If you have younger children, stop and think a moment; is your garage really as safe as it should be? Parents with children younger than 6 have a whole list of precautions that they take inside the home; everything from covering electrical outlets and furniture edges to toilet lid locks and baby gates. For more than 70% of homeowners, however, the garage is the primary entry point into their home, and that means the children are in and out of your garage – and to small eyes it can look pretty exciting! Take the time to take precautions in your garage the same way you do in your home:
• Keep all tools in locked cabinets.
• All chemical compounds, such as cleaners, paint, weed killers, bug sprays, etc. should be kept tightly closed and out of reach, or in a locked cabinet as well.
• Yard tools should be hung on walls out of reach.
• If your household has numerous bicycles, fix a bike rack on the wall or the ceiling to keep children from pulling them over.
• Store ladders sideways on the floor; not upright where children will be tempted to climb.
Essentially, if you’re a parent, it’s safe to assume that – whatever it is that you don’t want your child to get into – that’s the first thing he, she, or they will go for. Anticipate danger spots, and head your children off at the pass!