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Keeping Your Child Safe in the Summer Holidays

It won't be long and the Christmas School Holidays will be upon us.

Whilst this is a fun and enjoyable time, it can also be a dangerous time for our children.

So how can you keep your children safe around the home? Well, here are a few ideas! Some of the areas covered include:

Christmas lights safety
Playing safe
Pool safety

Christmas Lights Safety

Christmas tree lights safety Ensure you have a safety switch installed in your switchboard, or use a portable safety switch for all festive lighting

Ensure the lights are suitable for their specific use, either indoor or outdoor and always read instructions before use

Purchase festive lighting that meets Australian standards. When buying new decorative lighting kits, look for an approval number (e.g. Qxxxxx; Vxxxxx; Nxxxxx; NSWxxxxx; Sxxxxx) or the regulatory compliance mark logo, which indicates compliance with Australian standards. These are normally found on the decorative lighting and may also be printed on the packaging

Use extra-low-voltage (12V or 24V) decorative lights, especially outdoors, on fences, metal work, roofs or downpipes. These should be supplied with an approved power supply unit (transformer)

Use power boards fitted with overload protection, not double adapters and don't piggy back plugs if installing multiple sets of lights

Turn off festive lighting when going out, going to bed, replacing light bulbs or when it's raining

Use only ready-made cords or have them made by a licensed electrician

Supervise children around festive lights at all times

Don’t attempt to do your own electrical work. Always have a licensed electrical contractor do any electrical work. Do not alter or modify any lighting equipment

Always fully unwind extension leads to avoid overheating

Always look up for overhead powerlines - keep yourself and your lights well clear and at least 3m away

All outdoor electrical connections must be weatherproof. You can buy weatherproofing accessories that do the job

After Christmas, pack and store festive lighting in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions

Playing Safe

Christmas can be one of the happiest times of childhood with new gifts to enjoy and master. However, parents and carers need to make sure the gifts children receive are safe and appropriate for the child's age and abilities.

Trampolines, bikes and scooters are among the many gifts this year which will delight young recipients. But adults really need to make sure proper safety and supervision are provided so happy times don't turn sour with an unnecessary injury

Bike safety Of course all children riding bikes should be wearing helmets. With scooters NSW Health recommends children wear helmets, learn safe riding techniques, and only ride in safe areas away from traffic

Trampolines require special consideration when being set up

Trampolines can help to develop balance and coordination skills in children. Unfortunately they can also be the cause of many injuries to children. The injuries usually occur in the backyard with most children falling and hitting the side of the trampoline, the ground or another object on the ground

Only one child should use the trampoline at a time. Multiple users risk collision and are in danger of causing the other user to fall on or from the trampoline

The arm is the most common part of the body injured and the injuries include fractures, sprains and strains, cuts and bruises

When you buy the trampoline also buy safety pads to cover the steel frame and springs. Try to place the trampoline in a hole in the ground so that the jumping surface is as close to the ground level as possible and make sure that the surface under and around the trampoline (the safe fall zone) is soft - use pine bark, woodchip or sand

The safe fall zone should be at least two metres wide on all four sides of the trampoline and be free from hazards such as walls, toys and furniture

However, no amount of protective garments are a substitute for close supervision by an adult while children master the skills necessary to enjoy their latest toys.

These gifts will give children endless hours of fun, help keep them active and fit and develop important coordination and motor skills

To ensure safety this Christmas health authorities are urging gift-givers to include any appropriate safety gear as part of the child's present, make sure the product they are buying meets Australian Standards and that the child you are buying for falls within the recommended age bracket set by the manufacturer

Accidents can be avoided and with careful selection of gifts, matching them to the child's age or abilities, and by following proper safety procedures the number of children suffering painful injuries should be reduced

Pool Safety

Unless you have eyes in the back of your head you can't always keep an eye on your children, especially near swimming pools and spas. The most important part of pool safety is ensuring that your pool fence is safe.

When did you last have your pool fence inspected?

Drowning is one of the major causes of death for children under the age of five in NSW. Each year on average 10 children under five drown in backyard swimming pools and many more suffer brain damage and other serious injuries associated with near-drowning experiences.

Legislation In NSW the Swimming Pools Act 1992 requires that all swimming pools have an appropriate child resistant barrier that restricts access between the residence and the swimming pool.

This legislation provides that owners may be fined if the pool fence or other appropriate child resistant barrier does not meet the legal requirements.

Please ensure that you have your pool fence checked before it is too late!

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