Stair Safety Checklist

Falling is a common cause of serious injury, and stairs are often the scene of these unfortunate mishaps. Stairs pose a risk to babies, the elderly and everyone in between. The dangers associated with a staircase can be minimized if a few precautions are taken to prevent tripping, falling or otherwise taking a tumble on a stairs. Following a simple checklist will make the staircase in your home safe and reduce the likelihood that your loved ones will be involved in an accident.

Install Safety Gates

• Safety gates are a necessity for homes with both a staircase and a small child. A safety gate installs easily by fitting between two walls or the wall and banister at the top of the stairs. This gate prevents crawling babies or toddlers from wandering off the edge of the top step and falling down the stairs. This kind of fall can result in serious injury or even death.

  Installing a second gate at the bottom of the staircase may be necessary as well to prevent the child from climbing the stairs and accidentally falling back down. While this gate installation may seem inconvenient for the adults in the home, it is well worth the extra effort and the minor expense of opening the gate in order to save your family from a tragedy.

Prevent Trip Hazards

• Make certain that the stairs are not used as a temporary storage space or a playground, and that the stair covering is in good condition. Kids of all ages may wish to play with their toys on the stairs. This may be perfectly safe for older children, but if they do not clean up the toys when they are done, they will put the entire family at risk for a fall. A single die cast car, action figure, ball or any other object can be enough to cause a trip to the next person coming up or down the stairs.

  Kids aren't the only culprits. Adults who are planning to take something upstairs soon may be inclined to set the item on the stairs to remind them the next time they go up. This is a bad idea because someone may come down before you go up. They may not notice you placed a stack of bath towels on the stairs, resulting in a tumble down 10 stairs and a broken arm.

Low Railings

• Install low railings suitable for young children who can successfully climb the stairs to hold on to. Giving a proper handrail to a child will allow them to safety ascend and descend the staircase without a problem. It will help them keep balance and prevent falls.

Closed Backing

• Close the backing on any open-back steps. These types of steps are often found on staircases leading down to a basement or up a spiral. Children may fall through these openings between the steps and could even be caught between them and be choked or otherwise injured by the weight of their own bodies.

Lighting

• Make sure there is adequate lighting on all staircases. It's difficult enough to navigate a set of stairs, but doing it without the ability to see where you are stepping or what may be on the steps is even more challenging.