Kitchens and Bathroom Infant Safety

  • Injury Prevention Kitchen stove cartoonInstall latches or locks on cabinet drawers and doors containing medicines, poisons and sharp or harmful objects.
  • Use safety caps or lids on bottles and jars containing poisons. Move these items to a high shelf or cupboard for extra insurance.
  • Do not keep food items and poisons stored together. Many food labels and containers often resemble poisonous products.
  • Do not place appliances near sinks, bathtubs or toilets.
  • Install a stove guard to prevent your child from touching flames or hot burners. Make a habit of turning pot and skillet handles inward and cook on the back burners which are safer and out of reach of children.
  • If a stove has front controls, apply safety covers over the knobs to prevent your child from playing with them. Watch children carefully when you are cooking to prevent burns.
  • Teach children that there is a “3-foot hot zone” around the stove and the microwave to prevent burns from touching hot surfaces or foods.
  • Use latches or locks on refrigerators, microwave ovens, dishwashers, compactors, washers and dryers.
  • Use padlocks on freezers to prevent a child from getting trapped inside and suffocating.
  • Remove doors of refrigerators or freezers when not in use or when discarding.
  • Apply a switch cover to your garbage disposal.
  • Use locks on toilet seats to prevent a child from falling in headfirst and drowning.
  • Keep sharp utensils and appliances out of your child’s reach.
  • Keep all medications, cosmetics, mouthwash and cleaning products out of reach.
  • Place a rubber mat or rubber strips on the bottom of the bathtub to prevent falls.
  • Never leave a baby or child alone in the bathtub, even for a few seconds.
  • After cleaning the kitchen or bathroom, empty buckets containing water to prevent accidental drowning.