Injuries are more likely to happen in the home than anywhere else. Therefore, it is important to follow these top 10 home safety tips to ensure that your family stays safe.

1. Any heavy items should be pushed back so that they cannot be pulled over. This is especially true when you have young toddlers in the house. A heavy bookcase, TV or computer can cause serious injury or death if pulled over. Keep them far back, or anchor them to the wall if at all possible.

2. Smoke alarms are perhaps one of the most important home safety items to have installed in your home. They should be on every level of your home, as well as in every bedroom. The batteries should be tested on a regular basis to ensure they stay in working condition.

3. Along with fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors are extremely important to have in the house. Carbon monoxide is a deadly, odorless and colorless gas then can kill before detection. Since fire alarms do not detect this gas, having a carbon monoxide detector is essential in one’s home.

4. Having a fire plan or escape route is a tip that all families should practice. In the event of a real fire, all kids and adults in the family should know the best escape route, as well as where to meet outside if split up. Additionally, fire drills should be done a couple of times a year to ensure that all members of the family know what to do in a real emergency.

5. Keep all windows securely fastened to prevent accidental falls. You can buy window locks at any hardware or major retailer that can keep your window from opening more than a few inches. Also, make sure that there are no long cords hanging from the curtains or blinds on the window, as there have been many deaths from young children entangling and choking themselves in the cords.

6. Use safety stripping or a bath mat inside of the shower and bathtub. These help keep both kids and adults from slipping and falling when bathing. If possible, the addition of grab bars in the shower can also keep the family from falling or slipping, especially if there are elderly members in the house.

7. The use of child safety locks is important on everything potentially dangerous in the household. This goes for cabinets containing cleaners and chemicals, medicine cabinets, and other hazardous materials.

8. Electrical appliances should always be watched closely. If any wires are frayed or ripped, they should be replaced. If any type of appliance starts to smoke or give off a funny smell, it should be unplugged immediately.

9. Post the numbers of every emergency number in an easy to see area, such as on the refrigerator. This should include numbers to the poison control center, fire department and police department.

10. To keep burns from happening, always manually set your water heater to around 120 degrees Fahrenheit, or even less. This way, even if little ones (and adults!) accidently turn the hot water on, they cannot get severely burned.