The weather is officially warm in the South. Pools are uncovered, sunscreen is on the shelves and outdoor merriment is beginning to fill the long afternoons and weekends.
While summer is fun – the kids are out of school – it can also be a somewhat dangerous season if precautions aren’t taken. More injuries occur during the summer months than in any other season of the year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Here are some tips from the CPSC for keeping your fun–filled summer safe.
1. Don’t forget your safety gear. Remember to wear a helmet when bike riding, skating or horse back riding. You can cut down your chances of a head injury by 85 percent if an accident occurs and you’re wearing a helmet.
2. Grill safety – never bring charcoal grills indoors and avoid using them on wood surfaces to avoid fire. Check the pipes and connections of your gas grill before using it.
3. Children safety is paramount during rambunctious summer months. Ensure playgrounds are fall – safe by using at least 9 inches of mulch, wood chips or other padded surfacing. Put barriers in windows to prevent children from falling out. Secure hiding places such as old chests, coolers and dryer doors to guarantee a game of hide and seek doesn’t turn dangerous.
4. Pools are another point of safety during the summer season. Layer up on protection with access gates, pool alarms, a nearby first aid kid and loads of supervision. It’s important to always have a CPR – certified adult present.
5. Summer is a time for tidying the yard. Be sure children are out of the way before operating lawn equipment. If your yard slopes, use only a rotary mower and cut grass horizontally across the slope, not up and down.
Most summer safety tips fall under common knowledge, but with people on vacation, children out of school, order to regain in your home … there’s so much going on that safety sometimes slips out the back door. The most important summer safety tip is simply to be observant, keep an eye on children and be prepared should an accident occur.
