Children & Building Sites

The following practical advice for parents and will help keep children safe this summer:

• warn children against playing in dangerous areas, including building sites;
• make sure you know where your children are going, and when they will be back;
• encourage them to play only in safe areas such as playgrounds

The example below demonstrates just how easy it is for children to be killed/injured during construction projects:-

A two-year old child fell 30ft from scaffold placed around social housing. He received life threatening head injuries. The scaffold had been erected to replace windows and carryout other refurbishment work on a block of flats in north London.

A nine year-old boy was killed and another injured when they were crushed by a heavy steel water pipe being rolled by a group of children. Pipes were being stored in an area open to the public, whilst awaiting installation. They were not fenced off and had not been adequately secured to stop them being rolled.

Smoke Alarms

Your smoke alarm should be tested once a month. Just get Mom or Dad to press the test button to see if it works.

If your smoke alarm runs on batteries, they need to be replaced at least once a year. Pick a day, any day of the year, maybe even your own birthday, and for a present, give your smoke alarm fresh juice.

Have a look around your house. You should have at least 1 working smoke alarm on every floor, and at least one outside each sleeping area.

Kitchen Safety

If you’re called away from the cooker – by the phone, or by someone at the door – take pans off the heat. It’s the easiest thing in the world to forget about them.

Keep the oven door shut.

Always clean the grill pan after using it.

Don’t let yourself be distracted whilst cooking.

Don’t put oven gloves or tea towels down on the cooker after you’ve used them.

Don’t cook if you’re affected by alcohol or prescription drugs.

Keep electrical leads away from the cooker and water