RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
March 17, 1999
MAKING SCOTLAND’S HOMES SAFER
Up to 30,000 booklets will be distributed to support a campaign being launched next week to fight one of the biggest killers in Scotland.
Accidents are the biggest cause of death in Scotland’s one to 39 years age group. Home accidents alone claim more than 500 lives in the country each year.
To combat this menace, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, supported by the Scottish Office, is publishing a new guide for those who have responsibility for raising awareness of home safety issues with the public.
Each of the 300 packs of Home Safety Made Easy - A Practitioner’s Guide will have 100 copies of The Little Book of Home Safety for distribution to the public. The little book is in an easy-to-read A-Z format to address key areas of home safety.
It will be launched at the home safety conference, Prevention in Practice, being held at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on March 24, 9am-4.15pm. The conference is organised by RoSPA, the Health Education Board for Scotland and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
Aimed at elected members, public health specialists, accident prevention officers, fire officers and others working towards safer communities, speakers will look at the scale and nature of home accidents in Scotland and Europe.
The keynote address will be made by Dr Andrew Fraser, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Scotland. Delegates will discuss how professionals from different backgrounds can work together in communities to prevent home accidents.
Mary Reilly, RoSPA Home Safety Manager (Scotland), said: "We need partnerships between local authorities, health boards, health promotion units and other interested parties to draw up realistic and effective action plans. Everyone in the community has the potential to play a part in reducing the waste of life and money caused by home accidents.
"We hope professionals who receive the practitioners guide will use it, along with the home safety book to help us make every home in Scotland safer."
HOME ACCIDENTS IN SCOTLAND
The Figures
Home accidents claim more than 500 lives a year in Scotland, compared with about 430 on the roads and 30 in the workplace.
Around 19,000 people a year are admitted to hospital in Scotland following home accidents, including 4,800 children. Thousands more need medical treatment, including 44,000 elderly people who go to casualty departments after falls at home.
Areas of major concern in Scotland include:
Falls and the elderly
Falls account for 82 per cent of all home accidental deaths among the over 65s - and 87 per cent of all home accidental deaths among the over 75s. They result in 87 per cent of hospital admissions among the over 65s and 90 per cent among the over 75s.
The main problem areas are stairs, living rooms and bedrooms. Simply getting up from a chair or toilet, or getting out of bed or a bath can lead to a fall.
People should take more time, wear well-fitting slippers and footwear and ensure their homes are well lit and that floor coverings are secure.
Children - Burns and Scalds
About 800 children are admitted to hospital each year with burns and scalds - about 600 of them in the 0-5 years age group. These injuries often require lengthy and distressing treatment.
Children between six months and two-years-old are at greatest risk. Electric kettles and hot drinks cause most problems. A cup of tea can scald a child 20 minutes after it has been poured.
Hot liquids should be kept out of the reach of children. Children should not be left unattended in a bathroom. Put cold water in a bath first and check the temperature with an elbow, not by hand.
Poisons
The most common accidental poisonings are caused by: paracetamol and its derivatives, disinfectants, oral contraceptives, perfume or aftershave, vitamins, white spirit, bleach, essential oil and inhalant capsules, moisture absorbing silica gel crystals and the asthma treatment salbutamol.
Medicines should be kept out of reach - preferably in a locked cupboard. Chemicals should be kept in their original container. Always read the instructions and dispose of unwanted or unused medicines safely.
