October: Cabinet & Wall Safety
Cabinet and Wall Safety
The ground swells and rolls of major earthquakes can easily knock heavy pictures and mirrors off the walls. This can be especially dangerous in the night if these items are located close to your bed, or during the day if they are located close to your favorite chair or sofa.
Broken glass from spilled kitchen cupboard and cabinet contents is also an immediate hazard created by many earthquakes. To prevent drawers and cabinet doors from flying open, install safety latches.
This month's E-Prep Activities:
- Click on the Walls & Cabinets link below to open a folder that contains information sheets on how to secure mirrors to walls, hanging plants, cabinet doors and drawers. Print these sheets out and put them in your Family Disaster Plan notebook for handy reference.
- Review the instruction sheets and decide what type of hardware you'll use throughout your house to secure pictures, hanging objects, cabinets and drawers.
- Go through your house room by room and make a list of how many latches and other hardware items to purchase.
- Calendar a morning or afternoon this month for your family to help secure hanging objects, cabinets, drawers and framed art or mirrors.
- Secure your pictures and mirrors by using special hooks, security clips with keys or screw angles (see instruction sheet for details).
- Velcro-type products may also be used to help secure pictures, mirrors, wall clocks, etc. to the wall in addition to the above mentioned hardware.
- Carefully check the location of all hanging plants and other hanging objects. Determine if they are close enough to windows to strike them in the wild motion of an earthquake. If they are, consider moving them
- Secure these objects by closing the opening in their hook. Make sure the hook is screwed directly into a ceiling stud.
- Secure cabinets and drawers with safety latches (see instruction sheet for details).