |
____ |
Keep electrical cords
for appliances (irons, toasters, radios, etc.) out of reach. |
____ |
Make sure that children
cannot get to the back of a television set. |
____ |
Place stereos, VCRs,
computers, and other electrical equipment up high and out of
reach. |
____ |
Store lighters and
matches out of reach. |
____ |
Use screens or barriers
around fireplaces, wood stoves, heaters, radiators, hot water
pipes, or furnaces. |
____ |
Never leave children
alone in a room with an open fire, heater, or hot stove. |
____ |
Replace used and worn
electrical cords and equipment. |
____ |
Keep pots and pans on
the back side of the stove where children can't reach them. Turn
handles to the back. |
____ |
Install smoke detectors
and test them every month. |
____ |
Keep an approved fire
extinguisher in a secure area. |
DROWNING
____ |
Never leave children
alone in the bathtub or swimming pool or with water play. |
____ |
Keep toilet lids closed. |
____ |
Empty mop buckets, ice
chests, or pails of water immediately after use. (Children can
drown in 2 or 3 inches of water.) |
____ |
Do not allow children to
play near ponds, storm sewers, or excavations. |
____ |
Protect, cover, and
childproof wells and cisterns. |
CUTS AND PUNCTURES
____ |
Keep all sharp
objects out of reach (cooking knives, silverware, cooking
utensils, scissors, razors, plastic wrap boxes, glass bottles or
drinking glasses, knitting needles. |
____ |
Do not allow children to
play with sharp tools or around lawn mowers and power saws. |
____ |
Mark glass windows and
doors with decals or tape in order to be more visible. If
possible, install safety glass. |
AUTOMOBILE SAFETY
____ |
Do not allow
children to play near or behind a parked car. |
____ |
Use seat
belts and car seats when traveling by car. |
____ |
Never leave
children alone in an automobile. |
____ |
Do not give
foods while riding that could cause choking. |
____ |
Cover hot
vinyl seats with a large towel or sheet. |
____ |
Keep purses
and other dangerous items out of reach. |
____ |
Teach
children to sit calmly and quietly while in an automobile or bus.
Leave toys that encourage vigorous activity at home or in the
trunk. |
____ |
Teach children to look
both ways when crossing the street and to hold the hand of an
adult. |
OUTDOOR SAFETY
____ |
Cover sand box when not
in use. |
____ |
If an outdoor play area
is near a street, parking lot, pond, well, or railroad track,
fence the area. |
____ |
Keep gates closed and
install childproof latches. |
____ |
Check play area
routinely for trash, sharp branches, tools, lawn equipment, or
animal feces. |
____ |
Teach children not to
play near the street and to ask for help if toys roll into the
street or driveway. |
____ |
Keep outdoor play
equipment at least 6 feet away from pavement, fences, trees,
buildings, or other play equipment. |
____ |
Make sure that surface
area under play equipment is impact absorbing (such as 1 foot deep
sand, pea gravel, or wood chips) and extends at least 6 feet
beyond the edge of equipment. |
____ |
Cover all protruding
bolts or screws with plastic safety caps. |
____ |
Cover chains on play
equipment with plastic tubing unless openings are less than 5/8
inches. |
____ |
Close hooks completely
on swings. |
____ |
Lock storage sheds,
barns, and garages. |
____ |
Require children to use
helmets with bicycles, skateboards, or roller blades. |
Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care-
NNCC. (1993) Oesterreich, L. Holt, B.G., Karas, S. Home Safety Checklist
Iowa Family Child Care Handbook. pp.127-131. Iowa State University
Extension. Ames, Iowa.
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