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Each year more than two million children are taken
to hospital after having an accident. Nearly half of these happen
at home and in the garden.
One of the most important things you can do to
prevent accidents is to talk to your children about safety. For
example, do they know how to cross a road without putting themselves
in danger - and can they remember what to do.
Garden safety
An estimated 500,000 accidents occur in the garden every year due
to the hazards of ponds, paddling pools, play equipment, greenhouses
and electrical equipment.
Making ponds safe
A child can drown in as little as 2in or 5cm of water, so even shallow
water is dangerous.
Ideally, garden ponds should be drained. They could be filled with
sand to make a sand pit until the child is older.
If draining or filling the pond is not possible then a cover can
be made using heavy-duty trellis and wire mesh to fill the gaps
in the trellis.
The trellis must not dip below the water level with a child's weight
on it - a wooden frame for the trellis should prevent this. Also,
check that children can't crawl underneath.
Alternatively, a strong, solid fence can prevent drowning incidents.
Fences must be at least 1.1m high and gates should be locked with
child resistant locks.
Paddling pools
Always supervise - if the phone rings, take the child with you.
Turn paddling pools upside down when not in use.
Rain water
Children can drown in rain water that has collected in buckets,
wheelbarrows or uncovered dustbins. Prevent this by turning all
containers upside down.
Other people's gardens
80% of drowning incidents happen in someone else's garden. Don't
assume that a friend's garden is safe until you have checked.
Check your hedges and fences - could a child climb through and find
a neighbour's pond?
Tools and children don't mix. Tidy all tools away, unplug electrical
equipment and make sure children are indoors when you mow the lawn.
Sheds and play equipment
Sheds are not good dens. Keep chemicals out of reach, their caps
are child-resistant but not completely child-proof.
Swings and climbing frames should be securely fixed and checked
regularly for safety.
Don't place play equipment on hard surfaces or near ponds or greenhouses.
Paths
Broken or uneven pathways cause thousands of accidents each year.
Keep them well maintained and clean.
Also, make sure that there are no garden stakes or sharp objects
to fall onto.
Poisonous plants
Make sure you know which plants in your garden are dangerous and
remove them, or keep children well away.
If you think someone has swallowed a poisonous plant dial 999 for
an ambulance.
Keep the casualty still.
Try to identify the plant and keep a specimen.
Barbecues
Barbecues are a major fire hazard so never
leave them unattended.
Burns should be flooded with cold water for
at least 10 minutes. If water is not available use any harmless
cold liquid such as milk or lemonade.
Gently remove any jewellery, watches, belts or restrictive clothing
before the injured area starts to swell.
Cover with a sterile dressing or any clean, non-fluffy material
and bandage loosely.
Seek medical advice if you are unsure about the severity of any
burn.
We would like to thank RoSPA, Norfolk St John Ambulance
and the Child Accident Prevention Trust for their help in compiling
this article.
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