Every year 2.7 million people go to the hospital after an at home accident. Home safety is a concern that most don’t think about until it’s too late. Household accidents range from improper use of household items, to slips and falls, and even poisoning.

From the time you leave the bed in the morning until you lay back down at night, you are faced with the potential for harmful and even deadly accidents. There are however, common sense ways of avoiding these accidents. Here are common accidents that could have been avoided with a little common sense.

Slips and falls

This is one of the most common types of injury. Slips and falls are usually caused by negligence. If you spill liquid on a slippery tile floor, it creates a potential accident. Be sure to clean up any spills right away, just like your mother told you to do. If you see a leaking pipe, turn the water off to the pipe and call a plumber, but clean up the leaked water first before you slip.

Falls from ladders are quite popular. Daredevils of the home tend to place a ladder without assuring it is secure. If the ladder wobbles before you step on it, then your weight at the top won’t secure it, but rather make it wobble more. Be sure to securely place the ladder and it is highly suggested to have someone holding it while in use.

Pets are cute, cuddly, and affectionate. It is that affection that can also cause a potentially deadly accident. Pets love being close to their owners and tend to do that while they are walking. If you have a cat or dog that loves to follow under your feet, put a bell around its neck. Just knowing they are there can help you to avoid tripping on them.

Accidental Burns

This is one accident that can very easily be avoided. If it is used to cook, flatten wrinkles in clothes, or toast bread, then it is hot. Scalding from boiling water tops the list of burn accidents every year. The boiling point for water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit. That is hot enough to cause 2nd degree burns if splashed. The temperature to bake a cake is between 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than boiling water.

When boiling water, try using the back burners to reduce the risk of bumping it off the stove. If possible, use a tea kettle if you are going to use the water for tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. When moving the boiled water, be sure there is nothing in your way, no water on the floor, and it is safe to walk.

When using the oven, be sure to use oven mitts to protect your hands. Use both hands to take the food out and make sure the rack is securely placed and won’t fall out when pulling the food out. Again, be sure there is nothing in your way or on the floor when transporting hot food.

Accidental Poisoning

This accident usually occurs in children who stumble upon cleaning products. So keeping them locked away can assure their safety. Accidental poisoning is also possible and usually occurs when poisonous products are placed near food or eating utensils. Keep all chemicals in a storage area away from food. If it spills, be sure to clean it up with a rag that you won’t be using for dishes.

Accidental Electrocution

This is another accident that happens quite often. With more people trying to save money by doing their own home repairs, electrocution is becoming more and more common. Common sense would suggest staying away from live wires with anything metal, however, some tempt fate.

Don’t use a knife to get toast out of the toaster. Don’t put screwdrivers in an outlet, and if you are doing electrical work on the home, shut off the main breaker. If it is labeled you can shut off the room you are working in, if not, it is safer to shut it all down than to be shockingly sorry later.

Household safety is often overlooked. Becoming too comfortable with your home and routine can cause an accident that could be potentially fatal. Household accidents cause injury that may keep you from work, permanently disable, or even kill you. Be sure to practice common sense when working with any household item that can harm.

Ken Stanford consults for a reference site for income protection in the UK. As unemployment numbers are on the rise, many employees are considering redundancy protection insurance and ASU Cover to protect themselves in the event of an unexpected job loss.