Child Safety Statistics

Baby proofing your home is vital, particularly when you consider the satistics on child safety in Australia. According to Kidsafe Victoria , two children die in Australian every week from preventable injuries. More than 800 children are injured and 200 are admitted to hospital each day -the majority from preventable incidents which occur in the home.

Correct installation of child safety products is vital, particularly when considering these Kidsafe statistics:

75% of safety gates and barriers were installed incorrectly, creating tripping hazards or reducing the effective size of stair treads.
A majority of people were unable to fit safety latches to all of their dangerous cupboards and drawers.
A majority of people were unaware that furniture they have bought, including glass doors, did not have safety glass.

A safety assessment of your home or business is also vital. According to Kidsafe statistics, an inspection of more than 300 homes of families with young children, or grandparents of young children, found:

80% of homes had easy access to poisons by children. These were mainly medications, detergents and chemicals found in kitchens, bathrooms and sheds.
75% of homes had hot water being delivered at over 50^o degrees.
60% of homes had dangerous window blind cords.
95% of homes had a problem with potential finger jams, mainly unsafe doors.
50% of homes had sharp corners on tables and benches at a child's eye height
25% of two storey homes had a danger situation with stairs and balconies. This was either a climbing hazard where a toddler could fall through the rails

Download the Royal Children's Hospital Home Safety Checklist to help baby and child proof your home.