Avoiding Accidents And Living a Long, Safe and Happy Life


Are you accident prone, or just a little careless? Sometimes an accident is a result of something silly, and hurts your pride more than anything else. But others are no laughing matter and can be life changing or even fatal. Accidents do happen, unfortunately, although there are plenty of things you can do to help prevent them.

Create a Safer Home
Home might feel like our safe place, but it’s actually where most accidents happen. I know for me personally, this has definitely been the case. Some of the not-so-clever injuries I have sustained over the last few years involve: slicing my finger to the bone with a serrated knife, breaking my wrist doing cartwheels in the living room while I was drunk, and my dog pushing me down almost a full flight of stairs (I know, I’m a disaster!) Unlike at work or in public, when you’re at home you’re left to your own devices. This can lead people to doing silly things. Always use common sense. If you don’t know how to use that power tool properly, then call in a professional to do the job instead. Rather than standing on a rickety chair to change a light bulb, spend a few extra minutes getting the step ladder out of the shed. When you’re cooking, focus on what you’re doing to avoid cuts and burns. It seems obvious, but a lot of the accidents and injuries people end up with are totally avoidable with a bit of common sense. Other ways you can make your home safer is making sure there are no loose carpets which can pose a tripping hazard. Having a fire blanket in the kitchen in case of fires, and having your boiler and electrics safety checked each year when they’re supposed to be. 

Follow Work Safety Procedures
When you’re at work, the company has a duty to make sure you’re safe. However some jobs do come with occupational hazards, and so it’s vital to always refer to your training and take note of safety advice. Whether it’s chemicals, machinery, heavy lifting or people- if an accident or injury occurs be sure you know exactly what you need to do. There are time limits and procedures to reporting an accident or injury, so this will need to be handled correctly, just in case you need to make a claim at a later point. While rare, deaths at work do occur too- in 2016 almost a hundred and fifty people were killed at work in the UK. Having a life insurance policy in place is useful, so you know your family are covered whatever happens. 

Have Your Wits About You On The Roads
The roads can be dangerous, when you’re driving it’s easy to forget that you’re operating a serious piece of machinery that could do some damage if a mistake happens. In bad weather conditions, only go out on the roads unless you absolutely have to. If you’re tired, upset or angry, then postpone any journeys until you’re thinking clearly. If you can wait until after rush hour to make your trip, do so. At rush hour motorists tend to make risky moves that they usually wouldn’t which can increase the chances of an accident. Keep an eye out for people pulling out into spaces where they shouldn’t, going at roundabouts when it’s not safe and driving over the speed limit.