This year the main priority for many of us has been keeping our loved ones safe and looking after ourselves. Just because we’re staying at home more, doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. You might be surprised to learn how many accidents happen kitchen.
Accidents Happen
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Injuries, the majority of accidents happen at home, with 2.7 million Brits requiring a hospital visit following an incident in their own house. The National Accident Helpline wanted to explore this figure and find out more about where these accidents were occurring. It surveyed 2,000 Brits to learn more about the risks of being injured at home. If you’re in an accident and want to make a claim, it’s important to reach out for help.
Dangerous Room
The survey revealed the most dangerous room in the home is the kitchen, with over 60% of people saying they had injured themselves doing a culinary task. So it will come as no surprise the kitchen knife is the household object causing the most injury – with 49% of correspondents saying they had accidentally harmed themselves while preparing food. Surprisingly over 30% of those surveyed stated the living room was a place where accidents occurred in their home, with the attic coming in as the least dangerous room of the house with only 10% of injuries taken place there.
Common Threats
It’s not just the knives you have to handle carefully, as the survey found 24% of homeowners have injured themselves on a hob. There are other hidden dangers around the kitchen you need to be aware of. From the risk of fire or burning yourself on the oven, to food spills and falling over – you need to be alert when you’re in the kitchen. Remember there can be risks in the food you’re preparing as well. Check expiration dates and thoroughly clean up surfaces if raw meat has touched them.
Working Out
It’s not the just kitchen that poses a threat, 33% of people said they injured themselves on exercise equipment at home. This year has seen a rise in home work-outs. While it’s great to move your body – both for your physical and mental health – it’s important you do so safely. There are lots of online resources to help you: from creating your work out space to the importance of warming up and cooling down.
DIY
DIY is inevitably a place where accidents occur in the home, with plenty of tools causing injury to survey respondents. 18% have injured themselves with a hammer, 13% with a screwdriver and a drill 10%. The most dangerous activity while doing DIY is a ladder, as over 20% have injured themselves on a ladder. It is important to make sure someone is holding the ladder and it is stable before you use it.
Age Factor
You may think that the older you are, the higher your chances are of injuring yourself at home. This wasn’t the case in the survey. 57% of people over 65-years-old reported they had multiple accidents at home, whereas 83% of 35-44-year-olds answered they had been injured multiple times. However, it is understandable to worry about your elderly relatives being at home by themselves, especially during these times. There are things you can do to help.
Accidents happen but by taking precautions, you can avoid a lot of them. It’s important that you feel safe in your own home. Which part of your house do you feel safest in?
