1. Keep Pathways Clear

One of the ways to prevent injuries at home is to ensure that all pathways through the house are kept clear. If your kids leave toys in the middle of the floor, or you drop your shoes in the hall, you could well trip over them. Also pay attention to any repairs that need doing to surfaces you walk on. Fix any loose carpets or paving slabs, because it's very easy to trip up.

2. Cables

All the gadgets we have in the house are accompanied by a lot of cables. This brings a risk of catching your feet and falling, so keep the cables out of the way. You can buy cable tidies to organise all the flexes around your TV or computer. Never trail a cable or lead across a floor or under a carpet; that's asking for an accident to happen.

3. Don't Exceed Your Skills

It's tempting to DIY, rather than pay for an expensive handyman. Don't be overconfident in your abilities though; never attempt jobs that are beyond your skill set. While you need to try something in order to learn, make sure that you are supervised throughout. Attempting something that you're not experienced in could end up a painful mistake.

4. Safety Clothing

Always wear the appropriate safety clothing if you're doing a job that requires it. Even something as simple as cleaning the oven can cause injury, since the products are extremely caustic. Wear gloves if necessary, especially when gardening, and heavy boots. Use safety goggles if there is a risk of splinters flying. And cover your arms if you're going to be using anything that could splash.

5. Furniture

Even furniture can injure you, so be careful when moving anything. Drop a wardrobe on your foot and you'll end up in A & E! Equally, be careful when you stand on anything. It's best to use a stepladder rather than stand on chairs. And don't sit on chairs that are wobbly or that need fixing - if the legs give way, you could hurt yourself.

6. Walls

While the walls themselves aren't likely to cause you any injury (unless you walk into them), objects hung on them may do. Heavy pieces of furniture like cabinets may need to be secured to the wall in order to avoid the risk of them toppling over. Shelves should also be properly fixed. And since many flatscreen TVs are fixed to the wall, check that they are completely secure.

7. Slippery Surfaces

You don't have to be elderly to fall over and injure yourself. Slippery surfaces can be dangerous to all ages. Watch out when you've washed the floors, and always clean up spills immediately. Be even more careful when there are icy patches outside. And always use a mat in the bath.

Although there is no need to be paranoid in your home, you should be sensible. You can't prevent any risk at all, but some prudent steps will reduce your risk of suffering an accident at home. So many of the mishaps we have at home are silly accidents that could easily be avoided. Have you ever injured yourself at home?