Dubai: Your home is your sanctuary – but how safe is it?
Fires breaking out at apartments and drownings at communal swimming pools are the main accidents in Dubai, according to a senior official at Dubai Municipality.
Speaking to Gulf News on the launch of the home safety campaign, Redha Salman, director of the public health and safety department, said that Dubai Municipality has launched a drive to raise awareness on the hidden perils in people’s homes.
He said that the main objectives of the campaign was formulated based on the statistics and studies related to domestic accidents.
“The index of these incidents available in the Department indicates an increase in domestic accidents in recent times due to lack of community awareness of home safety, which are not perceived by parents, children and maids at home,” said Salman.
“The Civil Defence have their rules and it is our responsibility to ensure that residents are aware of them,” he said.
“You should always check that electrical equipment is safe and any kind of maintenance work should always be carried out by professionals."
Residents taking advantage of the good weather are also advised to take extra precaution when preparing a barbeque, as that is one of the main causes for fires breaking out in homes.
“Barbeques should be made in open, empty spaces and should not be near any kind of flammable material. A fire extinguisher should be kept at bay, and the clothes you wear while barbeque should also be fire-retardant,” said Salman.
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The Public Health and Safety Department of Dubai Municipality is carrying out its awareness campaign, "Is your home safe" in City Walk 2 until January 7, 2017.
How to keep your home safe:
Kitchen Safety
- Keep kitchen equipment and tools well-organised
- Keep small children out of the kitchen while cooking
- Avoid wearing inappropriate clothing such as long sleeves which may cause danger
- Put a childproof lock on your oven to prevent danger
- Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children
- Place gas cylinders in a well-ventilated location
- Do not expose the cylinder directly to sun and heat sources
- Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen
- Ensure gas valve/regulator is closed before leaving the kitchen
Pool safety
- Children must be under constant supervision by an adult while swimming
- They should wear the buoys and life jackets
- First aid box and survival hoops should be placed close to the swimming pool
- Build a safety fence around the pool and don’t allow children to run or play around the pool area
Rooms and interior safety
- Install safety gates for staircases to avoid your child from falling
- Gap between the stair balusters should not exceed four inches
- Do not keep furniture, tables, or chairs near windows or balconies
- Install safety barriers on high places like windows or balconies to prevent children from falling
- Put safety guard pieces to protect sharp corners at home
- Store sharp tools and equipment in enclosed areas
- Secure all equipment, wires or materials laid on the floor to ensure safety
- Avoid overloading sockets to prevent risk of fire
- Keep empty plastic bags and ropes away from the reach of children
