Home safety checklist
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General safety
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Is there an electrical safety switch (circuit breaker) to prevent electrocution?
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Do you have working smoke alarms fitted in the house?
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Are safety plugs fitted in unused power points?
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Are appliances, and plugs in good condition? (No frayed cords or damaged plugs)
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Have long cords been bound with twist ties, or extra cord hidden?
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Are there barrier gates on steps, stairs, and changes in floor levels to prevent falls?
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Are all railings/balustrade free of footholds that your young child can climb?
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Do you have a home fire escape plan?
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Are all mouse and rat traps/baits inaccessible to your young child?
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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.
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Kitchen
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Do your appliances have short cords that do not dangle over the bench?
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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?
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Do you have a child-resistant lock on your oven door?
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Are matches, lighters, knives, scissors, and other dangerous objects stored in a place where your young child cannot reach them?
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Are plastic bags tied in the middle and kept out of reach?
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Is the kettle/jug, including the cord, out of your young child’s reach?
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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?
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Is the high chair stable and does it have a 5 point harness to restrain your young child safely?
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Do you have a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher located near an exit?
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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?
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Is the microwave positioned out of reach of your young child?
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Do you use placemats, rather than tablecloths?
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Are cups of hot tea/coffee kept out of reach of your young child?
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Do you keep the dishwasher closed at all times?
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Bathroom
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Are medicines and razors kept in a locked cupboard, or out of reach?
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Are the shampoos, soaps, and cosmetics kept out of reach?
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Are hair dryers, straighteners/curlers and electric razors unplugged when not in use?
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Is your young child constantly supervised by an adult when in the bathroom?
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Is there a child-resistant lock on the toilet or bathroom door?
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Have you removed all chemicals from the toilet and bathroom floor?
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Is the hot water delivery temperature for your bathroom at a maximum of 50°C, or do you have tap protectors fitted?
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Does the bath have a non-slip surface or non-slip mats?
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Is the bath water temperature always ‘tested’ before putting your young child in (start with cold, then hot, then finish with cold)?
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Is the bath always kept empty when not in use?
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Laundry
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Are cleaners, bleaches, and detergents stored out of reach, or in a lockable cupboard?
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Are all buckets, the sink and washing machine kept empty when not in use?
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Does the top loading washing machine switch off when the machine is opened?
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Are front loading washing machines and dryer doors securely closed to prevent your young child opening them and climbing in?
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Young child’s/spare bedroom
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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)
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Does the cot mattress fit snugly to avoid your young child becoming wedged?
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Is the cot free of all soft items – toys, bumpers, and pillows?
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Is the cot away from the window and power points?
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Are electrical appliances and their cords out of reach of your young child?
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Are curtain and blind cords secured up high and out of reach of your young child?
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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?
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Are the toys suitable for your young child’s age? (e.g. no loose small parts that could pose a choking hazard)
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Are toys kept where your young child can reach them without climbing on furniture?
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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?
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Living areas
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Are sharp edges on tables and furniture covered?
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Are blind and curtain cords secured up high and out of reach of your young child?
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Are glass doors protected by safety film, colourful stickers, or made of safety glass?
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Is alcohol stored in a lockable cupboard, or stored up high and out of reach?
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Are cigarettes, ashtrays, matches, and lighters out of reach?
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Are hot drinks placed well out of reach of your young child?
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Are there child resistant fire screens attached to the wall around fire places, fuel stoves, and heaters?
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Are heaters kept at least 1 metre away from curtains, furniture, or other flammable material?
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Are large televisions secured to prevent toppling over onto your young child?
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Are all breakable items removed, or moved so they are out of reach of your young child?
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Backyard
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Is your young child supervised at all times while playing outside?
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Is your young child’s play area separated from the driveway, and is access to the driveway and the street/road restricted?
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Are the ignition keys removed from all vehicles, and the vehicles locked?
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Do you have the correct child restraints fitted in your car?
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Do you use the child-proof locks on the car doors?
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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?
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Is the backyard free of drowning hazards? e.g. uncovered ponds, pet’s water containers, buckets, tanks, troughs, dams etc.
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Is the play equipment stable, secured, and in good condition?
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Is there a soft surface under play equipment in the backyard to cushion falls? e.g. bark chips or well watered lawn
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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?
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Can the shed/garage/workshop be locked?
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Are all garden tools, mowers, chainsaws and other dangerous tools locked away?
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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?
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Are pesticides, paints, chemicals and other poisons stored in tightly covered and labelled original containers, out of reach of your young child?
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Are ladders stored safely so that your young child cannot climb them?
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Are rain water tanks sealed securely and any ladders removed?
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Are garden statues and birdbaths cemented in to prevent a crush injury?
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Farm yard and rural safety
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Do you know where your young child is at all times?
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Is there a safe playing space outside which is visible from the house?
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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?
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Do you check outside for snakes before letting your young child into the yard?
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Are firearms stored unloaded and locked away in the gun safe?
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Are guns kept out of reach of your young child, and unloaded, when being transported in a vehicle?
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Are fuels tanks locked, and other highly flammable substances stored safely?
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Are agricultural chemicals stored in their original containers, correctly labelled and safely stored?
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Are silo doors locked, with ladders removed?
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Do you let workers know when your young child is on the farm?
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Do you check your young child is a safe distance away before starting a tractor or any other farm machinery or equipment?
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Have you removed all keys from farm vehicles and machinery when not in use?
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Have you the correct child restraints in your farm utility/car and use them on every trip, not matter how short?
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Are you able to lock sheds and workshops?
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Are water tanks sealed and ladders removed?
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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.)
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Are animal pens and stockyards inaccessible to your young child?
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Are working dogs kept securely away from your young child?
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Do you always supervise your young child around any animal?
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Do you ensure your young child is supervised at a safe distance from where hay is being cut, baled and stacked?
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Do you always supervise your young child around water hazards?
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Have you established a clear set of rules for your young child to follow and are you consistent in applying those rules?
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Have you erected a sign at the entry to your property stating children are present and to reduce speed to 20 km/hour.