How to Lower the Risk of Hazards on Your Property

Being a property owner is a long-term responsibility because you have to make sure that your investment remains appealing and functional for years.

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Being able to buy a property is an achievement, but living in one that’s prone to safety hazards can cause stress, inconvenience, and expenses in the long run. It’ll be challenging for you to enjoy your investment if you’re always worried about peoples’ safety while they’re on your property. 

Accidents can happen anytime and on any type of property. That’s why, as the owner, you should look for and implement precautions that can prevent these accidents from happening. These precautions are inexpensive yet can do wonders in maintaining the safety of your property. 

Listed below are some of the most common safety hazards and tips on how you can minimize them on your property: 

1. Slips And Falls 

Over 800,000 patients are hospitalized because of slip and fall accidents, making it one of the most common hazards in properties. Slip and fall accidents are often caused by icy surfaces, wet floors, slippery stairs, and obstacles in high-traffic areas. 

Slip and fall accidents can be severe because, as stated in https://banvillelaw.com, these accidents can cause head, neck, back, and spine injuries. In worse cases, slip and fall accidents can also become the reason why a person suffers from broken hips or pelvis, torn tendons and ligaments, and a broken hand or leg. 

Fortunately, you can minimize the risk of slip and fall accidents on your property by: 

• Stabilize all staircases: Staircases provide convenience but can become a safety hazard when not maintained properly. If you have staircases on your property, make sure these have solid handrails, adequate lighting, and securely affixed flooring. 

• Focus on the floors: Cleaning your floors regularly is essential in maintaining your property, but you should never leave your floors wet as these can cause slips and falls. Always keep your floors dry and utilize warning signs and cones if these are wet. 

• Secure cords and wires: To ensure that your property remains safe even if you’ve become dependent on appliances, machines, and other devices, secure electrical cords and wires by mounting them on the walls, tying them together using zip ties, or covering them with carpets or rugs.

2. Fires 

Seeing your property burn to the ground is one of the worst nightmares any person can have. Aside from property damage, fires can also cause deaths and injuries. Toxic gases, like hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, are also released during fires and can cause health problems, such as throat and eye irritation and pulmonary edema. 

Fires in properties are caused by many factors, namely smoking, appliances, and heaters. Properties with children are also at higher risk of fires because they often play with fire without the parents or guardians knowing about it. 

You can prevent fires on your property by: 

• Installing fire alarms: Although expensive, installing fire alarms in your property is actually a cost-effective investment because it detects fires and sends real-time alerts to the occupants. 

• Buying a fire extinguisher: Fire extinguishers are inexpensive but effective in smothering fires. Fire extinguishers release layers of foam to cut the fuel off from the oxygen around the fire. 

• Unplugging unused appliances: You can prevent electrical fires in your property by unplugging appliances when not in use. Using appliances in good working condition and making sure that none of your wires are frayed can also help.

3. Poisoning 

Since 2018, there are over two million cases of poisoning accidents. Poisoning can be caused by many things, but the inappropriate use of cleaning supplies, such as bleach and disinfectant, and DIY products, like paint and glue, are two of the most common causes. Occupants can also experience poisoning because of insects, snakes, plants, and contaminated food.

Poisoning can have a serious effect on a person’s health and wellness as this safety hazard can cause nausea, skin rash, burning sensation around the mouth or nose, and seizures. The effects of poisoning on the body often get worse when left untreated for a long period. 

Make sure that none of these happen on your property by implementing the following: 

• Store medications properly: Over-the-counter drugs are generally safe but taking some in large doses can result in side effects and poisoning. Store medications in your home properly and never leave them out on a counter. 

• Keep paint out of reach: Regardless of how little the amount, it’s vital that you keep paints out of reach on your property. Occupants, especially children, might mistake it for a drink or inhale its fumes. 

• Secure all chemicals: All cleaning supplies and other chemicals should be stored and labeled properly. It’s also important to educate the occupants of your property–regardless if these are your household or employees–about the dangers of these chemicals and how these should be handled properly. 

Prioritize Safety 

Being a property owner is a long-term responsibility because you have to make sure that your investment remains appealing and functional for years. However, this responsibility shouldn’t only cover the need to ensure that your fixtures are in tiptop condition. You should also keep your property safe all the time. The safer your property is, the easier it’ll be for you to enjoy this investment!