Slip, trip, and fall hazards are things to think of at all ages. With small children, we spend lots of time 'baby-proofing the house and making sure that floors are picked up. So why don't we spend the same kind of time managing and maintaining our adult spaces?
Much of this is because we become 'experts' at designing our spaces in such a way that we don't have a lot of hazards to avoid. We know where things are. The problem with this mentality is that we really don't. As adults, we're tough enough that bumping into things a little bit, stubbing our toes, or any number of smaller bruises collected throughout the day are no big deal. However, for small children, these things can be potentially lethal, not to mention injury-prone.
The harsh reality is that we all make mistakes and have accidents. The older we get, those accidents can be increasingly more hazardous. A simple bump on the shin in your 20s may leave a bruise, but as we get on in years, those bruises become more colorful and can turn into more painful injuries. Getting rid of the coffee table and buying more plush sofas is an easy way to address this issue in the living room. Other indoor spaces can be kept free of slip, trip, or fall hazards more easily than something like your outdoor space.
Taking time out in nature is a wonderful way to relax and reconnect with the things we love. Therefore, a comfortable and safe outdoor space is a must. Unfortunately, our outdoor spaces are the hardest to manage due to the exposure to the elements and the propensity for things to move around outside. Maybe you had the family over for a barbecue, or you were entertaining friends and enjoying a cool evening. Either way, the patio furniture is often not exactly where you remember it. As fall comes, so too do leaves begin coating your deck. For these reasons, we've put together a few reminders on what to look out for to help avoid these extra dangers.
