The garage can become a very busy hub of the home during the warmer summer months. Garden tools are needed, projects are worked on at the tool bench, sports equipment is brought out etc. Safety becomes a bigger issue as more people, in particular children, will be accessing and using the garage. With this increase in traffic and usage, here are ten tips to consider for the safety of your family in the garage.
- Cool down your car outside of the garage to avoid any issues with unwanted build-up of carbon monoxide.
- Make sure equipment is cooled down (ie gasoline powered lawn mowers) before storing back into the garage.
- Clean the work bench of any remaining sawdust or other flammable materials (oil rags etc.)
- Ensure flammables are stored away from any heat sources.
- Replace the smoke detector batteries and test to make sure it is operational.
- Store out of reach all toxic and poisonous materials (antifreeze, paints, pesticides, etc.)
- Install a fire extinguisher.
- Safely store sharp objects out of reach – nails, garden shears, blades, etc.
- Check the garage door operation. If it is remotely operated, turn to manual and check to see the door operates with ease as you will want to be able to manually operate in the event of a power outage. This is also a good time to perform any upkeep requirements on your garage door. Call your garage door specialists for maintenance suggestions. (smartgarage.ca)
- If space permits, organize a separate area for toys and sports equipment, to provide children a safe place, away from work areas.
Pick a weekend and do a walk-through of your garage. Use this list as a starting point to creating your safety checklist. Add in other items based on your particular uses of your garage. The garage is typically a natural place to store unused items. If you find storage items have built up over the year, consider having a garage sale. It can be a fun way to clear out, organize, clean and safety-proof the garage!
