RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

November 11, 2004
HOME SAFETY’S NEW CHALLENGE ON BAD BEHAVIOUR

The findings of a study to be presented at the RoSPA National Home Safety Congress next week will reveal how design, use and behaviour play a significant role in many accidents in the home.

The study, by Hilary McDermott, a researcher at Loughborough University, highlights the part unsafe behaviour may play in many of the home accidents which send 2.7 million people to hospital each year. Incidents involve people: blocking ventilation, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning; carrying out DIY projects with little safety knowledge; and even removing fire doors from homes in multi-storey buildings because of “inconvenience”.

The conference, New Challenges for Home Safety, will be held at the Moat House Hotel, Chester, on Monday and Tuesday, November 15 and 16. This year the congress will be sponsored by Baby Dan.

Sarah Colles, Home Safety Adviser for Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “This year’s congress focuses on new challenges, and we need to find fresh ways of trying to change unsafe behaviour in the home. Many people still do not realise that using items as they are not intended or removing important safety features such as a fire door, can put lives in jeopardy.

“As we approach Christmas, I fear the Society will hear more stories about people removing batteries from smoke alarms to put into children’s toys when they forget to buy batteries for them.

“This type of behaviour is not seen as dangerous by most people because they see these actions as a quick fix. But then they forget to put the batteries back into the alarm and that is when it becomes dangerous.

“RoSPA will continue to raise the profile of home safety to try to influence and educate people, but bad practice is not something that can be corrected over night. It will need everyone to participate if we are going to make a difference.”

The second day of the event will include the play 80 Not Out, from Solihull Primary Heath Care Trust. This has been written and performed by elderly actors and is a practical approach to preventing falls in the home.

During the congress, workshops will be held for delegates to learn about areas of accident prevention they may not be familiar with, as well as the opportunity to network.