Think Safe Be Safe: Water Safety at Home

Standing water presents a serious hazard both inside and outside the home. Drowning is a sudden and silent danger, and young children are especially vulnerable to drowning risk areas inside the home including toilets, bathtubs and five gallon buckets. Constant adult supervision is the most effective way to keep children safe around water. The Home Safety Council recommends these additional safety precautions to keep your children away from potential water hazards.

• Always stay within touch supervision – keeping kids within an arm’s reach -- when your children are around standing water at home. This includes buckets, bathtubs, toilets and spas.
• Always supervise young children during bath time. Never allow older siblings to supervise children in or around standing water.
• Baby bath seats are not a safety device and should never substitute for adult supervision.
• Drain the bathtub immediately after using.
• Do not store electrical appliances such as blow dryers and radios near sinks and tubs. Keep these out of children’s reach at all times.
• Set your water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below to reduce the risk of burns and scalds from hot tap water.
• When bathing children, turn the cold water on first and then add warm water.
• Keep bathroom doors closed and use door knob covers to prevent young children from accessing bathrooms.
• Use toilet seat locks and keep toilet lids shut.
• Be sure all buckets are emptied immediately after use and turned over with the opening face down.
• Store large buckets out of children’s reach.