Most Common Home Accidents

Your home is your castle. That doesn't mean it is immune from home accidents.

While many people may consider their home to be a safe space, the facts and the statistics don't lie, unfortunately. 75% of all deaths from injuries in 2018 were preventable. Most accidents occur in the home, then. 

With that in mind, what are the most common home accidents? Continue reading below so you can understand and prepare yourself!

Falling Down: the Young and the Old

Falling is one of the most common household accidents. Whether you are young or old—especially if you are older—falling can happen to anyone. 

While some falls may just take you to the ground, there are more serious falls to worry about too. These more serious falls may result in serious injuries such as broken bones. 

More serious falls can also lend themselves to concussions or even death. This is why it is important to take precautions to prevent falls in your home. 

Child-locked gates for young children can help prevent a fall for them. For older people, installing hand bars, such as in the shower, can also help prevent falling accidents and injuries. You can renovate or replace your railings and banisters too to help prevent home accidents like falling. 

Getting Burned and Other Fire-Related Accidents

Getting burned or dealing with other fire-related accidents is a top concern for those who are young children and those who are older, entering their senior age. In the middle of those age ranges, while you can experience a burn or a fire safety accident, you likely won't. 

Everyone assumes the kitchen is where it is at. This is true: keeping young children away from hot stoves or ovens is critical to making sure they do not get burned. 

In addition, have you considered other sources in your home that could burn you? Your water heater, if overheated past 120 degrees Fahrenheit, could be the reason why you burn yourself in the shower or when washing your hands. 

Besides all of the potential home accidents related to burns, you also need to concern yourself with home fires. You and your family need to make an emergency plan of how to escape the house during a fire situation. 

This also means you should replace your smoke alarm batteries as often as they need so that they are accurate and can alert you and your family to a potential fire. 

Poisoning: Yes, It Can Happen

Poisoning is one of the major potential home accidents. Let's break it down below between a couple of different kinds of possible poisoning situations. 

Poisoning by Injesting Substances

This is a serious problem most often involving children. Children may not know that cleaning supplies or their parent's medication cannot be injected. They are simply curious, but that puts them in danger. 

If you can, child-lock cabinet doors where you store cleaning supplies and medications. This helps keep your child unable to access these substances. 

Another type of home accident to consider with substances could be alcohol- or drug-related. Again, make sure you are not leaving these substances out to avoid children having access to them. 

If you or a loved one are struggling with a drug or alcohol problem, you can follow the CDC's guidance on what to do with excessive alcohol or substance abuse. You could still poison yourself by overdosing with excessive use of these products. 

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

This one is the silent killer; it is also, sadly, one that keeps people silent. However, it is important to talk about carbon monoxide poisoning in the home. 

A majority of people across the country are actually concerned about exposure to carbon monoxide. It can be one of many common home accidents that don't result in death, but people can still die from it. 

Everyone is at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning, but it can disproportionately affect older people by damaging the brain, the heart, and more. 

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, make sure you have carbon monoxide detectors installed in your home. Because carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, relying on a carbon monoxide detector could save your life. 

You should also open your garage door before starting your car. In addition, keep a careful eye on your gas-powered appliances. 

Choking or Suffocation

Choking or suffocating is a terrifying home accident. Perhaps you or your loved one chokes on food or a foreign object. Maybe a plastic bag or string gets lodged in a way that begins to suffocate you. 

There are ways to try and reduce your risk of choking or suffocating at home. Make sure you are not eating too big of bites to avoid getting large food bites lodged in your throat. 

You can make sure trash bags and strings are out of the way. If you have children at home, this is all the more significant because they could suffocate because of those and not be able to get out of it. 

Be Prepared for Home Accidents

Falls, burns, poisoning, and suffocation are only some of many home accidents. Drowning and cuts are common home accidents too despite not being discussed in this article. 

Hopefully, you feel more prepared for potential home accidents. You understand that most accidents occur in the home, and you now know some ways to try and prevent these accidents from occurring. 

AZ Pain Doctors is here for your pain and injuries from home accidents. Schedule an appointment with us so we can begin helping you with your pain.