Aussie ex-paramedic identifies six dangerous household hazards in typical family kitchen

At first glance, it looks like the stunning kitchen of a suburban family home. 

But upon closer inspection, there are six dangerous household hazards lurking in the kitchen. So can you spot them all? 

Nikki Jurcutz noticed a common pattern of serious or life-threatening injuries occurring in ordinary homes during her eight years working as a paramedic with Ambulance Victoria. 

As a mum herself, she urged every parent to look around their own kitchen from a child’s perspective and consider what their curious kids could reach.

‘Little ones learn by exploring. They climb, reach, pull, open and put almost anything in their mouths, and they copy everything they see us do,’ the founder of Tiny Hearts Education said in an eye-opening Instagram post. 

‘Anything they can reach, climb to or pull down becomes part of their world.

‘I was a paramedic for eight years, and the jobs that stay with me happened in ordinary homes, on ordinary days, where a little one was fine a minute before.

‘So tonight, look around your own kitchen the way they would. Most hazards take seconds to fix once you’ve spotted them.’

In the picture, there’s a mop bucket full of water sitting on the side of the kitchen island.

‘Babies can drown in as little as 5cm of water. Toddlers are top-heavy so if they tip in they can’t push themselves back out and drowning is silent,’ Nikki warned. 

‘Empty it straight away and store it upside down.’

According to the Australian Government Department of Health, drowning is the leading cause of death for toddlers between the age of one and three years, and it can occur anywhere.

Most infant drownings happen in the bathtub. Most toddler drownings occur in home swimming pools. Spas, creeks, rivers and dams are all common sites of drownings, as well as buckets, eskies (coolers), toilets and garden ponds.

There’s a bowl of whole grapes sitting on the counter, with the former paramedic warning that they are a common cause of food-related choking in children. 

‘Their size and smooth skin can seal a little airway completely, which makes them hard to dislodge,’ she explained. 

To prevent a choking hazard, she suggested cutting them lengthways into quarters.

It’s not something many would think about but an unsecured blind cord could lead to disaster.

‘Loose blind cords are a strangulation risk because toddlers don’t yet have the strength to pull free once a cord is caught around their neck,’ she warned. 

‘Secure cords high on the wall and keep cots away from windows.’

There’s an open dishwasher door with knives pointing upwards – a serious hazard for curious toddlers. 

‘An open dishwasher door sits at toddler height and looks like the perfect step. With knives pointing up, one trip puts little hands onto the blades,’ she said. 

‘Load them point down and close the door when you walk away.’

On the kitchen stove, there’s a pot handle that’s facing out.

‘Scalds are the most common burn in children under five, and half of all childhood burns happen in the kitchen,’ the ex-paramedic said. 

‘Little skin burns deeper and faster than ours so turn handles in and use the back burners.’

If a burn happens, she recommended running cool water over the area for 20 minutes.

One of the common mistakes people make is leaving an open handbag or backpack on the floor – something children love looking through. 

‘Medicines are the number one cause of poisoning in young kids and most cases happen at home,’ Nikki said. 

‘A bag on the floor is at the perfect height for curious hands.’

She said bags should always be placed out of reach at all times and visitors should do the same.

‘If your little one ever swallows something they shouldn’t, call the Poisons Info Centre: 13 11 26.’

Kidsafe Victoria revealed that medication was the leading cause of accidental poisoning among young children in Australia, most commonly affecting toddlers aged one to three years. 

‘Medications are items that we all have in our homes, carry in our bags and in cars. Regardless of the type of medication, they need to be kept locked up and out of reach from children,’ Jason Chambers, General Manager of Kidsafe Victoria, said.

‘It’s also a good habit to store any bags up high as soon as you enter the home.’

It’s recommended that all poisons – including medications and vitamins – are stored in a lockable cupboard at least 1.5 metres off the ground and out of the sight of children.