Health: Advice on ... Accident prevention

Q: How many accidents are there every year involving teenagers?

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 2,000 children die every day as a result of accidents. Although the UK has one of the lowest child injury death rates in the world, we cannot be complacent - the latest figures show a staggering amount of accidents involve young people.

They suggest young people aged between 10 and 19 make around one million trips to accident and emergency departments after being involved in leisure accidents in the UK each year. And more than 300,000 go to accident and emergency after accidents at home. Moreover, the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics shows that 585 10- to 19-year-olds died as a result of accidents in England and Wales.

The most common cause was road transport accidents, which resulted in 453 deaths. But there were also 38 deaths due to poisoning, 30 due to drowning and 16 due to falls.

Q: How can youth workers educate young people about safety?

Rather than coming across as dictatorial, the best approach might be to simply present information on accidents and safety. It might be worth highlighting that accidents kill more teenagers every year than knife crime.

Risk education needs to be relevant too, so it's a good idea to focus sessions on the issues most likely to affect teenagers. For example, is your youth group aware that a 14-year-old girl was killed in December as she crossed the road listening to her MP3 player?

It's also important to share good news with young people, to help them recognise that safety is not a boring afterthought meant to spoil their fun. We recently heard about 15-year-old Chantal McGowan, who rescued her three-year-old sister from a fire at her home in Coventry. Joe Crowther, 16, was praised for averting "carnage" after steering a speeding car to safety when his grandfather died at the wheel. And there are young people who are proactive campaigners like Manpreet Darroch, who produced a programme for Channel 4 about road safety.

Q: What should youth workers do to prevent accidents in their youth clubs?

Regular risk assessments and safety inspections can reduce the risk of accidents in youth clubs, but there is never a substitute for supervision.

It is also equally as crucial that potentially dangerous articles are stored correctly - the twin factors of inadequate storage and supervision are at the root of many accidents.

Of course, each youth club is different and safety needs can vary enormously. A club with a trampoline requires different safety measures to a single room with a magnetic dartboard and pool table. But both situations require careful thought.

Another way to take a proactive approach to accident prevention is by making the young people responsible for their safety and by including them in the risk assessment process. It might also be worth considering first-aid training for young people, so they are aware of what to do in an emergency.

Q: What should a youth worker do if there is an accident?

If you haven't got an accident log at the club, make getting one a priority. Logs are vital in keeping track of accidents and improving procedures. Make sure you have a procedure in place for dealing with accidents, which will include knowing who the first-aiders are and how to notify parents or guardians.

After ensuring the safety of other people following an accident, assessing the injury is crucial. Although many of the people we deal with are old enough to assess themselves, a person of any age in pain or shock might not be able to think straight.

It may be necessary to keep other young people away from the scene. Even if they are well-intentioned, space for both the victim and anyone aiding them is essential.

- Cassius Francis is youth liaison officer at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

MORE INFORMATION

- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents' website www.rospa.com provides advice, resources and training on all areas of safety

- Learning About Safety by Experiencing Risk's website www.lasersafety.org.uk provides an interactive approach to safety

- The Health and Safety Executive's website has information for young people at work. www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople

- The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has developed Wiseup2work, for young people and youth workers. www.wiseup2work.co.uk.