I was propelled forward, landed smack on top of Frankie and fractured her tibia.

I emerged unscathedexcept for endless guilt over the pain I caused!

Clear your way: Hang a bag on the banister for step stuff.

Pick up toys that pets or kids leave lying around.

Use night-lights so it’s possible for you to navigate when you’re up and about in the dark.

Shoo pets away from your path, especially if you’re carrying things.

High-traffic areas can get stinky, but forgo store-bought air fresheners.

Instead, place drops of a favorite essential oil on cotton balls and tuck them into concealed spots.

When I took the lid off, whoosh!

Fire in the pan.

Luckily, I kept my eyebrows, and I learned my lesson.

“Kathy Maloney, 43, Brooklyn, New York

Store a fire extinguisher within reach of the oven.

Load knives into the dishwasher blade-down and keep the door closed.

If you trip and land on tip-up blades…well, you get the (gory) picture.

Edges of cans are as sharp as knives and send about 140,000 women a year to ERs.

Wiping cutting boards with a sponge between uses is fastand unsanitary.

Wash (but don’t soak) boards in soapy hot water after each use.

“When we were visiting my husband’s godmother, my 4-year-old daughter wandered off.

My husband found her drawing in the bedroom, inches from a loaded handgun.

She asked, ‘Daddy, what is this?’

and reached for the gun.

He yelled, ‘No!’

Thankfully, she listened.

Sign up for a firearms safety course, even if you’ve already taken one.

A refresher never hurts, and it certainly stings less than a bullet!

To find a class near you, check with your state’s fish and game department.

Never let candles burn unattended or all the way down to the holder.

They can ignite flammable debris that gathers around the base.

(That part’s up to you.)

“I was climbing out of my bathtub when my foot slipped on the wet inside surface.

I tumbled onto my butt and hit my back on the tub edge.

My back was out for days; plus, I had minor whiplash.

It was embarrassing, especially because I work with seniors on preventing falls!

(Hmmm…wonder why?)

Touching a wet appliance was one of the ways 19,000 women were hurt by grooming devices in 2006 alone.

Instead, I sliced my fingers.

It’s the only time I’ve seen blood spurting from my body!

Keep tool handles clean; dirt, water and oil can make hands slip.

Don’t pull a mower behind youyou could slip under it and get whacked.

Always maintain three points of contact with a ladder (e.g., both feet and a hand).

Protect your eyes from flying debris with safety goggles (or at least sunglasses).

And wear closed shoes with firm, slip-resistant soles.

“I’ve seen women climb ladders in flip-flops, which is extremely dangerous,” Appy says.

“I had a carbon monoxide detector for all of two weeks when it started blaring at 4 A.M.

The culprit: a tiny furnace leak.

Odorless CO leaks from fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces poison several thousand people a year and kill hundreds.

(Hey, missteps happen.)

Clean the lint trap after every use, and keep loads small.

If you do and you see discoloration in water-damaged spots, call in a pro.

Photo Credit: David Seed Photography/Taxi/Getty Images