Home safety for new parents

There's a lot to do when preparing for a new baby, and getting your home ready is important to ensure your baby is safe.

Fire safety

Smoke alarms save lives. Ensure smoke alarms are fitted and working on every level of your home, test them regularly and change the batteries once a year.

See the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service website for more advice.

Keep dangerous items out of reach

Many items around the home should be kept out of reach of children, either high up or in a cupboard with a safety latch on. Some common items include:

• batteries, particularly button batteries - they can cause severe internal burns if swallowed

• matches, lighters, e-cigarettes and their refills

Read on for more items by room.

Kitchen

Make sure any:

• cleaning products or liquid laundry capsules are kept out of reach

• sharp cutlery and scissors are stored safely

• appliances that get hot such as kettles, ovens and toasters are kept away from children

• lids and bottle caps are closed when not in use

• high chairs have a harness to secure your baby in

• pans on the hob are always being watched

Bathroom

Make sure any:

• cleaning products are out of reach

• medicines are stored safely

See bathing your baby for bath safety tips.  

Living room

Make sure any:

• open fireplaces are safe, use a fireguard to enclose the whole fireplace and make sure it's attached to the wall

• sharp corners on furniture have corner protectors to prevent your child from hurting their head

Bedroom

Make sure any:

• large furniture, such as dressers, are secured to the wall

• hair straighteners or other heated hair tools are switched off and out of reach

More information

The Child Accident Prevention Trust website has more information about accident risks to look out for at different ages and stages of your child's development.