Home safety checklist

Home safety Home safety
  • General safety 

  • Is there an electrical safety switch (circuit breaker) to prevent electrocution?  

  • Do you have working smoke alarms fitted in the house?

  • Are safety plugs fitted in unused power points?

  • Are appliances, and plugs in good condition? (No frayed cords or damaged plugs)

  • Have long cords been bound with twist ties, or extra cord hidden?  

  • Are there barrier gates on steps, stairs, and changes in floor levels to prevent falls?  

  • Are all railings/balustrade free of footholds that your young child can climb?

  • Do you have a home fire escape plan? 

  • Are all mouse and rat traps/baits inaccessible to your young child? 

  • Do you have a dog? If so, do you always supervise your dog with your child or if you can’t supervise them together, separate them? Never leave a child alone with a dog, no matter how friendly it is. 

  • Kitchen

  • Do your appliances have short cords that do not dangle over the bench? 

  • Do you use the back hot plates and turn pot handles around to prevent pots being pulled from the hot plate, or do you have a stove guard?

  • Do you have a child-resistant lock on your oven door?  

  • Are matches, lighters, knives, scissors, and other dangerous objects stored in a place where your young child cannot reach them?

  • Are plastic bags tied in the middle and kept out of reach?

  • Is the kettle/jug, including the cord, out of your young child’s reach?

  • Do you have locks on cupboard doors and drawers where dangerous household goods (e.g. cleaning products) are kept or do you store them out of reach?

  • Is the high chair stable and does it have a 5 point harness to restrain your young child safely?

  • Do you have a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher located near an exit?

  • Are all medications stored safely i.e. do you have a locked medicine cupboard, a lock on the fridge door or a lockable storage box in the fridge?

  • Is the microwave positioned out of reach of your young child? 

  • Do you use placemats, rather than tablecloths? 

  • Are cups of hot tea/coffee kept out of reach of your young child?  

  • Do you keep the dishwasher closed at all times?  

  • Bathroom

  • Are medicines and razors kept in a locked cupboard, or out of reach?

  • Are the shampoos, soaps, and cosmetics kept out of reach? 

  • Are hair dryers, straighteners/curlers and electric razors unplugged when not in use?

  • Is your young child constantly supervised by an adult when in the bathroom?

  • Is there a child-resistant lock on the toilet or bathroom door? 

  • Have you removed all chemicals from the toilet and bathroom floor?

  • Is the hot water delivery temperature for your bathroom at a maximum of 50°C, or do you have tap protectors fitted?

  • Does the bath have a non-slip surface or non-slip mats?

  • Is the bath water temperature always ‘tested’ before putting your young child in (start with cold, then hot,  then finish with cold)?

  • Is the bath always kept empty when not in use?

  • Laundry

  • Are cleaners, bleaches, and detergents stored out of reach, or in a lockable cupboard?

  • Are all buckets, the sink and washing machine kept empty when not in use?

  • Does the top loading washing machine switch off when the machine is opened?

  • Are front loading washing machines and dryer doors securely closed to prevent your young child opening them  and climbing in?

  • Young child’s/spare bedroom

  • Is your young child’s bed/cot safe? (children under 9 years should not sleep in bunk beds, and cots need to meet the Australian Standard(AS/NZS 2172). Check that cot rails are between 50mm and 95mm apart to avoid head entrapment)

  • Does the cot mattress fit snugly to avoid your young child becoming wedged?

  • Is the cot free of all soft items – toys, bumpers, and pillows? 

  • Is the cot away from the window and power points? 

  • Are electrical appliances and their cords out of reach of your young child? 

  • Are curtain and blind cords secured up high and out of reach of your young child?

  • Is everything you need kept close to the baby change table, as it is important never to leave a baby unattended on a change table?

  • Are the toys suitable for your young child’s age? (e.g. no loose small parts that could pose a choking hazard)

  • Are toys kept where your young child can reach them without climbing on furniture?

  • Is all top heavy furniture, such as bookcases and tall-boy drawers, secured to the wall to prevent them from tipping over if your young child climbs on them?

  • Living areas

  • Are sharp edges on tables and furniture covered?

  • Are blind and curtain cords secured up high and out of reach of your young child?

  • Are glass doors protected by safety film, colourful stickers, or made of safety glass?

  • Is alcohol stored in a lockable cupboard, or stored up high and out of reach?

  • Are cigarettes, ashtrays, matches, and lighters out of reach?

  • Are hot drinks placed well out of reach of your young child?

  • Are there child resistant fire screens attached to the wall around fire places, fuel stoves, and heaters?

  • Are heaters kept at least 1 metre away from curtains, furniture, or other flammable material?

  • Are large televisions secured to prevent toppling over onto your young child? 

  • Are all breakable items removed, or moved so they are out of reach of your young child? 

  • Backyard

  • Is your young child supervised at all times while playing outside? 

  • Is your young child’s play area separated from the driveway, and is access to the driveway and the street/road restricted?

  • Are the ignition keys removed from all vehicles, and the vehicles locked? 

  • Do you have the correct child restraints fitted in your car? 

  • Do you use the child-proof locks on the car doors? 

  • Is the swimming pool or spa fully enclosed by a safety fence with a functioning self latching gate, and with nothing near the fence that could be used to climb on?

  • Is the backyard free of drowning hazards? e.g. uncovered ponds, pet’s water containers, buckets, tanks, troughs, dams etc. 

  • Is the play equipment stable, secured, and in good condition? 

  • Is there a soft surface under play equipment in the backyard to cushion falls? e.g. bark chips or well watered lawn

  • Does your young child wear a helmet and protective gear when riding a bike or scooter, or when using in-line skates, skateboards or rollerblades? 

  • Can the shed/garage/workshop be locked?

  • Are all garden tools, mowers, chainsaws and other dangerous tools locked away?

  • Do you make sure that your young child is well away from the lawn mower when mowing the lawns to prevent injury from flying stones and other objects?

  • Are pesticides, paints, chemicals and other poisons stored in tightly covered and labelled original containers, out of reach of your young child? 

  • Are ladders stored safely so that your young child cannot climb them?

  • Are rain water tanks sealed securely and any ladders removed?

  • Are garden statues and birdbaths cemented in to prevent a crush injury?

  • Farm yard and rural safety

  • Do you know where your young child is at all times?  

  • Is there a safe playing space outside which is visible from the house?  

  • Do you have a fence around the house with a self-latching gate to keep your young child close to the house, and away from machinery and livestock? 

  • Do you check outside for snakes before letting your young child into the yard? 

  • Are firearms stored unloaded and locked away in the gun safe?  

  • Are guns kept out of reach of your young child, and unloaded, when being transported in a vehicle?  

  • Are fuels tanks locked, and other highly flammable substances stored safely?  

  • Are agricultural chemicals stored in their original containers, correctly labelled and safely stored?  

  • Are silo doors locked, with ladders removed? 

  • Do you let workers know when your young child is on the farm?

  • Do you check your young child is a safe distance away before starting a tractor or any other farm machinery or equipment?

  • Have you removed all keys from farm vehicles and machinery when not in use?

  • Have you the correct child restraints in your farm utility/car and use them on every trip, not matter how short?

  • Are you able to lock sheds and workshops? 

  • Are water tanks sealed and ladders removed? 

  • Do you keep your young child away from Quad bikes and farm bikes? (Many burns and crush injuries result when these types of vehicles overturn – Always supervise a child.)

  • Are animal pens and stockyards inaccessible to your young child?

  • Are working dogs kept securely away from your young child?

  • Do you always supervise your young child around any animal?

  • Do you ensure your young child is supervised at a safe distance from where hay is being cut, baled and stacked?

  • Do you always supervise your young child around water hazards? 

  • Have you established a clear set of rules for your young child to follow and are you consistent in applying those rules? 

  • Have you erected a sign at the entry to your property stating children are present and to reduce speed to 20 km/hour.

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