The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-03-19
Even Simple Home Life Is Dangerous
Expert Tells
How to Avoid
House Hazards
Ignorance Of Danger and
Careless Use of Modern
Equipment Is Cited
BY WALTER JAMES sTUBBS
Safety Engineer

The American home should be the
safest place on earth-but It isn't.
on the contrary, life IN the
American home Is perilouS. Fire
and accident make II SO. And In
stead OF decreasing, the nations
peace. time casualty list Is increas-
ing rapidly.
Adventures 60 to Africa 10 shoot
big game: TO the Alps TO scale dizzy
mountain heights: to the polar re-
giops for exploration. But statistics
indicate that they may be safer
than II they had remained In their
homes In America. In 1895, accord"
ing to the National Safety Council
81 500 persons died as result OF
accidents In American homes. In
1895, the total grew to $4,000
deaths. That Is more than double
the number Of fatalities that oc-
Cured In private industry and al
most twice the number OF deaths
resulting from motor accidents dur.
ing the same period.
The worker In his factory OF. en-
route to and from home by motor Is
safer than he is at home. He Is
careless at home. He Is more care
full at work or on the road.
Fire Is a tremendous hazard In the
American home. According to the
National Fi.e Protection Association.
home Is attacked by fire every two
minutes throughout the year IN this
country. In 1885, there were 26O, 900
home fires and the loss totalled be-
tween $85,0O0,000 and 100000, 900.
Eight thousand deaths we're caused
by burns, fires and CONGREGATIONS.
Eighty per cent of those deaths came
from fire In the home.
The use OF combustible roofs, In
stead of fire-retardant roofs such as
asphalt shingles and tiles; careless
habits In smoking and the use OF
matches; defective chimneys and
flues and defective wiring are
among the major factors IN the ire
mendous annual fire loss.
Fire and accident can be virtual
ly eliminated In the home through
care.
Make survey of your home to-
day. Note the unsafe conditions IN
cellar, on roof, wherever they exist.
Inform otter members Of your FAM
lily Of thes dangers Immediately.
Then set about the task Of making
them safe. Failure to recognize UNI
safe conditions and failure TO cor
rect them after they have been
noted are the fundamental reasons
for Americas appalling peace-timc
loss Of life.
To Avoid Accident
Provide Stairways, especially
cellar stairs, with hand rails.
2--Be sure that electric switches
are properly placed, SO that dry,
non-conductive footing is as
sured and walking In darkened
room unnecessary.
3--Fasten all rugs on stairWays
securely.
4-Don't wax floors highly. It
makes them too slippery.
5--Don't permit water to remain
In celler near electric outlet. TO
do SO invites short circuits, pos
sibly fatal shocks.
TO Eumu1ate FIRE
Don't smoke III bed.
2--Never start fires with kerosene.
3--Don't allow paper rubbish to
accumulate In cellar, especially
near stove or furnace, or In ga
rage.
4-Proyide your fireplace with
heavy screen.
5--Beware Of home dry cleaning.
6-Use fire retardant materials
where practicable, especially
where no additional expense Is
involved, as In roofing. Com
bustible roofs have caused great
percentage Of home fires. Fire
retardant roofing materials,
such as asphalt shingles and
tiles, resist fire.