9 Fall Safety Tips That Will Keep Your Family Safe This Season
It’s that time of year again- pumpkin spice everything, Halloween decorations lining store shelves, leaves changing colours, and crisp morning air.
The fall also brings some hazards we need to be cautious about. But with the right fall safety tips, you can still enjoy everything you love about this time of year.
Living in Canada means we get to enjoy four beautiful seasons, each with their own amazing features. But it’s important to understand how to stay safe in specific weather conditions.
These essential fall safety tips will help make sure you enjoy the season to the fullest and avoid unnecessary injuries or accidents.
1. Be Cautious of Back to School Traffic
School is back in full swing, which means that there’s more traffic on the roads in the morning and late afternoon. You might have noticed it takes a little longer to get to work now.
Be alert when you’re crossing the street or driving in a school zone. People can be absent minded in the morning as they rush around trying to get their kids to school and make it to work on time.
2. Don’t be Fooled by Falling Leaves
The fall is a gorgeous time of year- those green leaves turn to wonderful shades of brown, yellow, red, and orange and fall to the ground in those piles we love to jump in.
But falling leaves can pose a hazard, no matter if you’re driving or walking. Leaves can be very slippery, which is a big trigger for autumn slip and falls.
Jumping in piles of leaves can also be dangerous and lead to injury if you’re not cautious. You never know what kind of garbage or debris ended up in that pile you just raked. This is especially important if you live on a busy street.
3. Get Your Fire Safety up to Speed
This time of year, when the temperature starts dropping, means we’re putting away our bathing suits and getting our boots out. It also means we’re starting to get back to our heating equipment.
Your furnace and heaters have been sitting untouched all summer long. Turning them on at the first sign of chilly air without properly inspecting and servicing them can be a big fire hazard. Be sure to get an inspection of your heating systems and anything else that hasn’t been used in a while.
If you have a wood burning fireplace, make sure you follow the proper safety procedures when using it. Keep the screen shut and make sure that the flu is clean, open, and free from debris.
Fall is also a time when a lot of people like to break out their candle collection and get cozy on a chilly evening. However, misuse of candles is one of the biggest causes of house fires in Canada. Always make sure you blow out your candles before you leave a room and never leave open flame unattended.
4. Avoid Slip and Falls From The Rain
In the fall, we get a lot of rain. And rain can often cause surfaces to be slippery, especially when it’s cold and takes the water longer to evaporate.
This is a recipe for harmful slip and falls that can leave you with serious injuries.
When you’re outside, double check everything before you use it or walk on it. For example, if you need to clean out your gutters, examine the ladder before you climb it. The rungs could be wet and slippery, causing a potential slip and fall.
Sidewalk grates are often slippery when wet, so take caution walking down the street. Walk with your hands free just in case you fall.
5. Be Prepared For Unexpected Cold Weather
It’s fall in Canada, which means that the temperature could be hot one day and cold the next. In fact, it could drop at any minute.
Always be prepared if you’re going out for the night, especially if you’re going to be outdoors for any period of time. Make sure you have an extra jacket, scarf, or hat in case the temperature drops unexpectedly.
If you don’t have an emergency car kit in your vehicle, now is a good time to make sure you have one in there before winter starts.
6. Wash Your Hands Constantly
While the fall brings back some of our favourite things, like pumpkin spice everything and NHL hockey, it also brings something we all hate- cold and flu season.
If you’ve recently recovered from a major injury, like a traumatic brain injury, one cold or flu could set your recovery process back.
Wash your hands frequently, and use hand sanitizer if you can’t wash them. Any time you touch a publicly used item, like a railing or a subway handle, make sure you lather up and avoid touching your face.
7. Make Sure Your Batteries Are in Order
Test your batteries and replace them if necessary. Make sure you have backups on hand in case of power outages or other emergencies.
As we mentioned earlier, house fires are common in the fall because of the change in temperature and the fact that people are turning on their heaters after months of inactivity.
Make sure your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and other important emergency devices are in working order and have fresh batteries.
8. Practice Caution When Taking Your Kids Trick or Treating
The fall season also brings Halloween! Kids and adults alike always look forward to this time of year, when we can dress up and pretend to be whatever we want for the day.
However, there are some major risks on Halloween that could put your kids’ lives at stake. No one wants to risk that.
Read up on these essential trick or treating safety tips to keep the kiddos safe as they head door to door in their favourite costumes.
9. Wear Something Reflective When Walking at Night
It’s starting to get darker earlier, but that doesn’t mean that the dog still doesn’t need to be walked. At this time of year, it’s starting to get dark before we even get home from work, which doesn’t leave much time outside in the daylight.
Make sure you wear reflective clothing if you’re out at night. You should also put reflective materials on your dog’s collar or leash to make sure they’re visible to people driving by.
