RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

May 2, 2003
GOVERNMENT’S SCRAPPING OF ACCIDENT DATA APPALS RoSPA

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said today that it was “appalled” by the Government’s decision to axe the major source of data used in the fight against home and leisure accidents.

The Department of Trade and Industry is to scrap the Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System, which has been in existence since 1976. The system, often referred to as HASS and LASS, gives details of the types of accidents which people have and the products and equipment that contribute to them.

Home accidents send about 2.8 million people in the UK to hospital each year and leisure accidents result in another three million casualties. Nearly 4,000 people die in home accidents annually, making the home the country’s biggest accident problem.

John Howard, RoSPA Director of Safety Policy, said: “We are appalled to hear this news. Without this information safety experts, designers, manufacturers and health watchdogs will be working in the dark as they endeavour to prevent accidents. Because of lack of information, this decision will undermine efforts to prevent people being killed and injured in the future.

“The surveillance system, using data from hospitals around the country, has been the main tool used in planning campaigns.

“If we can’t measure what is happening in terms of accidents, we can’t manage the problem properly. This short-term cost-saving measure could end up costing society far more in the long run as the bill to the health service for treating accident victims is huge.

“The system plays a valuable role in helping to spot accident trends when new products come on to the market or particular activities, such as DIY and gardening, increase in popularity. For instance, it identified problems with electric lawnmowers and barbecues, which allowed safety improvements to be made.

“The Accidental Injury Task Force, set up by the Department of Health to review the accident problem, stressed how important accurate data is in preventing accidents.

“The home is the place where most accidents occur. At a time when we are pressing for more information to help us to prevent deaths and injuries, the most valuable source of data we have is to be taken away from us. It is a backward step, and we can only hope the Government will change its mind or ensure an alternative system is introduced.”