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With the unofficial start of summer just a few weeks away, now's the time to do a thorough safety check around the yard to prevent the slips, trips, falls, burns, and other accidents that each year send tens of thousands of people to the emergency room. A recent outdoor safety survey of nearly 1,300 adults by the Consumer Reports National Research Center revealed the top danger spots.
The good news from our survey is that most Americans play it fairly safe outdoors. But there are areas where we appear to let our guard down and, as everyone knows, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Take grilling—the most popular outdoor activity in our survey. Only two in five homeowners keep a fire extinguisher nearby, and just one in five use a nonflammable pad to protect their deck from heat elements. Those factors contribute to the approximately 8,600 home fires each year involving grills, barbecues, and hibachis.
Our survey also asked about swimming pools, trampolines, lighting, deck structures, and fire pits. That last outdoor feature has become incredibly popular, with more than a third of our respondents saying they own one. But along with patio heaters, fire pits caused an estimated 2,900 injuries in 2011.
Read the full outdoor safety report to learn all the ways to safeguard your family and guests this summer, including:
- Check the deck;
- Contain outdoor fires;
- Provide sun protection;
- Play safely;
- Light the night;
- Guard your grill;
- Play it safe in the pool, and
- Safegaurd swing sets.
