Health and Safety
This section offers you a few tips on how to stay safe and healthy when flatting.
Fire Safety
How safe is your home? Fire safety is all about taking precautions.
Helpful hints regarding fire safety
- Don't leave the house while cooking.
- When cooking in oil, keep the pot lid handy.
- Snuff out an oil fire with a pot lid or oven tray. Don't try to carry it outside.
- If oil is smoking, turn off the heat.
- Alcohol and cooking don't mix!
- When home always leave the key in deadlocks.
- Don't smoke in bed.
- Keep matches, lighters and candles out of the reach of children.
- Teach children to take matches or lighters to an adult straight away.
- Use a solid ashtray to stub out butts.
Smoke Alarms
Smoke Alarms provide an early warning of fire - they save lives.
Check the packaging to make sure you are buying an alarm with a recommended specification. The New Zealand Fire Service recommends only smoke alarms with the following specifications: ANSI/UL217, BS 5446, ULC S531
A single alarm should be placed in the hallway by the bedrooms. Additional alarms should be placed in the living areas and in the bedroom/s. Multi-storey homes should have at least one alarm on each floor.
Smoke alarms work best when mounted on the ceiling or high on a wall. Install them at least 300mm from any corner or wall.
Test smoke alarms each month by pushing the test button with a broom handle to ensure it beeps. Change batteries at least once a year and clean regularly to remove dust and cobwebs.
Plan to Get Out Alive
Your escape plan should include:
- a sketch of your home showing two ways of exiting each room,
- in addition to the smoke alarms, other ways of alerting people (such as whistles etc),
- the means to help others less able or mobile to escape safely,
- somewhere to meet safely outside (such as the letterbox),
- how to call the fire service on III from a safe telephone.
Tell the fire service the house number, street, nearest intersection, suburb and city. If you have one, give your rural ID number.
Practise the drill regularly. In a fire remember to:
- crawl low in smoke,
- close doors behind you,
- use the stairs - not the lift,
- care for others less mobile,
- get out and stay out.
If fighting a very small fire always ensure you have a clear escape route. Never let the fire come between you and safety.
Open Fire Safety
- Sweep chimneys and flues regularly.
- Use a fireguard on open fires.
- Always use firelighters not petrol to start fires.
- Let ashes cool before taking them outside. Store ashes in a metal container that is situated well away from the house.
Heater Safety
- Keep heaters at least one metre away from furniture and curtains.
- Never put clothes on the heater to dry.
- Guards should be fitted on all heaters.
- Strike the match before turning the gas supply on when lighting a gas heater.
- Kerosene and gas heaters should be turned off and left to cool before refilling.
- Situate portable gas or kerosene heaters in a draught free position.
Electrical Safety
- Check cords and plugs for cracks, breaks, fraying and any exposed wiring. Test for overheating.
- Don't overload power points — use a multi box.
- Use extension cords as a temporary measure. Never run them under carpets or rugs.
- Fuses and circuit breakers are safety devices. Always use the right size fuse.
- Always turn off the electric blanket before getting into bed.
Dampness and Mildew
Condensation and mildew are problems faced by most homes during the winter months. Many long-term solutions are not available to tenants as the landlord may be reluctant to give his or her written consent and even more reluctant to pay.
Some Helpful hints to Keep You Warmer and Drier in Winter
Community Energy Action (Tel. 374 5698) operate a curtain recycling service which is accessible through your local community group. They also give advice on simple, inexpensive ways to keep warm and dry in winter.
"Every house shall be free of dampness"
— Residential Tenancies Act, 1987"Every living room shall be fitted with a fireplace and chimney or other approved form of heating"
— Residential Tenancies Act, 1987
Keeping all your windows open a little bit will help remove moisture from the air. Use the window as a guide. If they start to fog up, open them a little wider.
A little heating all the time is better than a lot of heating only at night.
Pull beds away from the wall so there is a little gap. Ventilate wardrobes by leaving the doors ajar.
Keeping curtains open during the day and drawing them as soon as the sun goes off the room will reduce the amount of heat that escapes.
Portable LPG heaters are not cheaper than electricity. In addition to this they give off water vapour as well as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. None of these things are good.
Wash the shower curtain regularly to stop mould growing on it.Try to avoid:
- pots and pans boiling longer or harder than needed, or
- drying clothes indoors, or
- steam from showers or cooking spreading through the house.
How to deal with Mildew
Wallpaper: Clean down with a damp cloth and a diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach and 5 parts water). Remember - always try a small area first in case the bleach takes the colour out of the wallpaper.
Gloss painted surfaces: wiped down with diluted bleach solution (1:5).
Matt painted surfaces: wiped down with a fungicide solution available from a paint shop.
Flies and 0ther Pests
Rodents, birds, beetles, ants, wasps, cockroaches, flies, bedbugs, borer and fleas are a nuisance, and can affect your health or property. The Christchurch City Council (phone 9418-999) can give you advice if you have a specific problem or contact a member of the Pest Control Association (check yellow pages for local operators). If you are a Housing New Zealand tenant, they will deal with the problem for you.
Some Helpful Hints to Keep Pests Away
- Site rubbish bin outside and away from windows. Wrap your rubbish before putting into the bin.
- Remember to put the rubbish out each week to be collected.
- Clean benches, stoves and tables once you have finished eating or cooking.
- Ensure food cupboards are clean and that your food is stored in sealable containers.
- Ensure doors and windows close properly and seal any gaps around windows, doors or roof.
- Insecticides and baits must be kept out of the reach of children and pets.
- When dealing with a major infestation, efforts must be made to trace the source.
Rats and mice cause damage and create a potential fire risk by gnawing. They spread diseases and pollute food.
Try baiting traps using peanut butter or bread soaked in vanilla.
Rodents cannot chew through steel wool - try sealing holes under sinks or in your hot water cupboard with it.
Birds create fire risks with their nests, encourage insect pests and parasites and their droppings deface building. Some birds can even carry diseases which people can catch.
The method used to remove the birds and discourage them from returning will depend upon the species and the circumstances.
Flies are notorious disease carriers and spoilers of food.
Screening open windows and doors, as well as good housekeeping and waste disposal will help control the problem during summer.
You could try mixing 1 cup of boiling water, '/z cup of sugar and '/2 cup of vinegar in a jar and leave it by the window.
Pots of fennel lavender or mint placed on the windowsill or among your houseplants may also work.
Many beetles, although not significant disease carriers, can cause damage to textiles, wood and stored produce such as grains, flour, nuts and spices.
In the case of a major infestation, fumigation may be necessary.
Most spiders are harmless. However, the white tailed spider will bite if provoked. Medical advice should be sought if bite produces blistering or ulceration.
Cockroaches carry disease and contaminate food, utensils and workbenches.
In the case of a major infestation, the frequent application of a long-lasting insecticide is essential.
Wasps and ants are a nuisance.
They can be dealt with using a long-lasting insecticide or bait. Nests can be sprayed and removed.