It’s great to enjoy your outdoor space, but every now and then, it’s worth checking that everything is safe and secure. Our backyard/patio safety tips will enable everyone to enjoy the outdoor areas of your home safely.

Whether you have a small or large backyard or patio, there are plenty of things to consider when it comes to safety. Here are a few pointers to get you thinking about the safety of your own outdoor space:

1. Use Your Fire Pit Safely

If you have a propane fire pit or similar, you’ll need to ensure that you (and other members of your household) understand how to use it safely.

While fire pits look beautiful and provide a warm, cozy atmosphere on cooler evenings. But of course, with fire comes the potential for accidents. How do you keep safe when using a fire pit? There are a few things you can do:

• Be watchful. When the fire is on, make sure everyone is aware of it, especially if there are children around. Make sure you stay watchful, even as the fire pit cools down after use.
• Position it properly.Make sure the fire pit is placed on a steady, stable surface to prevent it from wobbling over. Make sure the fire isn’t near anything flammable, like trees or trailing plants.
• Clean it regularly.Removing debris can stop the fire from growing too big or unruly during use. It also helps it to last longer!
• Check the connections.Make sure the connection between the gas tank and the fire pit is secure, with no leaks.

You should also keep a fire extinguisher nearby just in case. The U.S Fire Administration has some advice on choosing and using a fire extinguisher for more information.

2. Consider Your Pool

If you have a pool, it’s always worth making sure everyone knows the safety rules! These can include:

• Ensure constant supervision of children in the pool
• Ensure that the fencing around your pool is secure, and make sure children cannot access the pool when playing in the yard unsupervised
• Never go swimming after drinking alcohol.
• Pool covering.Keep the pool covered when not in use. This reduces the need for cleaning and helps to prevent people from falling in accidentally.

3. Look at Structure

It’s worth checking the structural integrity of your backyard and patio from time to time. Are there loose paving stones? If you have a wooden decking area, is it nailed down securely? Is there any wear-and-tear or damp, rotten areas that may cave in?

You can also check your fencing from time to time for any broken areas, especially after a storm. If you have children or pets, it’s worth making sure that the fence doesn’t have any jagged areas that may cause injuries.

4. Think About Play Equipment

Climbing frames, swings, slides, playhouses – these are all fun additions to your backyard if you have a young family. After installation, it’s a good idea to check them from time to time to make sure everything is working as it should. Look for any loosened screws, any broken areas, and so on.

If you have a trampoline, you’ll have more safety concerns to think about. Make sure the trampoline is securely weighted to the ground at all times. Even when not in use, if there is a storm, you don’t want a trampoline flying around your backyard!

Teaching your kids some basic rules around trampoline use will help to reduce the risk of accidents. Encourage them to make sure the enclosure is fully zipped up during use, for example.

5. Plant and Tree Care

Trees, plants, and bushes can quickly become overgrown, and this can cause safety issues in your yard or patio. Keep them trimmed back to ensure that they don’t get in the way. If you don’t feel confident doing this, you can hire a landscaping service to do it instead.

It’s important to check your trees after a storm. Loose or weak branches can drop without warning, which is dangerous for obvious reasons. It’s worth examining any low-hanging branches from time to time, looking for any obvious weak branches that may need to be removed.

If you have children or pets, it’s also worth checking the plants in your garden to ensure none of them are hazardous if consumed.

6. Equipment Safety

Lastly, make sure your gardening or landscaping equipment is securely locked away. It’s easy to leave a pair of shears hanging around by accident, so do the occasional sweep of the garden to make sure there’s nothing out of place. Ensure that any sharp objects or hazardous materials (like slug pellets or weed killer) are kept behind locked doors.

We hope this has helped you to consider the safety of your own backyard or patio!