I Steps Important To Home Safety I i 1 Home accidents can be prevented, or kept to a minimum during the summer months, if you build your outdoor living area with an eye toward safety. Faulty, poorly constructed steps can mar outdoor fun, and cause serious injury to a mend i or loved one. Studies show that one-third of all deaths from j falls in rural areas are caused by tumbles on stairs or steps. Concrete steps will make your home entrance safer and more attractive. Here are a few simple sim-ple rules to remember if you build your own steps: Steps should be at least as wide as the sidewalk. All the risers should be exactly the same height. A landing is desirable to divide flights more than 5 feet high. The tread should be a minimum of 11 inches, where the total rise is 30 inches or less. All treads should be of the same size. The rise for each step should not be more than 7'2 inches Allow a -inch pitch on each tread for drainage. To prevent your concrete steps from sinking into the ground, dig two post holes, 6 to 8 inches in diameter, beneath the bottom tread extending below be-low the frost line. Then, fill the holes with concrete. After you have placed and leveled the concrete for your steps, finish the treads with a wood float or broom to make a non-skid step surface. Round off the front edge of the treads with an edging tool, and moisture mois-ture cure the concrete for at least one week Precast concrete steps are available from manufacturers in many areas. These units are reinforced with steel and can be obtained in several types. They are quickly installed and usually have built-in lugs to hold railings and grille work