Summer safety inside, outside the home can be a breeze

Easy, breezy summer … it’s a season like no other, when everything is simply more relaxed. But home safety — and your family’s awareness of common hazards around the house — should never take a vacation.

To ensure your summer days are truly carefree and void of any accidents and emergencies, the American Home Furnishings Alliance offers this quick home-safety checklist.

In with the new. If you’ve purchased new outdoor furnishings, be sure to review the manufacturer’s tags for important safety information. Save tags with care and maintenance instructions, as well as company contact information for replacement pieces or components.

Out with the old. Examine older outdoor furnishings for surfaces that may have become splintered or rusted. Look for bent or broken mechanisms. Repair or replace damaged pieces to prevent injuries.

Party of one on the recliner, please. Reclining chairs and loungers are popular additions to decks and patios. However, just like indoor recliners, the outdoor versions should be used by only one person at a time. Children should never be allowed to play or climb on recliners, indoors or out.

Don’t mix toys and table tops. Outdoor tabletops often are constructed of tile or tempered glass for added strength. Nevertheless, children should never be allowed to play on table tops with toys that could potentially shatter the surface.

Be open to reviewing umbrella safety. Reread the manufacturer’s operating instructions for your market umbrella. Don’t allow children to play with or operate the umbrella, and make sure it is adequately weighted to prevent tipping over. Also, always close and store your umbrella when storms are in the forecast.

Plan an indoor furniture checkup, too. The early days of summer are a great time to conduct an indoor home-furnishings safety check also. Search for worn out pieces that need repair or replacement, such as chairs or tables with loose joinery; surfaces that have become splintered; doors or drawers that do not operate properly; and shelves that sag and could break or fall, easily injuring children.

Just dump it. Broken chairs, discarded mattresses and unused furniture of any kind can become a hazard when left anywhere children play — including the basement or garage. Plan for prompt and appropriate disposal of any old or broken furnishings you find during your safety check around the house.

Take a stand on TV safety. If you’ve upgraded your television lately, did you also upgrade your TV cabinetry? One size does not fit all when it comes to TV stands and cabinets. If your television is improperly secured or inappropriately positioned on a piece of furniture that is not specifically designed to house televisions, it may tip over and cause unnecessary injury. Never allow children to climb on or play with furniture housing electronics.

Take control of summertime clutter. Falls are a leading cause of injury in the home. Lessen the likelihood by providing ample storage for summertime clutter in the form of toy boxes, book shelves, decorative baskets and cabinets. If you have small children in the home, opt for level book shelves and anchor them to the wall. Do not overload shelves, and never store toys or “treats” in high places that will tempt youngsters to climb to reach them.

Update your family’s fire-safety plan. Waste no time in reviewing your family’s fire-safety plan this summer. Don’t leave matches, candles, fireworks or grill lighters within kids’ reach.

If you are planning to buy any new upholstery, make sure it has the Upholstered Furniture Action Council hangtag, which ensures it was manufactured to meet the industry’s voluntary fire-safety standards.

Tune in, but safely. Kids and adults spend more time in front of the television, more time on the computer and more time playing video games during summer months. If the area around your computer or television has begun to resemble an octopus of wires upon wires, you have a potential hazard — both to your family and your electronic equipment.

Consider new furnishings specifically designed to house electronics and manage all the accompanying wiring, or create a new room arrangement to prevent tripping hazards.

Rules for the safest sleep-overs. Kids love summertime sleep-overs with friends, but make sure bedtime is the only house rule being bent. Children should never be allowed to play or climb on furniture, especially on bunk beds, dressers or shelving units of any kind. If your children are young, consider a friendly review of these rules with any new guest they invite inside to play. And when children plan an overnight at a friend’s home, make sure they observe your safety rules, even in someone else’s home.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance, located in High Point, N.C. and Washington, D.C., is the largest association of home-furnishings companies in the world and represents more than 250 leading furniture manufacturers and distributors, as well as 225 suppliers to the furniture industry worldwide.

For additional information or shopping tips, visit www.find yourfurniture.com.

Information courtesy American Home Furnishings Alliance