Many household products, even when brand new, can pose certain hazards. That's why UL offers several safety tips and guidelines to help ensure the safe operation and quality of products you keep in or around your home. One easy-to-remember tip is always look for the UL Mark on products you own or intend to purchase. It's your one assurance that representative samples have been tested and found to be free of foreseeable safety hazards, like electric shock, fire, mechanical dangers -- even radiation. Download or order UL's Consumer Safety Guide and you're taking the first step in protecting yourself and family from risks associated with household products.

Room-by-Room Safety Tips

Bathroom

• Keep space heaters, radios, and other electrical products away from bathtubs and sinks.
• Keep medications, cleaning products, and other poisons away from children and pets.
• Make sure that you have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets installed in the bathroom as well as in the kitchen, laundry room and workshop.

Kitchen

• Store all portable and small appliances and their cords out of the reach of children and always keep them a safe distance away from the sink.
• Keep all portable and countertop appliances unplugged when not in use.
• Never use or attempt to repair a damaged appliance; always consult a qualified technician.
• Every home should have working, UL Listed smoke detectors and fully charged UL Listed fire extinguishers strategically placed in the kitchen, garage, and workshop.

Nursery/Bedrooms

• Install UL Listed smoke detectors and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms outside every sleeping area and near fuel-burning appliances.
• Place halogen torchiere lamps in locations where they cannot be tipped over by children, pets, or a strong draft from an open window. Do not allow curtains or other combustible materials to come in contact with torchiere lamps at any time.
• To help prevent your infant from becoming trapped between the crib frame and mattress, choose a firm mattress that fits the crib frame snugly and securely. Also, make sure the mattress support does not easily pull away from the corner posts.
• Use a tape measure or ruler and look for strangulation hazards and areas where an infant can become trapped. There should be no more than 2 3/8 inches between crib slats, corner posts should not extend more than 1/16 of an inch above the end panels (unless the corner posts extend at least 16 inches high for a canopy), and headboards and footboards should not contain cutout areas.

Family/Living Room

• Use outlet plug covers to prevent children from inserting objects into outlets.
• Never run an electrical cord under a rug or carpet, or drape it over a hot surface such as a radiator or space heater.
• Make sure that all portable lamps and fixtures are equipped with light bulbs of equal or lesser wattage than that recommended by the lamp or fixture manufacturer.
• Unplug all extension cords when not in use and never use an extension cord that is cut or damaged.

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