Spring Cleaning, Home and Fire Safety

With the warm weather finally here, it’s time for spring cleaning, and tips to protect your family from the unseen hazards, and unintentional home injuries that occur every year. According to the Home Safety Council there are over 10 million unintentional home injuries in the U.S. that result in visits to hospital emergency rooms. Falls and poisonings are two of the leading home injury areas, and they cause over half of the 20,000 home deaths every year. Don’t let you, or your family become one of these statistics!

Always read the labels, and follow the safety instructions when using harsh cleaning products. Don’t forget to wear gloves, masks, or protective goggles as instructed, especially when working with corrosive chemicals. Look for the words “Caution,” “Warning,” “Danger,” “Poison,” or “Keep Out of Reach of Children.” Store these containers safely and securely by locking these products up after you’ve finished using them to prevent poisonings. Discard hazardous and flammable chemicals that you no longer need, or that are out of date, contacting the Essex County Solid Waste Authority to find out when they are having their next “Household Hazardous Waste Disposal.” Also, consider using non-toxic cleaners, for example, toothpaste works well for polishing silver, or lemon juice as a natural bleach. Baking soda works well on tile and sinks, and when mixed with vinegar it's great for cleaning out drains.

Prevent falls by keeping your stairs, steps, landings, and floor areas clear of toys and clutter. Make sure that area rugs are secured with non-skid pads, and that telephone, and electrical cords are safely tucked away. If you need to climb, use a ladder, not a chair, table, or box. Wear slip resistant shoes when climbing, and make sure the ladder is on level ground, and that it is opened completely with all locks engaged. Stand at or below the highest safe standing level on a ladder. For a stepladder, the safe standing level is the second rung from the top, and for an extension ladder, it's the fourth rung from the top.

 “The most important thing that you can have in your home is a working carbon monoxide, and smoke detectors, as well as fire extinguishers,” said Christopher Mullin, Fire Chief for Livingston Township.  “These systems are designed to provide early detection, and are essential for you and your family’s safety. They can save a life.”

 Install UL approved Smoke /Carbon Monoxide Detectors on every level of your home. Test these alarms monthly to make sure they are working, and change the batteries at least twice per year. “If a homeowner has only one carbon monoxide detector in the residence, it is important that that detector be located within 10’ of the sleeping area,” continued Mullin. “If more than one detector is present, the additional detector can be located with 10’ of the utility room doors. Detectors in sleeping areas protect the occupants when they are sleeping (in a semi-conscious state) and not aware if they are experiencing any of symptoms of C.O. poisoning.”

 Place a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, and in other areas of your home. Check the gauge on the extinguisher to make sure that it is fully charged. Industry standards call for Carbon Monoxide Detectors to be replaced every (5) years, and Smoke Detectors to be replaced every (10) years. Develop a fire escape plan for your home. Identify two escape routes from each room, and have a place to meet outside your home. Practice the fire escape plan with your family.

 “Spring-time is also a good time to clean the lint out of your clothes dryer’s “firing chamber,” explained Mullin. “Many people do regular cleaning of the lint trap/screen located on the top of the clothes dryer but they often forget about the area of the firing chamber located on the bottom of the dryer”. Unplug the dryer from the electric outlet, remove the cover located on the front of the unit near the floor, and use a vacuum to remove lint build-up located in and around the firing chamber and electric wiring. “Dryer fires are often attributed to the lint build-up on the bottom of the unit which is never cleaned and ignites when the natural gas is ignited to heat the firing chamber to dry the clothes”.

Before you use your gas-fired barbeque grill for the first time in the season, you should inspect it to ensure there is not a build-up of “spider-webs” that inhibit the flow of gas to controls or that rodents have not made a nest in the area of the hoses/controls over the winter. This can cause propane to leak and ignite when the grill is lit for the first time resulting in a fire in the area of the controls. If such a condition occurs, you should turn off the gas supply at the controls (if not involved in fire). If the controls are on fire, turn off the gas supply (if this can be done without risk of injury), or at the supply (propane tank, gas valve from residence if a natural gas grill). “Call 9-1-1- to report such an incident and the Fire Department will respond to ensure that the fire is out and the gas is properly turned off,” Mullin added.

For more information on Home Safety visit www.homesafetycouncil.org. Or for information on non-toxic chemicals visit Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org), and search “spring cleaning”. Information on fire safety and prevention as well as garbage disposal, and recycling can be found on the Township website at www.livingstonnj.org. Click on “fire” in the left hand column for the Livingston Fire Department information page.