RoSPA Press Office : Press Releases : 1999

Last-minute decisions to watch the total eclipse could spell disaster on land and at sea for ill-prepared people, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents warned today. With a week to go, RoSPA is urging people to plan properly if they want to enjoy the eclipse in safety on August 11. The Society fears holidaymakers wanting a better view will take to the water in totally unsuitable craft or without the experience to be at sea in darkness. Full Story»

On Friday (July 9), the House of Lords will debate measures to ban the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving, when a bill by Lord Davies of Oldham will be given its second reading. He is proposing that it should be made a specific offence for a driver to make or receive a call on a hand-held phone when the vehicle is moving. Full Story»

Childminders are being urged to turn their homes into safety action zones so that they can teach children how to avoid accidents. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has published a free booklet for childminders which explains how to pass on safety messages to the youngsters in their care. Full Story»

With gardening growing in popularity, RoSPA today warned parents about the dangers water features pose to small children. Last year nine children aged under five drowned in garden ponds in the UK, and The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents fears that extra interest in gardening could create new problems. Full Story»

Increased effort needs to be put into protecting children from the dangers of traffic near their homes, when they are at play and when going to and from school, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said today. New guidelines for organising child pedestrian skills training schemes will be published shortly by RoSPA, the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Local Authority Road Safety Officers Association and the Association of London Borough Road Safety Officers. Full Story»

The reduction in the number of children killed or injured on Britain’s roads must be seen as welcome news, but there is still much more work to be done, according to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. Dave Rogers, RoSPA Road Safety Adviser, welcomed the figures for 1998, released today by the Government, which show a reduction in all road accident deaths of five per cent, and a reduction in casualties of one per cent, compared with last year. Full Story»

About 33,000 under fives go to hospital every year to be treated for poisoning or suspected poisoning, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents warned today. Medicines, cleaning products, alcohol, perfumes, mouthwashes and aftershave are all potential killers in the home, RoSPA said as Child Safety Week began. Full Story»

The Royal Society for The Prevention of Accidents is celebrating after delegates scored a 100 per cent pass rate in a health and safety course run by the charity’s training department. All 12 of the delegates who took part in the National General Certificate for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) examination course passed first time, and many achieved credits due to the high standard of their entries. Full Story»

Road accidents are a worldwide problem with people killed and injured in avoidable accidents in every country. Now, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is to hold an international conference to discuss global road safety and to seek new ideas which can be adopted in the UK. Expert speakers from around the world are being sought to give presentations at RoSPA’s 65th Road Safety Congress in Plymouth on March 6-8 2000, under the title ‘Around the World in 2½ Days: Lessons for the UK?’ Full Story»

The future vision of Scotland’s occupational health and safety is the subject of a two-day conference in Glasgow, organised by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. Topics up for discussion include stress at work, preparing young people for a life of work, and learning from accidents. Full Story»