Stairway Safety

Falls are the number one cause of home injury deaths in America. According to Home Safety Council research, falls on or from stairs or steps are the leading known cause of death due to residential falls. Follow the Home Safety Council's steps to stairway safety to make your home safer from falls:

• Have handrails on both sides of stairs and steps.

• Have lots of lights at the top and bottom of the stairs.

• Keep the stairs clear.

• Paint the bottom basement step white to make it more visible. Mistaking the lowest step for floor level can cause you to lose your balance and fall.

• In homes with young children, use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs.

• Carry small loads up and down stairs. Always hold onto a handrail.

• It is easy to trip on small rugs. Tape them to the floor or do not use them at all.

• If you have steps outside your home, keep them free of ice and snow. To prevent a tripping hazard, periodically check steps and walkways for broken or lose bricks, cement or stone.