International journal on injury control and safety promotion
Paginering:
Jaargang 3 (1996) nr. 2 pagina's 79-86
Jaar:
1996-06-01
Inhoud:
PROBLEM definition Creating a safe environment for children can be attained by removing the hazards or by reducing the risks to an acceptable minimum. However, residual hazards which cannot be controlled will continue to exist. A possible solution is to isolate those hazards by using child safety products. The Consumer Safety Institute has noticed that there are few (independent) data about the contribution that child safety products could make to the prevention of accidents involving young children. Likewise, little is known about the extent to which these products are used. OBJECTIVE A study was carried out to determine how essential child safety products are to prevent accidents involving young children and the extent to which parents of young children use these products. METHODS The study consisted of three parts. First, an inventory of the market supply was made. This inventory was followed by an analysis of what is known from accident surveillance systems on accidents that might have been prevented had child safety products been used. Finally, a survey was made of relevant literature, legislation, standards and sets of requirements. results and conclusions According to the findings, every year in the Netherlands (population 15 million), some 12,500 children aged four and under are taken to Accident and Emergency departments of hospitals for treatment of injuries caused by domestic accidents that might not have happened if child safety products had been in place. One out of every ten of these children is admitted to the hospital. This admission rate is somewhat higher than the average for this age group (6%). The accident scenarios (descriptions of a particular type of accident that can cause injury and/or damage) can be divided into four categories based on the number and seriousness of the accidents. In turn, that information can be used to indicate the extent to which child safety products are necessary to prevent accidents involving children aged four and under:
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