RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

January 11, 2005
BREAKTHROUGH IN NORTHERN IRELAND FIGHT AGAINST HOME ACCIDENTS

The most significant step forward in Northern Ireland’s battle against its biggest accident problem was being made today - with whole-hearted backing from RoSPA.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has been the driving force behind the Northern Ireland Home Accident Prevention Strategy and Action Plan published by the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Each year in Northern Ireland around 75,000 people go to hospital and 150 are killed as a result of accidents in their homes. Thousands more are treated by GPs or are given first-aid.

Janice Bisp, RoSPA Home Safety Manager for Northern Ireland, said: “This is perhaps the most important day in the history of home safety in Northern Ireland. The strategy means efforts to prevent accidents will be more focused and well co-ordinated so that scarce resources will be better used.

“The aim is to reduce needless loss of life and suffering. Those most at risk are the very young, the elderly and the socially disadvantaged. The strategy will give particular emphasis to preventing falls (the most common type of accident), fires and injuries to children on farms. At least 18 children living on farms in Northern Ireland have been killed in 10 years.”

RoSPA has worked with the Government for the last seven years to produce the strategy and has been instrumental in getting commitments from agencies throughout the province to pledge support. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has agreed to use design improvements recommended by RoSPA when refurbishing homes. These include window restrictors to prevent falls, hard-wired smoke alarms and extra handrails on stairs.

“I am delighted everyone throughout the province will now be working together to tackle what is Northern Ireland’s biggest accident problem,” Janice Bisp said. “We will have a better data collection service to identify problems and meaningful home accident prevention campaigns to ensure messages reach vulnerable people. By teaching home accident prevention to school-age children, we will be giving them lessons to benefit them throughout their lives.”

RoSPA is running a seminar for safety professionals at the Plaza Hotel, Aldergrove, Belfast, on February 9, entitled Making the Strategy Work. It is backed by the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.