Securing A Safe Stairway

Injury is the leading cause of death and disability for children. Every year in Canada, more children die as a result of injury than from all childhood diseases combined. The majority of childhood injuries are PREVENTABLE.

Facts about Falls
Most people believe that children are safe in their homes; however, 40% of all childhood injuries happen at home. And, the risk of injury in the home is even greater for children under two years of age.

The most frequent and severe injuries result from falls. Falls rarely cause death but they can result in serious head injury. Every year in Alberta, approximately 26,000 youths visit Emergency Departments for medical treatment related to falls. That works out to 72 youths every day in our emergency rooms.

Children can fall in many different places and falls downstairs account for over 10% of all falls needing medical attention. Once children become mobile and start exploring their world, it is important to reduce the risk of falling by taking necessary precautions.

Properly install a safety gate.

• Gates can be used at the top and bottom of stairs to prevent falls or in doorways to keep children from entering unsafe areas of your home.

Close doors leading to stairways.

• A closed door is an effective barrier against falling down the stairs.
• Use door handle covers.
• Once children are able to open doors, use handle covers that prevent them from being able to grip the door to open it.

Teach children to walk up and down stairs safely using the handrails.

• Keep stairs uncluttered and well lit.
• Use non-slip surfacing on all stairways.

Destroy all old fashioned wheeled baby walkers.

• Baby walkers are NOT recommended because falling down the stairs while wheeling around has seriously injured several children.

Get A Gate!
There are two basic safety gate models, pressure-mounted gates and wall-mounted gates. A pressure-mounted gate is convenient and affordable, and is great to use at the bottom of the stairs to prevent children from climbing up the stairs. They are also effective as a barrier to keep children out of dangerous areas. It is possible, however, for a toddler to knock pressure gates out of position, so a wall-mounted gate is the safest to use at the top of the stairs. A wall-mounted gate mounts into the wall with hardware.

Gate Keepers
Gates made before 1985 do NOT meet safety standards so be wary of borrowing a used gate from a friend or buying a used gate at a yard/garage sale. The expandable accordion-style gate that opens to form diamond-shapes spaces is dangerous because it can trap a child's head or neck and cause strangulation. If the gate you plan to purchase does not have a CPSC certification seal on the packaging, then it is not guaranteed to comply with voluntary safety standards.

Gates are made from metal, wood, plastic, or fabric. Coated metal may chip over time, wood may scuff, and plastic gates are not always attractive but are easy to clean. Fabric gates must have tight meshing otherwise an adventurous child can use the holes as steps and climb over the gate. Gates that are held in place with an expanding pressure bar should be installed with this bar on the side away from the child; otherwise, the child can use the bar as a toehold and fall over the gate.

Choose a gate with a straight top edge and rigid bars or mesh screen. If the gate is constructed using vertical slats, make sure the spacing between each is no more than 6 cm (2 and 3/8 inches) to avoid strangulation. Also ensure that the gate you plan to purchase fits in its intended space.

Gates that swing open are more convenient than having to hop over a gate. Gates used at the top of the stairs should swing away from the stairs rather than toward the stairs in order to prevent from falling backward. And, of course, safety gates are no substitute for child proofing, but they can give you added peace of mind.

At Canadian Direct Insurance, it's our goal to provide you with the best information to help make your environment more safe and secure. That's why we launched an education program about risks and safety, and why we have partnered with KIDSAFE Connection to provide important safety information for you and your family.