SAFETY AND HEALTH IN THE HOME

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31). Yes indeed, our safety is solely dependent on God.  The scripture in Proverb 4:7 further instructs Christians saying “wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding”. All knowledge, wisdom and understanding is from the Lord for the benefit of his children.

While exercising our faith in staying safe and free from health issues, it is important that we utilize the knowledge God has made available for mankind through simple health and safety tips.

The concern for safety stems from the detrimental effects of accidents. Accidents results into injury, pain, psychological disturbances, financial and other forms of losses such as time, property and rest of mind. It is a known fact that the devil regularly attacks the people of God with these, it is imperative therefore that Christians take practical steps to ensure safety.

Accidents are mainly caused by unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, human errors and mechanical failure. An unsafe act is a practice or conduct, or the performance of tasks in a manner that can lead to an accident. Unsafe conditions on the other hand are situations and circumstances with the potential to cause accidents. Human errors occur through lapses of attention; mistaken actions, misperceptions and unnecessary horseplay. Mechanical failure is the malfunction of electrical and mechanical devices and equipments. One must regularly pray against accidents and take necessary precautions to shame the devil.

SOME IMPORTANT SAFETY, HEALTH AND SECURITY TIPS

FIRE SAFETY TIPS

1. ·          Standard electrical gadgets and fittings are to be purchased. One must at all cost avoid cheap substandard electrical fittings.
2. ·          Electrical works are to be carried out by qualified and competent technicians.
3. ·          Electrical sockets and extensions must not be overloaded, and electrical appliances are to be unplugged when not in use.
4. ·          Generators must not be overloaded, it can lead to explosion.
5. ·          A generator should never be refueled while in operation; parents and guardians should take a step further and regularly monitor Wards and Househelps to ensure adherence.
6. ·          Fuel containers for generators should be kept at a safe outdoor location and conspicuously labeled.
7. ·          The use of candles should be well supervised. Candles are to be positioned on safe candle stands or at minimum on used tins away from anything that can burn. A lot of affordable rechargeable lamps are now available in the market and is a good replacement for candles.
8. ·          Never leave lit candles in rooms no one is or rooms where children are on their own.
9. ·          Matches and lighters must be kept out of reach of children. Ensure match sticks are fully extinguished before disposal into trash bins. 
10. ·          Good housekeeping. Yes, good housekeeping is a fire safety tip. Poor housekeeping with clothes and debris everywhere serves as fuel for fire. Anything that can burn is a fuel for fire. If an electrical spark occurs and the spark falls on insulating materials, a fire will not ensue. But fire may occur where the spark falls on clothes or other materials that can burn.
11. ·          A fire blanket should be made available in the kitchen and it is to be used when uncontrollable fire occurs in frying pans and cooking pots. Water should never be used to extinguish fire that occurs in frying pans.
12. ·          Gas cookers and stoves must be positioned away from curtains, furniture and other things that can burn.
13. ·          Gas cylinders are to be purchased from standard companies and positioned outside the building. Although tedious, but gas cylinders are to be turned off using the regulator after use.
14. ·          Minimum quantity of kerosene should be stored at a given time in a clear and uncluttered place; and the container must be conspicuously labeled.   
15. ·          Movement of kids into the kitchen should be monitored and appropriately controlled. There have been reported fire cases from gas cookers being turned on by kids.
16. ·          One must be extra careful when tired. Errors and poor judgment usually occur when one is tired and stressed out.
17. ·          Fire extinguishers should be made available in homes and every adult occupant should be conversant with how it can be used.
18. ·          A fire action plan should be drawn up so that everyone knows how to escape if there is a fire; and each home should have at the minimum two exits.
19. ·          Keys to doors must be kept in a place all occupants are conversant with.  
20. ·          In case of fire, it is safer to crawl out below the smoke.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS

1. ·          As mentioned earlier, good standard quality electrical products should be used always and installed by competent technicians.
2. ·          Electrical cords must be regularly inspected to ensure they are in good condition.
3. ·          Sockets must not be overloaded.
4. ·          Electrical appliances are to be used according to instruction.
5. ·          As much as possible keep cables and wires out of reach of children. They should be neatly trunked.
6. ·          Safety plugs are available that can be used to cover all unused electrical outlets from children.
7. ·          Always fit the correct fuse for an appliance; bypass of the fuse is very dangerous.
8. ·          Always ensure that appliance cables do not come in contact with hot surfaces or lie across wet areas.
9. ·          Connection to overhead cables should be neat and well trunked.
10. ·          Avoid indiscriminate switching of the electricity connection of your house to overhead cables when power is not supplied to your phase by PHCN.
11. ·          Avoid physical abuse of electrical appliances such as pulling the plug out by the cables and wires, carrying portable electrical appliances by the cables, allowing the cables to be pinched and crushed, among others.
12. ·          Avoid the use of faulty and defective equipment. What is described in local parlance as ‘manage manage’.
13. ·          Avoid subjecting electrical appliances to extremes of temperature, dirty conditions and flammable substances such as petrol.

·        14.  Electric shock casualty should be attended to in the following way:

•      Do not touch them
•      Call for help
•      Turn of power supply if possible (safety should be a priority here).
•      Push them away from live currents using non-conducting materials such as timber or big enough plastic containers.
•      Ensure they get professional medical attention.

SAFETY FROM SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS

1. ·          Ensure walkways are clear and well lit.
2. ·          Objects lying on the floor can cause a trip and a fall, always remove unusual objects lying on the floor and inculcate the habit in children.
3. ·          Light switches are to be positioned in such a way that they can be turned on without walking through a dark area.
4. ·          Non-skid mats are to be made use of in bathtub, showers and the bathroom in general.
5. ·          Cables, cords or wires that cross walkways are to be re-routed in a safe way.
6. ·          Young children are to be supervised in the bathroom.
7. ·          Plumbing leaks are to be repaired as soon as possible.
8. ·          Access of small children to staircase is to be restricted using toddler gates.
9. ·          Stairways are to be kept clear of tripping dangers. Items are not to be stored in the stairways even for a short time, and stair coverings (if any) must not be loose.
10. ·          Stairways should have strong handrails that run from top to bottom and they are to be made use of.
11. ·          Door mats must be well laid in such a way that they cannot cause a slip.
12. ·          Spilled drink and food must be cleaned up immediately.
13. ·          Any splash of water, oil or fuel on the floor must be mopped immediately.  

KITCHEN SAFETY TIPS

1. ·          Keep hot liquids (cups of tea, coffee, soup) and knives out of children’s reach.
2. ·          Never put non-food items like bleach, pesticides or cleaning agents into food containers.
3. ·          Electrical cords are to be positioned away from the sink and gas cooker/stove.
4. ·          Electrical appliances are to be unplugged when not in use. Avoid the use extension cords in the kitchen, install a standard wall sockets instead.
5. ·          Avoid loose, flowing clothing while cooking. After returning from ‘owanbe’ ensure you change into appropriate clothing before kitchen activity.
6. ·          Control pests by disposing waste food immediately. Clean food and water spills immediately, and store food and trash in tightly sealed containers.
7. ·          Food preparation areas are to be kept clean always to keep pests away.
8. ·          Dispose trash timely and regularly.

SAFETY TIPS AGAINST CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced through incomplete burning of gas, petrol, kerosene, wood and other carbon containing materials. Danger signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include a feeling of tiredness, nausea, drowsiness, headaches, and chest and tummy pains. Urgent medical attention is needed when carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected as it can kill within hours. Generator fumes are responsible for most cases of carbon monoxide poisoning in Nigeria.

1. ·          Generators are to be kept in open areas; never put a generator indoor no matter how new the generator.
2. ·          Never position a generator such that the exhaust faces doorways and windows. 
3. ·          Avoid the use of faulty stoves and gas cookers that does not burn well.
4. ·          If you have an indoor garage, ensure you don’t keep the engine of your vehicle running for too long in the garage.
5. ·          Open all windows and doors if combustion fumes gets into your house.

HEALTH ISSUES

1. ·          Be a good hand washer especially after sneezing and coughing, playing outside, touching animals, using the restroom and before eating.  
2. ·          Damp dusty areas before sweeping. Dust can make asthma and other breathing problems worse. Some dust contains Lead (Pb) which can cause health problems.
3. ·          Reduce exposure to mosquitoes using door, window and treated mosquito nets; subscribe to the use of insecticides only as the last resort. Avoid the use of mosquito coils.
4. ·          Purchase drugs only from standard pharmaceutical shops. Never purchase drugs in traffic, open market and neighbourhood makeshift retail stalls.
5. ·          Always check the expiry date of items purchased.
6. ·          It’s a safe and good practice to have a first aid box at home.
7. ·          It’s a safe practice to have your doctor’s telephone number handy, as well as family or friends to call in case of an emergency.

TRANSPORTATION SAFETY

1. ·          Always use seat belts and obey traffic lights; and ensure your car papers are complete and up to date (including driving license) to avoid the temptation of giving bribes to law enforcement officers.
2. ·          Ensure you have a good spare tyre, a fire extinguisher, a torch and caution signs in the car.
3. ·          The safest place for children is the back seat of the car. Until children are big enough for an adult seat belt, the correct car seat or booster seat for their size is to be used.
4. ·          Always walk on the sidewalk at the side of the road opposite oncoming traffic.
5. ·          Always use pedestrian overhead bridges.
6. ·          Always maintain a safe speed which is dependent on the environment and the terrain; and endeavour to set out for your destination on time to avoid the temptation of over speeding.
7. ·          Avoid pressing the brake if you experience a burst tyre or tyre pull-out, instead, allow the car to crawl to a stop; one can also systematically engage a lower speed gear to reduce the speed of car.

SECURITY ISSUES

1. ·          As early as possible, teach children their full names and their residence address.
2. ·          Ensure car doors are locked in traffic.
3. ·          When your car is hit at night or in deserted areas, ignore the incident for safety reasons, many people have fallen prey to armed robbers this way.
4. ·          From time to time, check your rear mirror and observe if a particular car has been following you.
5. ·          If multiple routes lead to your home, use them interchangeably. Avoid restricting yourself to only one route.
6. ·          Be extra vigilant at night and deserted places. Always allow the bus driver/conductor to state where the bus is heading to and not you stating your destination first.
7. ·          Be vigilant with your phone and purse in church and social functions; avoid unnecessary display of the type of phone you are using in commercial transport and other public places.
8. ·          Avoid phone conversations and other conversations involving large sums of cash or your travel plans in commercial transport and other public places.
9. ·          Avoid carrying large sums of money at a particular time; also ensure your account that has an ATM card and internet banking activated does not contain huge deposit of money.
10. ·          As much as possible reduce the exposure of your home to strangers especially artisans.
11. ·          Ensure all doors are properly locked before going to bed and have a torch close to you in the bedroom.
12. ·          Ensure you have numbers of your neighbors, neighborhood security (Vigilante) and police handy. Proverbs 27:10b says “for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off”.
13. ·          Avoid arguing with police and vigilante groups if you run into them at odd hours; politely and firmly state the purpose of your being in the area at that particular time.
14. ·          Never argue and struggle with armed robbers. Our Lord Jesus in Mat 6:25b said “Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”
15. ·          If you are in an area and a shoot-out occurs, avoid panicking as much as you can, lie down flat and then observe the safest escape route; never underestimate the power of prayer in such situations.

  

SAFETY IS LIFE; TAKE EVERY POSSIBLE STEP TO ENSURE SAFETY.

                                       - Written by Opeyemi Adegboro