Tips To Get Your Home Ready For A Safe Summer

#AskDarrylSinger

Families spend a great deal of time planning their annual summer vacation. However, when you consider how much time most Ontario families will spend entertaining family and friends in the homes and backyards this summer, the time you spend now ensuring your home is prepared for members of your family and invited guests to relax and safely enjoy activities together.

Fire safety in the home and backyard

You took a big step toward protecting the occupants of your home by installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, but they cannot function properly unless you periodically change the batteries. Don’t wait until you hear the chirping sound detectors make when batteries need to be changed.

Get into the habit of testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors once a month to ensure they still function properly. Batteries should be replaced at least once a year. Other things you should do to protect your home and its occupants in the event of a fire or emergency include the following:

• Have fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure they are fully charged.
• Windows offer a way to get out of the home in the event of a fire or other emergency, so check them to make sure they can easily be opened and closed.
• Check your home and garage for flammable liquids, such as gasoline, and properly dispose of any that you no longer use. Flammable liquids should only be stored in contains specifically made and intended for that purpose.
• Clean outdoor lighting fixtures and electrical outlets to remove nests and spider webs that could catch fire.
• Position barbeque grills away from structures, including the house, decks, sheds and wood railings to prevent fires.
• Always have a water source, preferably a hose connected to a working outdoor faucet, near where you use your barbeque to use in the event of a fire.

Keep children away from fire pits and outdoor grills to prevent them from making contact with open flames or hot surfaces.

Backyard swimming pools

A fence with a gate that closes and latches on its own should be built to restrict access to swimming pools. Deck or ground areas surrounding the pool should be kept free of toys and other objects that could cause someone to trip and fall into the pool.

The depth of the pool should be noted on signage or on the pool itself. Most backyard swimming pools are too shallow to be safe for diving, so signs should be post warning people of the danger of diving and guests should be verbally told about the danger.

The consumption of alcohol or drugs should be avoided in pool areas. Children should not be allowed in the pool or pool area unless there is a responsible adult present to supervise at all times.

Other precautions to take around the house

Regardless of the effort and time you put in to making your home a safer place this summer, it is always a good idea to do a final walk around the house and backyard before guests arrive for a summer event. Focus on finding and correcting hazards that might have recently developed, including:

• Electrical extension cords across sidewalks and other locations where people could trip over them and be injured.
• Garden tools, including rakes and water hoses, left around the yard where they could become tripping hazards.
• Check the supply lines on gas barbeques to determine if they or their connections are leaking. A spray bottle filled with a mixture of liquid soap and water that is sprayed on hoses and connections will bubble wherever there is a leak or a loose connection.

Summer fun at home can be safe as long as you take the time to make you house and yard ready.

Ontario personal injury lawyers

If you or a loved one is injured due to negligence of a homeowner, the personal injury lawyers at Diamond and Diamond have years of experience helping people pursue claims for damages. Call the Diamond and Diamond 24/7 injury hotline at 1-800-567-HURT or visit our website to speak to someone now. We have offices located throughout Ontario offering free consultations and case evaluations to injury victims and their families.

Faqs

How does one prove a homeowner was negligent in a premises liability case?

You have to provide evidence that the homeowner failed in their duty of care towards visitors. For example, everyone´s home must be structurally sound enough for visitors to enter without risk of injury. So, if you trip over on broken tiles that are sticking up you could have a case. Ideally, you would want a photo of what you tripped over, witness statements and medical records that prove you were injured. This would constitute strong evidence for your injury case.

What do I need to know about Ontario’s premises liability law?

You need to know what your responsibilities are under Ontario´s premises liability law. Without that knowledge, it is impossible to know how to maintain your property in a way that keeps visitors safe. Being familiar with the rules will also help you to understand whether you can sue the owner if you are injured yourself while visiting commercial premises or someone´s home.

Am I going to be held liable for a teenage kid who gets hurt trespassing in my property?

Potentially, you could be held liable for the injuries that a teenage kid suffers while trespassing on your property. This is certainly the case if she cuts herself on the glass that you have had imbedded in the top of the wall to put people off from climbing over it. But you are not likely to be held liable if she trips over something on your shop floor in the dark while breaking in.