posted by Admin on Feb 2
Most of us enjoy spending a little time in the backyard, but we often don’t think about safety issues. Keeping the outdoors safe is important to prevent personal injury not only to ourselves and our families but also for visitors. It is worth doing frequent maintenance checks to be sure accidents don’t happen.
Pools
Make sure your pool has child proof locks and that any fencing and gates are kept in good repair. While you may not be responsible for someone climbing over your fence you could face a lawsuit if there are holes in the fence or locks are not secure.
Decks and Patios
Always be sure that your deck or patio is in good condition too. If you are buying a new house include a stress test in your building check. Replace any flooring material that may be worn and keep the surface clean from any build up of moss or lichen. Many people like to put potted plants on their decks and patios and they can be very effective. Just be sure the pots don’t become too heavy and risk your deck collapsing.
Barbeques
Barbeques make for great family fun and entertaining, but they can also be a potential risk. Gas bottles should be checked regularly by an authorized person. Keeping both the range and the cylinders clean is important to stop any build up that could cause a fire. Use long handled BBQ tools when cooking to avoid burns, but keep them out of the way of children. A barbeque fork can do a lot of damage when used as a toy or a weapon. If you have very young children it may be worth using a safety gate around the BBQ.
Garden Tools
Always lock away any tools you may have including lawnmowers. A rake left lying on the ground can be a potential hazard as can garden forks, spades and hoes. If you keep any sprays, fertilizers or gas for use in the garden they need to be under lock and key too. Avoid using slug and snail baits if you have toddlers around.
Paths and Driveways
These should be cleaned regularly as they can become slippery. If you have paving stones make regular checks for any loose ones and get them repaired. Tripping on a loose stone can cause major injury. Install adequate lighting for any pathways. Don’t let children play in driveways ever. Too many injuries and deaths are caused by people backing over little ones that can’t be seen.
Trees and Shrubs
Do a check around your garden to make sure you have no poisonous plants growing. If you aren’t sure what something is search the internet to find out. Make regular checks on large trees for any loose or poking out branches that could cause harm. Always make this check after a storm too. Make sure trees aren’t touching power lines too.
Other possible hazards
Make routine checks for any holes in the ground and fill them in. Check for any broken glass, tin cans or other dangerous materials. We never put them there ourselves but it is amazing how these things can just appear.
More Information On Filing Premises Liability Claims In Coral Springs and Southern Florida, Visit The Weinstein Law Firm.