What does it take to create a safe bathroom for the entire family? We explore 5 basic ways to enhance the safety of your family in the bathroom. Love where you live.
The biggest blessing you have in your home is your family. Keeping loved ones safe so that you can continue family traditions for years to come, is a reason to recognize January’s National Bathroom Safety Month. The Centers for Disease Control taps the bathroom as one of the most dangerous rooms in the home. In a study, the CDC found that more than 200,000 bathroom-related injuries resulted in a visit to the emergency room in persons older than 15. An overwhelming majority of bathroom injuries centered around the shower or tub.
A few simple precautionary measures can prevent bathroom safety accidents in your home:
Supervision equals safety for bath time of children 4 and under.
Children do not have fully developed coordination or strength to catch themselves in falls, so install slip-resistant surfaces.
Additionally, children can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. Shockingly ingesting as little as 1/2 cup of water into the lungs can also result in drowning. These tragedies can occur in as few as 20 seconds. Even a quick phone call or stepping into another room can change outcomes for a lifetime.
Keep the bathroom water temperature at a safe setting.
What is a safe water temperature for bathing children? The recommendation for a safe water temperature for bathing children is no more than 120 degrees. Always test the water in the tub before putting a child or infant in the water.
But what about adults who enjoy emerging with pink skin? No worries. Defaults for most water heaters are set at 140 degrees.
So how can you regulate water temperature and ensure that the adults and kids alike enjoy their baths and showers? Have a qualified individual adjust water heater settings to no lower than 120 degrees is one method of reducing risks of burns or have a qualified individual install anti-scald valves in designated children’s bathrooms are two ways to avoid un-intentional burns.
Install anti-slip safety precautions in the bathroom.
Keep anti-slip precautions in place inside and outside of the tub/shower. Anti-slip isn’t limited to the stick-on variety. Anti-slip teak mats add style, class, and safety to your tub or shower, while rubber backed mats provide a safe spot to towel off.
Install bathroom safety grab bars.
Towel bars are not anchored to the studs and will not support someone trying to avoid a fall. Instead, have a qualified professional install grab bars that are meant to bear weight and will stay anchored to the wall or shower.
The finishes on these grab bars can be purchased to match the rest of your bathroom decor whether you prefer a chrome, brushed nickel, or bronze finish. Head on over to Womble’s (Lillington) or JJ Plumbing (Dunn) to pick out a fixture to upgrade the safety of your bathroom.
Enhance and upgrade bathroom lighting.
Well lit spaces, with minimal clutter, and a secure grab bar limit accidents.
Vision decreases with age making it more likely for those using the bathroom to have injury-related accidents. Install the highest wattage LED bulbs recommended for fixtures and consider adding additional lighting fixures.
Plug in a night light to provide visibility for late-night trips to the bathroom.
Simple changes to one of the most utilized rooms in your home will ensure you love where you live for a lifetime.