RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
December 3, 1998
TEN CHILDREN A YEAR KILLED IN WORK PLACES
Around ten children are killed after wandering into construction sites and onto the railways or farms, every year, and half a million others are injured on work sites, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents revealed today.
RoSPA is calling for all industries affected by child safety and trespass problems, to work together and learn from each other’s experiences and safety policies.
The Society wholeheartedly welcomes today’s launch of the good practice guidance for railway safety, by the Railway Industry Advisory Committee.
Dr Anna Rowbotham, RoSPA Occupational Safety Project Manager, said: "Every year children risk their lives by playing on hazardous work sites and many are injured.
"Children under the age of 16 are the victims in 20 per cent of occupational accidents leading to major injuries and estimates show that half a million children a year are taken to hospital after accidents on work sites.
"There have been 100 deaths and 644 major injuries to children reported to the Health and Safety Executive over the past decade at construction sites, railways and agricultural industries alone."
Dr Rowbotham is currently conducting research into the prevention of accidents to children on work sites and is calling for more investigations to be carried out to discover the extent of the problem of trespass.
She said: "The number of children who take risks but don’t actually get injured is a completely unknown area and is vastly underestimated. This is one of the key topics I am looking into at the moment.
"I am also interested in the various initiatives and policies already adopted by different industries and welcome the new good practice guidance by the Railway Industry Advisory Committee, launched today."
RoSPA is seeking sponsorship for a seminar to bring together all industries affected by the problem, and experts who want to contribute to the debate.
