Common Household Accidents

Getting hurt at home is unfortunately a common occurrence. Luckily there are steps to take to make sure your house is as safe as possible. In the vide

Getting hurt at home is unfortunately a common occurrence. Luckily there are steps to take in order to make sure your house is as safe as possible. In this video, Dr. Tanya Benenson discusses ways to improve the safety of your furniture, rugs and even appliances. For example, bad falls often happen in the bathroom so it’s important to have a non-slippery bathmat. Cuts and burns are most common in kitchen accidents. If you do suffer a minor injury, use the R.I.C.E. method of rest, ice, compression and elevation. And remember always keep emergency numbers by the phone!

Show Less

This video features Tanya Benenson, MD. Dr. Benenson is an internal medicine doctor and the chief medical officer for Comcast/NBC Universal.

Duration: 3:07. Last Updated On: Nov. 8, 2017, 6:14 p.m.

Reviewed by: Preeti Parikh, MD . Review date: Jan. 4, 2011

00:00 [MUSIC]
00:06 Hello and welcome to HealthiNation, I'm Dr. Tanya Benenson.
00:10 In the first segment of this series, we went over first aid kits.
00:14 In this segment, we'll talk about preventing accidents at home and
00:19 what you can do if they happen.
00:22 Here in the family room, we usually sit on the sofa to read a book or watch TV.
00:26 But accidents can happen here, especially in children and older adults.
00:30 So we'll show you a few things to look out for.
00:32 First, watch out for the sharp edges on furniture, like tables and cabinets.
00:37 Little ones can fall and bump their heads or other body parts.
00:40 So it may be a good idea to put covers on these.
00:43 Speaking of edges, take a look at the edges of all carpets and rugs.
00:47 Make sure these aren't turned up or
00:49 bulging, you can tape them down if they are.
00:52 These trips and stumbles can cause sprains and bruises.
00:56 If that does happen, remember the R.I.C.E Method of treatment.
00:59 That means Rest, Ice, Compression and elevation.
01:04 This method is effective for minor injuries.
01:06 If you think you have something more serious, call your doctor or
01:10 visit the emergency room.
01:11 Next up is the bathroom.
01:13 Bad falls often happen in the bathroom.
01:16 It's a good idea to have a rubber or
01:18 non-slip mat on the floor and even in the tub.
01:21 Wet and slippery feet can go right under from under you, unless you're careful.
01:24 That can mean more trips and falls resulting in bumps and bruises or
01:28 even bad cuts.
01:29 We'll talk about cuts and burns as we move into the kitchen.
01:33 Cuts and burns are the most common kitchen accidents, but they both can be avoided.
01:37 Avoiding skin cuts starts with storing and using knives properly.
01:41 Always cut away from you.
01:43 And if you drop a knife, don't try to pick it up.
01:45 Let it hit the ground first.
01:47 And don't leave knives in cloudy or dirty water where they can't be seen.
01:50 If you do get a cut, flush it out with water and
01:53 then apply constant pressure with gauze or a clean cloth for about 15 minutes.
01:58 If it's still bleeding after 15 minutes, then you need to see a doctor.
02:01 Use your judgement here.
02:03 Some bad cuts require a trip to the emergency room.
02:07 Burns are another common accident that happen in the kitchen.
02:10 If you do get a burn, run it under cool not cold water and
02:13 then apply a clean bandage.
02:15 After that, you're gonna wanna put on a cold compress.
02:19 First, you wrap it in a towel and then apply it to the burn.
02:23 Never apply ice or cold compress directly to the burn.
02:27 You'll need to see a doctor for bad burns, like those that blister or
02:31 don't heal after 10 to 14 days.
02:33 Also, if burns become pus-like, or
02:35 cause a fever, you need to seek immediate medical attention.
02:39 So in the kitchen, we have ovens and stoves that can cause a fire.
02:42 So it's a good idea to have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
02:45 Finally, keep a copy of that emergency phone list by the phone,
02:48 because you'll never know when you're going to need it.
02:51 So remember, be careful around possible dangers.
02:54 Keep that first aid kit handy and always use common sense.
02:58 Thank you for being a part of HealthiNation.
03:00 [MUSIC]