Safety in the home is a worry for any homeowner, and while there are home safety checks that should be carried out only by professionals, a homeowner can do a few maintenance checks around the home themselves. For example, one area that is responsible for many household injuries is the staircase and its surrounding area. It is of special concern if there are elderly or handicapped residents or even young children in the house. So, what simple checks of the staircase can you do to make sure they are safe for the family? Let’s consider a few things that can become hazards:
- It is important that stairs are up to code. Stairs should all be an equal height, if they are not, a person can easily fall up or, even worse, fall down the stairs. Banisters should also be the proper width apart. If they are spaced too far apart, a child could easily get its head stuck.
- Handrails and banisters can become loose over time. Handrails especially can become dangerous in such a case, as they are relied upon for support when ascending or descending the stairs.
- Sufficient lighting on and around a staircase is an important safety requirement. This is particularly important for residents who have poor eyesight or elderly ones who need to see exactly where they are stepping.
- Make sure a wooden staircase is not too polished as this will be a slipping hazard. The same is true of carpeting on stairs that becomes loose.
- Make sure that you check all stairs in the home. This will include outside stairs. Its good to check that water isn’t pooling on steps outside, this would be especially dangerous in the winter when the water turns to ice, making stairs lethal.
This is just a few of the checks that can be done to ensure a staircase is well maintained and safe for the family.
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