Designed with kids In Mind - Garden Special

Subject page : Life & Style

Keep your children safe this summer.

The fact that over 125,000 children are seriously injured in the garden every year give a clear indication that parents need constantly reminding that the garden can be a danger zone. Here are tips from the Consumer Safety Campaign leaflet to help you stay aware of the common danger areas. (Courtesy of the Trade and Industry)

Tools: Never leave sharp tools lying around or in the garden while your children are playing.

Fences, walls & gates: Kids can easily slip out through holes in fences, wall and gates and get on to busy roads. Make sure your garden is secure by keeping these in good repair.

Play equipment: Swings and climbing frames should be securely fixed and well maintained. Don't put them on hard surfaces like gravel or paving, or near glass greenhouses.

BBQs: BBQs can be a major fire hazard. Never leave them unattended when children are around. Lit BBQs give off Carbon Monoxide so should never be used indoors.

Pathways: Broken or uneven paths and steps cause tens of thousands of nasty accidents every year. Keep them clean, well maintained and safe for everyone.

Sheds: Teach your children not to play in the shed. Use it to lock away dangerous chemicals like weed killers, sharp tools and electrical equipment when not in use.

Electrical equipment: Unplug electrical equipment when it is not in use. Never use it in the wet and keep it in good repair. Fitting an RCD (residual current device) could save a life.

Animal: Always keep an eye on children when they are playing with animals, and make sure your animals are kept under control.

Poisonous plants: Make sure you know which plants in your garden are poisonous and keep them out of reach of young children.

Drownings - home & garden

Each year up to II children are killed as a result of drowning in the garden. Research shows that such incidents are more likely to happen in someone else's garden. In fact 80% of pond drownings happen in gardens belonging to neighbours, relatives and friends.

Drowning is the third largest cause of accidental death in the home in under-fives. Most deaths occur in July and August when children are home from school and playgroup.

Author:  (Courtesy of the Trade and Industry)
Added:  59 Jun 2009