Now that many of us are finalizing Thanksgiving plans for next week, it’s time to make sure that your Thanksgiving holiday is not only festive but also safe for yourself and all your guests. There are plenty of ways to prevent burn injuries, trip and fall injuries, and other accidents in your Hollywood or South Florida home. Here’s how:
1) Reduce the risk of burn injuries and fire.
Make sure that your home is equipped with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and a fire extinguisher. Have a plan in place to cook Thanksgiving without leaving any of the cooking unattended. Be prepared to use extra caution if you’ll be using a deep fryer for anything; oil is flammable at high heats.
2) Have a plan for supervising children.
If you have a child guests coming to your home, make sure that they can stay supervised at all times. Unsupervised children may wander off and may enter the pool area or other unsafe areas. If this happens, you are accountable if it is your home. Arrange for the adults in your home to keep children supervised at all times; working in groups can make this a little easier.
3) Walk through your house and look for hazards.
If you’re having children over, especially, walk through your house and property and look for any potential dangers. For example, does your swimming pool area have a self-locking gate? Are all grills, poisons, household cleaners, and matches carefully put away under lock and key and in high areas where children can’t easily reach? Look out for strangulation risks as well. Something as simple as a cord from a treadmill or curtain can pose a serious danger for a small child.
4) Decorate safely.
Be cautious about decorating with candles, especially if you will have lots of guests over and will be too busy to supervise correctly. Look for LED lights that don’t emit a lot of heat, instead. When decorating your home or yard, avoid any decorations that hand low from a ceiling (where they can pose a danger for taller guests) and any decorations on the floor (where they are a tripping hazard).
7) Take a look at your electronics and appliances.
Avoid excessive use of extension cords, which are quite common at this time of year as we plug in more decorations and more appliances. Be especially careful about where you plug things in. Never run cords underneath the carpet or other high-traffic area where they may pose a tripping hazard.
There are plenty of ways to keep your Hollywood or Florida home safe for the holidays. If you do find yourself suffering an injury and think you may have a claim, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. Our law firm is proud to serve all of South Florida and we’re pleased to help plaintiffs across the region. Our phone lines are always staffed, even during holidays, so you can always reach someone if you need immediate legal support.