How Safe is Your Backyard?

Some of the best things about summer take place in your backyard. Everyone looks forward to enjoying cookouts, pool parties and lots of outdoor activities all summer long. Use these backyard summer safety tips to make sure your yard is ready for all the fun.

Grill and Fire Safety

Having a cookout or sitting around a fire pit can be fun. But carelessness around open flames can cause injuries or fires. Make sure children understand to stay away from the fire and hot surfaces.

• Check your gas grill to ensure it’s working properly and make any necessary repairs before grilling season begins.
• Grills and fire pits should be at least 10 feet away from the house, tree branches or other objects that could catch fire from a stray spark.
• Never leave the grill unattended while in use.

For charcoal grills, make sure embers are completely extinguished after use. Charcoal grills should not be stored indoors unless they’re empty. Fresh coals emit carbon monoxide.

Pool Safety

Some of the most important backyard summer safety tips stress the importance of pool safety children and pets.

• Children should always be supervised by a responsible adult when swimming.
• Keep the pool covered with a sturdy and appropriate cover when it’s not being used.
• A fence around the pool that is at least 4 feet high can help prevent accidents.
• Floatation devices and other appropriate rescue equipment needs to be readily available.

Check pool drains and suction covers. If they are missing or broken, make repairs immediately. A swimmer or pet that accidentally falls in can get stuck and drown.

RELATED: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning 

Holes Are a Hazard

Pets, visiting critters and even some common pests can dig holes in your yard. It’s easy to twist an ankle or trip on them. Fill in any holes to avoid injuries. If the holes were caused by a pest problem, you might want to call an exterminator as well.

Play Equipment and Structures

No one wants their child or someone else’s to get injured while playing.

• Play equipment and structures should be properly anchored to the ground.
• Check for loose or missing bolts or screws and protruding sharp objects.
• Wood structures should be checked for broken boards and rot.
• Branches that support a treehouse should still be sturdy.
• Make sure there’s plenty of padding material around play structures.

Do safety checks and make any necessary repairs before letting your children use the equipment.

Safety While Doing Yardwork

The tools and chemicals that you use for yardwork can be danger to both you and your family if not properly used.

• Tools should be put away after use.
• Sharp tools, fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides should be kept locked up where children and pets cannot get to them.
• Children and pets should be kept indoors while mowing the lawn.

Choose weed and pest control methods that don’t require dangerous chemicals whenever possible. If you do need one of these products, wear protective clothing while applying and don’t allow children near the area until long after it has dried.

Deck Hazards

Inspect and make necessary repairs. Look for rotted, warped, cracked, split or missing boards and replace them. Check for loose or missing fasteners or anything that sticks up or leaves exposed sharp edges.

Check for Toxic Plants

We all know about obvious culprits like poison ivy. But some common landscape plants and flowers are poisonous too. If you have pets or small children, be aware before you plant.

Observing a few backyard summer safety tips can help ensure your family and friends stay safe and have a good time all summer long.