2. What is Home Safety ?
Home safety refers to the awareness and education of risks
and potential dangers in and around a home which may
cause bodily harm, injury, or even death to those residing in
and around the physical structure of a home.
• A safety risk assessment is conducted
for clients receiving services in their homes.
3. Objectives
a. To determine the causes of home injury.
b. To maintain the client safety.
c. To reduce the risk of injury.
d. Education for the long-term care.
5. Hazards assessed
General household
i. Poor lighting
ii. Carpets/floors coverings torn or in poor condition
iii. Rugs that slip
iv. Unsafe electrical appliances
v. Chairs without armrests or with low back
6. Hazards assessed
Kitchen
i. Dials on stove difficult to see
Bathroom/ laundry
i. Bathtub/shower recess slippery
ii. Bathtub/shower recess without grab rails
iii. Medicine cabinet poorly lit
Stairs
i. Too steep
ii. In the need of repair
iii. Proper handrails not present
7. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
RISK
ASSOCIATED
WITH HOME
SAFETY
PEOPLE ENVIRONMEN
T
EQUIPMEN
T
MATERIA
L METHOD
•Elderly people
•Children
•People with disability
•People with blurred vision
•People with immune suppression
•Poor lighting
•Toned Carpets
•Rugs that
slip
•Unsafe electrical appliances
•Chair without armrests
• Bathtub/shower recess slippery
•Improper hand washing at times
•Not maintaining proper
cleanliness
•Pets hygiene not
properly maintained
•Stairs - Too steep/ In the need of
repair/ Proper handrails not
present
•Equipments made with glass
•Chemicals
•Medicines
•Water streams near the
home
• Sharp objects • Choking and Suffocation
• Fire
• Lack of ventilation
8. Risk matrix:
• Fire And Burns
• Unsafe electrical appliances
• SUFFOCATION-Lack of ventilation
FALL: -Bathtub/shower recess
slippery
- Rugs that slip
- Stairs - Too steep/ In the need
of repair/ Proper handrails not
present
-Poor lighting
• DROWNING: - Water streams near
the home
- Swimming Pools
• POISONING: - Chemicals
- Medicines
• CHOKING:
• SHARP OBJECTS
Likelihood
C
o
n
s
e
q
u
e
n
c
e
s
9. STEP 2: People affected most
• People with immune suppression
• People with blurred vision
• People with disability
• Elderly people
• Children
10. STEP 3: PREVENTION GUIDELINES
Falls:
Falls are the leading cause of death when it comes to home accidents.
They make up a third of all fatalities.
The elderly are most affected by this type of accident.
Fatalities aside, when an elderly person falls the associated problems are far more
serious.
While younger people may also suffer a broken bone, a broken bone is a far more
serious problem for an older person in terms of healing.
Common fracture sites:
• Hip fractures
• Arm fractures
• Spinal cord injuries
• Cervical injuries
• Head injuries
11. FALL: PREVENTION GUIDELINES
Clean up clutter.
Repair or remove tripping hazards.
Install grab bars and handrails.
Avoid wearing loose clothing.
Light it right.
Wear shoes.
Make it nonslip.
Live on one level.
Move more carefully.
12. Follow These Five Steps for Getting Up
Lie on your side, bend the leg that is on top and lift yourself onto your elbows or hands.
Pull yourself toward an armchair or other sturdy object, then kneel while placing both hands on
the chair or object.
Place your stronger leg in front, holding on to the chair or object.
Stand up.
Very carefully, turn and sit down.
What to Do After a Fall… If You Are the WITNESS
Bring a chair close by; help the person turn onto the side and bend the upper leg; help the
person into a semi-seated position.
Placing yourself behind the person and getting a firm grip on the hips, help the person to a
kneeling position with both hands on the chair.
Holding on to the chair, the person should then place the stronger leg in front. You may help by
guiding the person's leg.
With a firm grip on the hips, help the person to stand, then turn and sit on the chair.
13. Poisoning:
2nd leading cause of deaths among the younger children
Prevention guidelines to reduce risks:
• cleaning products and harmful substances if kept in the kitchen should be stored in cupboards out
of the reach of small children in higher cupboards.
• Store paint and pesticides in garages and sheds that are locked and on high shelves
• Label all unmarked containers and do not store products in food containers.
14. MANAGEMENT OF POISONING
Swallowed poison. Remove anything remaining in the person's mouth. If the
suspected poison is a household cleaner or other chemical, read the container's
label and follow instructions for accidental poisoning.
Poison on the skin. Remove any contaminated clothing using gloves. Rinse the
skin for 15 to 20 minutes in a shower or with a hose.
Poison in the eye. Gently flush the eye with cool or lukewarm water for at least 15
minutes or until help arrives.
Inhaled poison. Get the person into fresh air as soon as possible.
If the person vomits, turn his or her head to the side to prevent choking.
Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as moving, breathing or
coughing.
Have somebody gather pill bottles, packages or containers with labels, and any
other information about the poison to send along with the ambulance team.
15. Carbon Monoxide:
Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer. Unlike gas, it cannot be detected be smell.
Prevention guidelines to reduce risks:
• carbon monoxide detectors should be there in the home and test them regularly.
• Ensure heaters are checked annually to prevent danger from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Fire and burns :
With over 3,000 American lives claimed each year from fire hazards, this is the third biggest killer
as far as home accidents are concerned. Follow these steps to avoid fatalities and devastating burns
to loved ones as well as damage to your home and belongings.
Prevention guidelines to reduce risks:
• Install smoke detectors in the kitchen, bedrooms and basement.
• Consider a home alarm system that detects smoke. This will not just raise an alarm like a usual
smoke detector but it will contact the local fire department and help will be on its way
• electrical wiring tested regularly by a qualified electrician.
16. Drowning:
Children aged from one to four years old are at serious risk of drowning
Children this age can drown in just two inches of water and 800 deaths occur each year
Prevention guidelines to reduce the risks:
• Always supervise babies and young children when bathing.
• Keep toilet lids closed.
• If you have a swimming pool or pond then it should be in a fenced area.
• Don’t use electrical items in the bathroom.
Choking and suffocation:
Choking is a hazard for small children who have a tendency
to put small objects in their mouths
60% of infant suffocation happens at home in their beds or cribs
when a pillow, blanket, or adult rolls over on them in their sleep
which blocks their nose and mouth from breathing.
Prevention guidelines to reduce risks:
• Know how to perform first aid on your child should they start to choke, this includes knowing
how to perform the Heimlich maneuver on your child if needed.
• Follow safety procedures when putting babies to sleep and ensure there are no choking
hazards in the bed.
17. Sharp Objects
Prevention guidelines to reduce risks:
• keep kitchen knives and graters away from children
in locked drawers
• Follow safety procedures and use caution when using
garden tools. Remain vigilant to avoid accidents while gardening such as tripping and
stumbling and electrical hazards.
18. STEP 4: DOCUMENTATION
Home care agents and the person staying in the house are responsible for home safety risk
assessment.
The home safety risk assessment includes a review of internal and external physical
environments; chemical, biological, fire and falls hazards; medical conditions requiring special
precautions; client risk factors; and emergency preparedness.
The guidelines will be in existence from April 1st 2020.
The home safety risk assessment is regularly updated and used to improve services provided to
the client.
19. Step: 5 Review
Evaluation of risk assessment will be done annually.
The risk associated with chemicals should be monitored seriously, as the use of
chemicals increases day by day.
Updates on risk assessment should be communicated to everyone.
The changes in home settings will be discussed with family members and home
care agents.
