Make Your Home a Safer
and Healthier Place

Healthy Homes
Brochure
 

Environmental Health

• Drinking Water

• Environmental Health, Safety, and Toxicology

• Radiation Protection

• Shellfish and Water Protection

Community &

Family Health

• Asthma

• Community Wellness & Prevention

• Infectious Disease & Reproductive Health

• Maternal & Child Health

• A-Z Topic List

• Health Education Materials

Your home is an environment where you and your family may spend much of your time. Select a link below to learn how to make your home a healthy place.  You can find out more about  lead-based paint, allergens, home safety and other topics  

n Indoor Air Quality

Children spend most of their time indoors. For their size, children breathe up to twice as much air as adults. That means children are at greater risk for health problems that come from indoor air pollution.

• Learn about toxins that may be in your home such as:

  • carbon monoxide

  • mold

n Asthma, Allergens, & Irritants

Asthma attacks can be triggered in the home by allergens or irritants such as dust mites, rodents, cockroaches, mold growth, second-hand smoke, excess dust, pesticides, and fragrances.

• Learn to minimize allergens and irritants in your home.

n Home Safety & Unintentional Injuries

Unintentional injuries are the number one killer of children in America. Many of these injuries can be prevented with low-cost measures and proper education.

• Tips to keep your children safe at home

n Product Safety

Chemicals found in common household products can be harmful to children and pets. Store harmful products safely, use less of them in and around your home, and properly dispose of products you don’t need. Keep your family safe by checking:

• The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services health and safety information on household products.

• The Consumer Product Safety Commission for product recalls and safety news.

n Lead Hazards

Homes built before 1978 may have been painted with lead-based paint. As painted surfaces age, lead dust is created. Children can be poisoned when lead dust gets on their hands and toys and enters their mouths. Very small amounts of lead can hurt your child.

• Learn how to protect children from lead poisoning.

n Food & Drinking Water Safety

Despite the fact that America’s food and water supplies are among the safest in the world, sometimes foodborne or waterborne bacteria and other contaminants can make you and those you care about sick. Some types of coliform bacteria and nitrate can affect your health with just one drink of water.

• Learn how to reduce foodborne illnesses.

• Learn how to reduce waterborne illnesses.

If you have a private well, you are responsible for testing your own water. Test drinking water for: coliform bacteria once a year. nitrate at least once every three years. arsenic twice, once in the summer and once in the winter to capture any potential seasonal differences.

Additional tips on how to keep children safe:

• Department of Health's Children's Health & Safety web site.

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Washington State Department of Health
Division of Environmental Health 
PO Box 47820 Olympia, Washington, 98504-7820

Last Update : 06/16/2011 02:48 PM
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