The safety shelf

The handful of safety items our writers keep pointing people to, grouped by the job they do, with what to check before you choose one.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Any home with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage needs at least one carbon monoxide alarm, and most need one outside each sleeping area and on every level. A CO alarm is not a smoke alarm, and the two have different placement rules.

Check before you choose

Certification printed on the box: UL 2034 in the US, EN 50291 in the UK and Europe.
The service life and the replace-by date on the back of the alarm.
Battery type: sealed long-life, replaceable, plug-in with backup or hardwired.
Whether it interlinks with the alarms you already have.

Read: Where to fit CO alarms, how to test them, when to replace them

Cupboard latches and locks

A latch buys time; it does not replace moving the worst products up and out of reach. Pick the type that suits the door: adhesive straps, magnetic locks, sliding locks for paired knobs, or a keyed cabinet for the garage.

Check before you choose

That it fits your door style (framed, frameless, paired knobs).
Adhesive types: how long the glue needs before the first pull.
That every adult in the house can open it one-handed while a child cannot.

Read: Childproofing the cupboard under the sink · Why chemicals stay in their original containers

Lockable storage for the shed or garage

Garden and car-care chemicals do best in one closed, lockable cabinet off the floor, away from heat, frost and the lawnmower fuel. A cheap steel cabinet with a hasp often does more than any number of shelves.

Check before you choose

A lock or hasp, and somewhere for the key that children do not know about.
Shelves that keep liquids below powders, with a lip or tray to catch drips.
That it fits where it will stand, off the floor and out of direct sun.

Read: Storing weedkiller, slug pellets and fertilizer in a shed or garage · Antifreeze, screenwash and brake fluid in a family garage

Gloves and eye protection

When a label tells you to wear gloves or eye protection, it means for this product, every time. Keep a pair of chemical-resistant gloves and simple safety glasses next to the products that ask for them.

Check before you choose

What the label names: "protective gloves", "eye protection", "face protection".
Glove material suited to the product, and a size that fits.
Glasses that close around the sides for splashes.

Read: How to read a safety data sheet for a product you already own · Getting rid of old paint, solvents and other household hazardous waste