Autumn is right around the corner and with autumn comes colour-changing leaves and crisp weather – it’s the perfect time of year to wrap up against the weather and go for a bracing walk with the family.  But with autumn comes cooler weather, and with cooler weather comes the potential for hazards within the home. So we’ve come up with a few top safety tips for you to follow this autumn to protect your family against accidents or injuries.

• Test all of your smoke alarms. More devices tend to be plugged in during autumn, as the weather is cooler and so more people spend more time inside, meaning that there is a higher risk of fire – so make sure you’re protected by checking your smoke alarms. If you like, perform a fire drill with your family to make sure they all know what to do in the event of fire.
• If you’re going to use a space heater or electric heater, make sure you don’t use it to dry clothing – and keep it away from all flammable materials. Drying clothes on a space heater is a major fire hazard – so dry your clothes in your tumble dryer, on radiators or on drying racks instead.
• You’ll probably be using the tumble dryer more frequently when autumn hits – so make sure you clean the filters regularly to prevent build-up of lint, as this could lead to a fire if unchecked.
• If your car is prone to breaking down or being temperamental in cold weather, buy jump leads, a torch, radiator fluid, windshield washer fluid and de-icing spray and keep them in the boot of your car – that way, if anything happens, you should be able to get home. If you live in a particularly cold area, keep blankets in your car just in case you get stranded.
• If your kitchen is particularly chilly, keep it warm using your heating system or a space heater kept well away from your oven and hob. Don’t ever warm your kitchen with the heat from your oven or gas hob – you could inhale very toxic gasses.
• Check around the inside and outside of your house for odd jobs that might need doing, such as replacing roof tiles, cleaning your gutters and chimney and fixing any damaged windows. If you have a real fireplace and fire, you should also check the chimney flue to make sure it is in good condition.
• If you’re raking leaves, be careful not to bend too much and don’t overfill leaf bags; equally, if you’re using a leaf-blower, use the proper safety equipment such as boots, appropriate clothing and safety eye goggles to protect your eyes.

Follow the tips above and you should find that this autumn is a safe one for you and your family – but if you suffer an accident or injury and want some legal advice, contact the professionals.

Author Bio: Richard Flynn works within the medical negligence and personal injury field with Pryers Solicitors.

Our thanks to Richard for this good advice.  (I think the last time I asked someone from England what a “hob” was, the answer was a stove. Hope that’s correct.)  pb