Launch of brochures to help make homes safer

Sleeping or living areas are the most dangerous places for children in the family home.

More than one in four children seen at the emergency department of Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) last year, suffered their injuries in bedrooms or other living areas.

Disability Services Minister Eric Ripper today launched a package of brochures produced by the Independent Living Centre (ILC) to help people make their homes safer.  The launch was in Forrest Place near the ILC's mobile unit and coincided with Arthritis Week.

Mr Ripper said the brochures resulted from an ILC research project on building design which discovered a broad range of new safety products.

"The home is supposed to be a safe haven for the family from the tribulations of the world at large, but can be a maze of potentially dangerous and damaging implements and situations," the Minister said.

"Home accidents have led to life-long disabilities and people must work to make sure their homes are safe.  Good design is one key feature, identified by the research, which helps minimise the risks."

The Minister said design was particularly important for people with disabilities who might have restricted movement or reduced perception.

Statistics from the Child Accident Prevention Foundation showed that of the more than 7,500 children who attended the PMH emergency department last year, 26 per cent suffered injuries in sleeping or living areas, and 22 per cent were received in the yard.

Kitchens accounted for about five per cent of child injuries, while the bathroom, laundry and toilet accounted for three per cent.

The brochures were an 'easy to use' checklist of solutions to common household safety problems with topics such as emergency call systems, safety outdoors, gardens, kitchens and the bathroom.

Copies were available from the Independent Living Centre, which provided an information and advisory service on equipment for people with disabilities, together with information on home safety equipment.