West Bend Insurance Patio and Yard Safety Tips

Patio & Yard

  1. Lock all exterior windows, doors, and sliding doors at all times. Keep the keys well out of reach of children.
  2. Install self-closing mechanisms on doors.
  3. Attach hook and eye locks - small metal locks - at the top of exterior doors. These help prevent children from going out "locked" doors. Don't let these give you a false sense of security, however. Four- and five-year-olds can easily drag a chair over to the door and flip open the hook and eye lock.
  4. Lock doggie doors as well. Small children can easily fit in the small openings of doggie doors.
  5. Lock back gates and front doors.
  6. Don't place chairs, tables, and other objects near pool fences. Children can use these to climb over. Better yet, place outdoor furniture inside the locked pool fence where it will be inaccessible to children.
  7. Empty wading pools when not in use. Empty standing water off pool and spa covers. A child can drown in as little as two inches of water.
  8. When using equipment such as a string trimmer, work at least 50 feet away from people or pets.
  9. Wear full eye and ear protection and protective clothing, including closed toe rubber-soled shoes.
  10. Never work while standing on an unsteady surface such as a stool or a ladder.
  11. When using a power hedge trimmer or chain saw, don't trim or cut higher than your shoulders, especially if you're in a tree or on a ladder.
  12. Remove objects such as rocks, branches, and debris from your yard before using a lawn edger, mower, or string trimmer.
  13. Ladders should be supervised by adults at all times. It's easy for larger children to climb them and fall.
  14. If you have small children, prevent them from running into the street as they play.
  15. If you have pets, be mindful that when children play, pets may become protective of those children in their "family" and may try to protect these children from others with whom they're not familiar.
  16. When doing yard work, consider where garden tools are left unattended. A rake, for instance, should not be left on the ground, especially with the pointed side up.
  17. Sharp garden tools should be kept out of reach of small children.
  18. Be mindful, especially in the summer months, of the critters that roam your front and back yards. Everything from tick bites to bee or ant stings can be dangerous if an individual suffers from allergic reactions to such bites.
  19. If you see them during the day, always stay away from wild animals that are normally only out at night. These include opossums, foxes, and raccoons since they have a significant incidence of rabies. Snakes should be respected and children should be warned to keep their distance.
  20. In the summer, outside burning can be very risky especially if there's been a lack of rain. Most importantly, do not let children get close to fires of any sort. If the wind comes up, be prepared to douse the fire or take other appropriate action.