Many people take steps to protect themselves and their families from illness. However, fewer consider the everyday risks of injuries that can happen at home. From accidental falls to firearm safety, there are simple but important ways to reduce hazards and create a safer environment for all ages.
Emergency room and trauma physicians constantly see the real-life consequences of preventable accidents. “As a trauma surgeon, we’re seeing the aftermath of household accidents every single day,” said Keshav Deshpande, DO, FACS, a trauma surgeon at Grant Medical Center. “The sheer number of fall-related injuries is staggering — over 2,000 cases a year. It’s a real problem.” Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or simply looking to make your home safer, these practical tips can help protect you and your loved ones.
Reducing fall risks at home
Emergency rooms frequently treat a variety of home-related injuries, with falls being the most common. “Falls are our leading mechanism of injury,” explains Carla Smith, BSN, RN, CEN, NREMTP, a senior consultant for trauma services and injury prevention at OhioHealth. “The majority are ground-level falls from things as simple as tripping, losing balance, or medical events like vertigo.”
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to falls, but they’re not the only ones at risk. Dr. Deshpande reports that they also see a lot of injuries in individuals with alcohol or drug-related impairments, as well as falls from stairs, ladders or tree stands during hunting season.
Some of the simplest interventions for families and individuals to help prevent falls is having awareness and making small environmental modifications. These can include:
- Installing grab bars in bathrooms and stairways.
- Ensuring good lighting throughout the home, particularly at night.
- Being aware of where pets are to ensure they aren’t underfoot.
- Removing tripping hazards and securing loose rugs.
- Taking your time when getting up out of bed at night to avoid vertigo and balance issues.
- Wearing proper footwear with good traction instead of flimsy sandals or slippers.
- Using a harness when getting in and out of tree stands while hunting.
Simple tasks like reaching for something on a high shelf or navigating in the dark can become much riskier as you age. For older adults, maintaining physical activity is key to avoiding falls. “The single most preventative thing older adults can do to avoid falls is to stay active,” says Smith. “Regular walking, group exercise classes, balance exercises or Tai Chi can make a huge difference.”
Want to know if you’re at risk for falling due to your health or home’s safety? See our assessment.
Gun safety and preventing tragic accidents
Dr. Deshpande and Smith see firearm-related injuries daily at Grant Medical Center. In 2024, at Grant alone, Smith reports they saw 299 gun-related injuries — 259 men, 40 women and 40 of whom were only between 15-19 years old. Most of these incidents are violence related, but also can be self-inflicted, due to a hunting accident or due to firearm mishandling at home. Gun safety is an essential part of home safety, especially in households with children.
“Every year, we see hundreds of patients come through the doors with gunshot wounds,” says Dr. Deshpande. ” Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents — more than car accidents and cancer. These aren’t just statistics; these are real lives, real families forever changed.”
Safe gun storage is critical to preventing shootings, accidental or not. Smith and Dr. Deshpande recommend keeping firearms locked in a safe or lockbox, storing ammunition separately from the firearm and using trigger locks as an extra layer of security.
“Securing your firearm is the safest scenario for yourself and others in your household,” says Smith. “Large gun safes can be costly, but basic lock boxes can cost as little as $20-$60, and trigger locks can be as cheap as $10. These are small prices to pay for safety.”
Dr. Desphande reports that one-in-three children live in a home with a gun, so both educating children about gun safety and feeling empowered to ask about gun safety when your children visit other homes should be normal practices. “We don’t think twice about asking about food allergies before a sleepover, so why not ask other parents about gun safety?” says Dr. Deshpande. “It’s about preventing tragedies before they happen. We need to normalize asking the question without feeling shame, passing judgement or thinking we’re bringing up anything political.”
Some basic guidelines Smith recommends for educating children on gun safety are:
- Ensuring they know guns are not a toy and can kill somebody.
- Always treat a gun like it’s loaded.
- Never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
- Never point the gun at anything you’re not going to shoot.
“If you own a firearm, educating yourself on bleeding control and owning proper first aid equipment should be as important as having a means to secure your firearm,” states Smith. She recommends the program Stop the Bleed for teaching gun users essential hemorrhage control and tourniquet use.
If having a conversation around gun safety feels overwhelming, we suggest checking out the resources at agreetoagree.org.
Childproofing the home
Small children are naturally curious, which puts them at risk for a variety of home accidents. Smith says that some of the most common injuries for children that they see and hear about involve falls — especially down stairs, burns from hot water, accidental poisonings and drownings.
“Drowning is a huge risk for toddlers. Pools should always have fencing with locked gates — it takes just a few seconds for a child to slip away and fall in,” warns Smith.
Dr. Deshpande and Smith share some key childproofing tips:
- Install safety gates at staircases.
- Utilize cabinet locks or a lockbox to keep hazardous chemicals and medications out of reach of children.
- Keep small objects and plastic bags out of reach to prevent choking.
- Use outlet covers to prevent electrical shocks.
- Ensure pools have fencing and locked gates.
Fire safety and emergency preparedness
While household fires might feel rare, they can escalate quickly, making preparedness essential. Checking that you have working smoke detectors on every floor and changing your batteries yearly is the first step to fire preparedness. Then, make an escape plan the entire family knows and practices. Kids should know two ways out of every room and where to meet outside if there’s a fire.
“One of the biggest issues in house fires is kids hiding from firefighters because they’re scared,” adds Smith. “Teaching them not to hide can save lives.”
A well-stocked first aid kit is essential for addressing minor injuries or preventing major injuries from getting worse before medical care arrives.
Smith and Dr. Desphande recommend stocking it with:
- Bandages and antiseptic wipes
- Sterile gauze and medical tape
- Tweezers for splinters or ticks
- A digital thermometer
- Pain relievers and antihistamines
- Emergency contact numbers, including poison control
- Tourniquets
“Tourniquets are one of the most life-saving tools you can have in a first aid kit,” says Smith. “A severe cut can be fatal if bleeding isn’t controlled quickly.” Smith emphasizes that bleeding control is one of the biggest causes of death and trauma she sees in her work. Especially for those that work on farms or with dangerous equipment, having a tourniquet makes a big difference with managing large cuts, farming accidents and life-threatening types of injuries.
If you’re sending your child off to college, we recommend creating a kit for them to take to school. Our College 101 resource has a list of items to add to their kit.
Making small changes in your home can have a big impact on safety. By addressing common risks like falls, firearm accidents and fire hazards, you can create a home that is both safe and healthy for all ages.
