Many Iowan’s think of their home as a place to relax from the hectic demands of life. And while that is largely true, what people do not realize is that every day in homes across America, nearly 55 people die and another 58,000 people are injured enough to require medical care because of everyday accidents around their homes. June is Home Safety Month, and that means that this is a great time to make sure that your home remains safe for not only you, but your entire family.

There are many simple things that you can do around the house and be aware of in order to save lives and prevent injuries. Here are some tips from the Home Safety Council to help keep your home a safe place to live.

Falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits among children and are the leading cause of injury and deaths among older adults. Here are some things you can do around the house to keep your family safe.

Install grab bars in the tub and shower.

Provide bright lights over stairs and steps and on landings.

Secure handrails on both sides of the stairs and steps.

Use a ladder for climbing instead of a stool or furniture.

Use baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs, if babies or toddlers live in or visit your home.

Poisons that are not properly protected kill one out of four people who die in their homes every year. Be smart about where and how to store poisons, especially in homes where children live or visit.

Lock poisons, cleaners, medications and all dangerous items in a place where children can’t reach them.

Keep all cleaners in their original containers. Do not mix them together.

Use medications carefully. Follow the directions.

Install carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas.

Call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 if someone takes poison. This number will connect you to emergency help in your area.

The risk of dying in a home fire is cut almost in half when there is a working smoke alarm in your house. Protect your loved ones from fires and burns in the home.

Have working smoke alarms and hold fire drills. If you are building a new home or remodeling, install fire sprinklers.

Stay by the stove when cooking, especially when you are frying food.

If you smoke, smoke outside. Use deep ashtrays and put water in them before you empty them.

Only light candles when an adult is in the room. Blow the candle out if you leave the room or go to sleep.

Little things can be dangerous in little hands. Half of all children who die before the age of one die from choking or suffocation.

Keep coins, latex balloons and hard round foods, such as peanuts and hard candy, out of children’s reach

Don’t put pillows, comforters or toys in cribs. These can suffocate children.

Clip the loops in window cords and place them up high where children can’t get them.

Read the labels on toys. Be sure that your child is old enough to play with them.

Tell children to sit down when they eat and to take small bites.

Did you know that children can die in as little as an inch of water in just a few minutes? Water can be dangerous for young children.

Stay within an arm’s length of children in and around water. This includes the bathtub, toilet, pools and spas even buckets of water.

Put a fence all the way around your pool or spa.

Empty large buckets and wading pools after using them. Keep them upside down when you are not using them.

Make sure your children always swim with a buddy. No child or adult should swim alone.

Keep your hot water at 120 degrees F or just below the medium setting to prevent burns.

For more information, go to www.homesafetycouncil.org.