Liberty Mutual and the National Safety Council are teaming up to help you recognize how to make your home as safe as possible. We've listed 20 home safety tips to help you find and eliminate hazards in each area of your home. Take a walk through your property, and then start taking steps today to protect your loved ones and make your home the safe haven you want it to be.

Tips for a Safe Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most commonly used rooms in the home, and it is also among the most dangerous. Each year more than 18,000 injuries are related to the kitchen range alone. Here are three tips to help you eliminate hazards in the kitchen.

Turn pot handles away from the stove front. Turning handles in so they don't hang over the front edge of the stove minimizes the risk of tipping pots over or having curious children pull them off the stove. Don't position handles over another burner either, as hot handles may catch fire or burn someone who touches the handle.

Avoid throwing water onto or using a fire extinguisher on a grease fire. Water or fire extinguisher chemicals can actually spread a grease fire. Keep a pot lid near the stove to smother flames in a pan quickly. Then turn off the burner and leave the pan on the stove. If a fire occurs in the oven or broiler, close the oven or broiler door. Then turn off the oven.

Store knives in a special rack or compartment. Knives should be stored out of reach of children and separately from other utensils to avoid cutting yourself when reaching into the drawer.

Tips for a Safe Stairway or Hallway
Not every home has a stairway, but both stairs and hallways are prime locations for tripping. Falls are the most common accident in the home, but luckily almost all of them are preventable. These two tips will help you put an end to trips and falls.

Fit all area rugs with a slip-resistant backing. Put cut-to-fit rubber matting or two-sided tape on rugs without backing to stop slips or trips.

Install a sturdy handrail on the sides of all steps and stairways. Many falls happen on stairways. Make sure every set of steps and stairways have all handrails securely mounted to at least one side of the stairs.

Tips for a Safe Living Room
The living room or family room should be a comfortable place for your family to relax. Eliminate needless worries with the following two tips.

Never run electrical cords under rugs or across doorways, and don't hang them from nails. This is tempting to do, especially at holiday time. But friction from carpeting can damage or overheat cords, which can cause a fire. Check power cords on a regular basis and have them replaced if they are frayed. Also, cords should not be placed in traffic areas where someone might trip and fall. In addition, avoid overloading electrical outlets with too many plugs.

Hint   One way to avoid overloaded electrical outlets is to buy a power strip with a surge protector to safely gain additional outlets.

Have your wood stove, fireplace, chimney and chimney connectors inspected and cleaned annually by a professional. According to a recent survey, fewer than 50 percent of homeowners do this important safety check. Keeping your heating equipment clean prevents creosote buildup which could cause a chimney fire in the flue.

Tips for a Safe Bathroom
The bathroom contains a dangerous combination of water and electricity, with the potential hazards of electrocution, slipping and drowning. Follow these three tips to help pull the plug on all these risks.

Put slip-resistant surfaces in and around the bathtub or shower. To help curb dangerous falls, use a nonslip mat, or install strips or decals in the tub or shower. Don't forget to protect the outside of these areas as well with a nonslip surface. Your tub should also have securely fastened grab bars installed for added protection.

Hint   To ensure grab bars are securely fastened, use long screws anchored directly into wall studs, not into plaster, tile or wallboard.

Always supervise young children while they are bathing. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death among children ages one through nine. Never leave a young child alone in the bathtub, even for a few seconds.

If you must leave the room, take the child with you. You should supervise children whenever they are in or around the water, whether in the tub, a swimming pool or any other body of water.

Unplug all electrical appliances such as hair dryers, electric razors and curling irons when not in use. Make certain to avoid shocks and burns by cutting off the supply of electricity. Never use electrical appliances near water (tub, sink or toilet). When you're finished using them, store appliances away from these areas, too.

Tips for a Safe Adult's Bedroom
Surprisingly, bedrooms are the number one place in the home for falls. Consider these two tips to help you rest easier.

Install lighting that will help you see your way after dark. Nightlights are especially helpful for homes with elderly people and children. A sleepy person is more likely to stumble and trip over objects. Nightlights are inexpensive and easy to use. Put nightlights in bathrooms and hallways, too.

Hint   Be sure to locate nightlights a safe distance from materials such as bedding or curtains that could easily catch fire.

Keep a phone and flashlight near your bed. Be prepared for an emergency. Make sure flashlight batteries are working, or use flashlights with rechargeable batteries. Keep a phone within easy reach so you don't have to scramble out of bed to get to it. If possible, you should also position your bed near a lamp or light switch so you don't have to get out of bed to turn the lights on or off.

Tips for a Safe Child's Bedroom
Your children spend more time alone in their bedrooms than anywhere else in the house, so a child's bedroom should be as safe as possible.

Here are two tips to help keep your children safe even when you're not in the room with them.

1. Position all window coverings and cords out of reach. Window coverings have caused more than 100 strangulation deaths in the past decade. Don't allow children access to window-covering cords that could strangle them. Place cribs, playpens, beds and other furniture well away from windows so children can't climb to reach cords. This will also stop children from climbing up and falling out of windows. To further prevent falls, you should only open the upper portion of windows and install window guards on upper floors of multistory homes. Never let children sit or stand on windowsills.

2. Make sure toy storage containers and chests have safe lids. A lid with-out supports can drop on a child's head or neck, causing serious injury or death. Look for a lid with supports that hold it open in all positions, or remove the lid.

Tips for a Safe Basement or Utility Room
Basements and utility rooms are often overlooked in the search for ways to make your entire home safer. Follow these two tips to make sure your home is completely safe from top to bottom.

Ensure you have a working smoke detector in this area. This area needs to be protected just like the rest of the house. All areas of your home should have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Keep them free of dust and debris by vacuuming over and around them regularly. Test the batteries once a month and replace them twice a year. Only remove the batteries to replace them. Be sure to replace smoke detectors every ten years. Carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced every five to ten years, depending on the model.

Make certain your washer and dryer are electrically grounded. They should be plugged into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets. Improperly grounded laundry appliances can cause electric shock, especially if the area near them is damp. Check with a service person or electrician if you're not sure whether your washer and dryer are properly grounded. The washer and dryer also should be elevated if there is any danger of flooding.

Tips for a Safe Home Exterior or Garage
Your garage and other outside areas of your home can be locations for many lurking dangers. These four tips can help keep your family as safe when they walk out the door as they are inside your home.

Store flammable materials (such as gasoline or oil-soaked rags) in appropriate safety containers. Flammable liquids are extremely hazardous. Be sure to properly dispose of all oil- or paint-stained rags after each use, since they could be toxic or ignite. Don't store any other flammable liquid in a gasoline safety container. Store all flammable liquids in a shed or garage, outside your home.

Check the condition of ladders regularly and before each use. Never use a defective ladder. More than 160,000 injuries associated with ladders occur each year. Inspect ladders regularly for loose or damaged rungs, steps, rails or braces. Also check for worn ladder shoes or frayed ropes (on extension ladders). Look for loose screws, bolts, hinges and other hardware. Watch overhead when using ladders near power lines to guard against lethal shocks.

How safe is your home from common hazards such as falls, fires and poisonings?
You may be surprised to find that hazards exist inside nearly every American home. According to the National Safety Council, more than 33,000 deaths and 8 million injuries happened in the home last year. In fact, more injuries occur in the home than in the workplace and from motor vehicle crashes combined.

And if you have children, the statistics are even more alarming: Each year more than 4.5 million children under the age of 14 are injured at home. Accidental injuries kill more children than all childhood diseases combined.

The most tragic fact is that the majority of these accidents were preventable. With very little effort, unsafe conditions can be spotted and corrected.

Is Your Home a Safe Haven?
Follow the manufacturer's directions for safely operating outdoor grills. Grills cause more than 6,000 fires and $35 million in property loss each year. Be sure to read warning labels and manuals before operating grills. Here are a few important reminders:

• Always start charcoal grills with lighter fluid,never gasoline.

• To avoid creating flames that could explode or ignite clothing, never add more lighter fluid once the charcoal is lit.

• When using a propane gas grill, shut off the propane gas completely when finished grilling.

Maintain all steps, sidewalks and driveway areas. Inspect all areas on a regular basis. Repair cracks, holes and uneven surfaces before someone trips or falls. When necessary, be sure to keep them clear of ice, snow and leaves.

Source: National Safety Council, Home Safety Council

A Laundry List of Potential Washer Hazards

Modern construction has allowed more people to install washers and dryers in the living area of their homes. But this convenience also means there's the potential for greater loss if these appliances malfunction. For instance, consider that failed washing machine hoses cause about $150 million in property damage each year*.
*Source: Dateline NBC

Perhaps even more surprising is that much of that loss could easily be avoided. For example, did you know that even if you're not using your washing machine, the water pressure may still be “on”? That's why it's a good idea to get into the habit of turning both water valves off when the washing machine is not in use.

Be sure to perform preventive “checkups” on your washing machine on a regular basis (see checklist below). Setting aside time for a quick inspection now could mean avoiding a major — and costly — cleanup in the future.

Washer Maintenance and Safety Checklist:

• Turn cold and hot water valves off when washing machine is not in use.

• Do not turn on your washer when you leave home — even for a short while.

• Check washing machine hoses every three to six months. Replace if they show signs of wear, cracking or bulging. Generally, replace hoses every five years even if they look fine.

• Allow a minimum of four inches between the wall and the back of your washing machine to ensure that hoses do not kink.

• Have a plumber install a single-handed valve and hose burst safety device.

• Think safety: If your washer malfunctions and significantly floods an area, turn off your main electrical power before entering the area. Call a professional if there's even the slightest risk that live electricity may be present.

Help Reduce Accidents:

Adjust Your Car's Mirrors

How important is proper mirror adjustment in helping to prevent blind spots and accidents? Very important. As a leading commercial insurer of large fleets, Liberty Mutual is working to keep the roads safer for everyone. Liberty Mutual has helped commercial drivers eliminate blind spots by giving them a mirror adjustment station. Using this tool has reduced commercial customer sideswipe accidents—for those utilizing it—by nearly 40%. Unfortunately, you don't know if the truck that you're passing has properly adjusted mirrors. That's why being a proactive driver can help prevent these and other types of accidents.

Help Reduce Accidents: Adjust Your Car's Mirrors
It's not just truck drivers that have blind spots—automobile drivers do as well. Proper mirror adjustment can help eliminate blind spots. What's more, as these steps show, it's easy to do.

1. Adjust the interior mirror so that the rear window is framed.

2. Before you start your car, sit in your normal driving position and put your head against the driver's side window. Look in your left sideview mirror and adjust it so that you see as little of the left side of your car as possible.

3. From your position in the driver's seat, place your head along the centerline of the car. Look in your right sideview mirror and adjust it so that you see as little of the right side of your car as possible.

Once you return to your normal driving position, you'll see that your right and left blind spots are eliminated. Every time you get in your car, check that your mirrors are properly adjusted.

Prevent Identity Theft

Take these five important steps today to protect your name, credit and reputation:

1. Review your credit report from each of the three credit agencies listed at the right twice a year. See if there are accounts or addresses you don't recognize. Is your social security number correct? Have there been more credit inquiries than normal? Any of these may be early signs of identity theft. If you find something suspicious on your credit report, call the agency's fraud hotline immediately. You also may want to add a consumer fraud alert, which asks creditors to telephone you each time a new account is opened in your name.

2. Limit the use of your social security number — this can aid a thief the most. Never give it to someone who calls you on the phone, don't carry the card in your wallet and never print it on your checks.

3. Shred important papers — especially credit card solicitations — with a crosscut shredder. Some identity thieves piece cut papers back together.

4. Don't use your mother's maiden name as a password on personal accounts; it's too easy to learn. Change it to another word with the creditors.

5. Safeguard check use. When writing checks to pay credit card accounts, don't put the complete account number on the "for" line. Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home number.

Don't be a victim...
Copy down or print out the information above and save it with your important papers. If you suspect identity fraud, contact your local police station (laws vary across states), the three credit agencies listed below and the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.