Hall and Stairs

Make sure that what goes up never comes tumbling down!

• As soon as your child starts to crawl, fit safety gates at both the top and bottom of the stairs. Make sure that you choose the right type of gate for each end as gates designed for the bottom of the stairs can be a trip hazard if fitted at the top. Always check for the recognised standard EN 1930:2000.
• Keep your stairs free from trip hazard clutter such as toys, books, magazines, shoes or piles of clothing.
• Serious accidents can happen when children try to climb over or through banisters. If the gaps are more than 10cm (4ins) a child could fall through or get trapped. Large gap banisters like these should be boarded up or covered with safety netting.
• Never carry your baby downstairs in both arms. Always leave one hand free to hold on to the banister in case you trip.
• Every floor in the house should be fitted with a smoke alarm, so make sure you have one on the upstairs landing as well as in the downstairs hall.
• Make sure stair and landing carpets are fastened down securely and have no worn or frayed patches that trap a child's foot and lead to a fall.