Tag: Safer Lives Stronger Nation

Most common accidents that kill or seriously injure people at home – and how to prevent them 

  • Hidden dangers at home: Over half (55 per cent) of all accidental deaths occur at home, with falls, poisonings, and burns being the most common. 
  • Garden and DIY safety tips: Use a residual current device (RCD) with electrically powered tools, store chemicals securely, and ensure play equipment is safe and well-maintained. 
  • Personal warning about serious consequences: Brian’s story underscores the importance of caution and proper safety measures when using garden equipment, as accidents can lead to severe injuries. 

As the nation looks for inspiration at the Chelsea Flower Show, many will head into their own gardens to dig, plant, and improve their outdoor spaces. But while gardening and DIY can be rewarding, they also come with hidden risks that are often overlooked.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents recent Safer Lives, Stronger Nation report, over half (55%) of all accidental deaths occur at home, compared to just 0.6% at work. The most common causes include falls, poisonings, and burns, all of which are preventable with the right precautions. 

Therefore, RoSPA is urging households to be aware of the dangers that lie within the home and garden—especially ahead of the May Bank Holiday, when many people take on home improvement projects.
 
The report also revealed that accidents cost the UK £12 billion annually, including £6 billion in NHS medical care. 

The most common domestic accidents are:  

  1. Falls: 3,148 (40 per cent) 
  1. Accidental poisoning: 2,686 (34 per cent) 
  1. Other accidental threats to breathing (e.g., suffocation, strangulation, and choking): 259 (3 per cent) 
  1. Exposure to smoke, fire, and flames: 142 (1 per cent) 
  1. Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces (including being struck by an object, crushing, and cutting injuries): 46 (1 per cent) 

Brian’s Story 

Brian, 50, a sales manager, has shared his experience to highlight the importance of safety in the home setting.

On a warm Sunday, while using his Flymo lawnmower, Brian stepped backwards and tripped over his grandson’s trampoline stairs.  

He slipped on water from a paddling pool, causing him to fall and accidentally bring the lawnmower towards himself. Brian suffered severe injuries, losing two toes and requiring multiple surgeries. His story underscores the need for caution and proper safety measures when using garden equipment. 

Speaking of his accident, Brian said: “I’m so careful now doing anything remotely risky around the house.

“We tend to do things like mow the lawn or climb on chairs or ladders on autopilot, but every task is done now with a lot of thought and consideration. I was very lucky that I didn’t chop off my entire foot.” 

Adrian Simpson, Head of Policy at RoSPA, said: “Brian’s story is just one example of the thousands of accidents that occur in homes across Britain every year.

“Whilst we rally the government to take on board the asks in our recent Safer Lives : Stronger Nation report , we advise anyone looking for tips on staying safe – be it in the home, at leisure or at work – to get to grips with our learning resources and advice that can be found online.” 

RoSPA’s key tips for having a safe Bank Holiday 

Falls  

  • Use stable ladders and step stools: When working on DIY projects or gardening tasks that require reaching high places, ensure ladders and step stools are in good condition, and placed stable on level footing. Avoid overreaching and always maintain three points of contact whilst up ladders. 
  • Clear pathways: Keep walkways and stairs free of clutter, tools, and garden equipment to avoid tripping. Regularly check for uneven surfaces and repair them promptly. 
  • Install handrails: For outdoor steps and garden paths, install handrails to provide support and reduce the risk of falls. 
     

Accidental poisoning  

  • Store chemicals safely: Keep all gardening chemicals, pesticides, and cleaning products up high in a secure, locked cabinet, out of reach of children and pets. Clearly label all containers. 
  • Enviro-friendly options: Consider replacing toxic/corrosive substances with products that can do the same job but are less harmful to humans and corrosive substances with products that can do the same job. But are less harmful to humans / animals and kinder to the environment. 
  • Follow instructions: Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using chemicals and pesticides. Wear appropriate protective gear, such as gloves and masks, to avoid exposure. 
  • Dispose of chemicals properly: Dispose of unused or expired chemicals according to local regulations to prevent accidental poisoning. 
  • Poisonous plants: Check the garden area for any plants that may be poisonous to children 

Using tools and electrical equipment 

  • Use protective gear: When working with power tools or performing DIY tasks, wear protective gear such as safety goggles, gloves, and ear protection to prevent injuries from flying debris or loud noises. 
  • Check equipment: Regularly inspect garden tools and DIY equipment for damage or wear. Replace or repair faulty items to ensure they are safe to use. 
  • Use tools correctly: Always use tools as intended and follow safety guidelines. For example, use long-handled tools for barbecues and avoid risky manoeuvres on trampolines. 
  • Be mindful of weather conditions: Avoid using electrical equipment in wet conditions to prevent electrocution. Store tools and equipment in a dry place. 
     

Smoke and fire risks 

  • Safe barbecue practices: Place barbecues on level ground, away from flammable materials. Never use accelerants like petrol or meths to light the barbecue. Ensure it is fully extinguished before disposal. 
  • Fire safety equipment: Keep a fire extinguisher or bucket of sand nearby when using fire pits or barbecues. Ensure smoke detectors are installed and functioning in your home. 

Other threats to breathing  

  • Avoid dust and fumes: When sanding, painting, or using chemicals, ensure the area is well-ventilated. Use masks to protect against inhaling dust or fumes. 
  • Keep small objects away from children: Store small DIY items like screws, nails, and other hardware out of reach of children to prevent choking hazards. 

Play safety 

  • Secure equipment: Ensure play equipment and garden structures are securely anchored and regularly inspected for wear and tear to prevent accidents.

Scotland has highest rate of accidental death in the UK, warns new report 

  • People are more likely to die due to an accident in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK – the rate of accidental death is up 57% over the last decade
  • Fatalities on Scottish roads are 46% higher than the UK 
  • Accidents cost the UK £12 billion every year – £6 billion in NHS medical care and £5.9 billion in lost working days
  • The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has launched ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’, which reveals new data into rising accident numbers and calls on the Government to implement a National Accident Prevention Strategy to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS 

Scotland is home to the highest rate of accidental death in the UK – currently 56% higher than the UK’s overall rate of accidental death and 67% higher than the rate in England, meaning people are far more likely to die in an accident in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK according to a new report* launched by RoSPA, ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’.

As well as the tragic human loss, preventable accidents cost the UK a massive £12 billion every year due to lost working days and medical care. RoSPA is calling on the Government to implement a National Accident Prevention Strategy to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS. 

RoSPA’s new report reveals that the rate of accidental death in Scotland has risen by 57% in the last decade and accidents now take over 2,500 lives each year.

This increase in the number of accidental deaths in Scotland can be seen across almost every type of accident.

Despite positive steps such as the successes of Water Safety Scotland and the Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance, the recent abolition of Home Safety Scotland shows that the Government is still not taking a sufficiently robust approach to the nation’s alarming rise in accident rates. 

 Number of accidental deaths in 2022 % rise in accidental death rates, 2013 to 2022 Rate of accidental deaths per 100,000 people 
UK-wide 21,336 Shape42% increase 32 deaths 
England 16,765 Shape40% increase 29 deaths 
Scotland 2,677 Shape57% increase 49 deaths 
Wales 1,206 Shape41% increase 39 deaths 
Northern Ireland 688 Shape56% increase 36 deaths 

Highest likelihood of fatality on Scottish roads 

People are almost twice as likely (46%) to have a fatal transport-related accident in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. This substantially higher fatality rate in Scotland exists across car users, pedestrians and motorcyclists – with people in cars 166% more likely to be killed in an accident driving in Scotland than they are elsewhere in the UK. Pedestrians are 96% more likely to be killed in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK and motorcyclists are 51% more likely to be killed in an accident on Scottish roads than in the rest of the country.  

Other types of accidental deaths highest in Scotland 

Tragically, Scotland isn’t just home to the highest rates of fatal road accidents – its non-transport fatal accident rate is also more than twice (57%) as high as the rest of the UK. Death from accidental poisoning is 139% higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK. There has been a sharp spike in drug-related deaths in Scotland since the early 2010s, which has one of the highest rates of drug deaths in the developed world, although this has begun to fall in recent years.  

Death from accidental drowning is 59% higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK. This is partly due to ease of access to inland water, which creates more opportunities for drowning but is also compounded by lower water temperatures, making the risk of cold-water shock higher.  

Death from exposure to smoke, fire or flames is 42% higher than the rest of the UK. This rate reflects the higher rate of dwelling fires in Scotland, which has been falling for several years but remains much higher than England and Wales.

Death from accidental fall accounts for 42% of all accidental deaths in Scotland, so the fact that they are almost twice (45%) as likely in Scotland than the rest of the UK is significant. The reasons for this aren’t recorded, but it could be due to rugged terrain and wetter conditions, and potentially higher proportions of people living in flats or apartments.  

Cause of accidental death Rate in Scotland compared to the UK as a whole Rate in Wales compared to the UK as a whole Rate in Northern Ireland compared to the UK as a whole 
All types of accidental deaths 56% higher 22% higher 14% higher 
Transport-related 46% higher 18% higher 34% higher 
Transport accident – car occupants  166% higher 5% higher 88% higher 
Transport accident – pedestrians 96% higher 35% lower 142% higher 
Transport accident – motorcyclists 51% higher 78% higher 20% higher 
Non-transport related 57% higher 22% higher 13% higher 
Poisoning 139% higher 6% higher 10% lower 
Drowning 59% higher 10% lower 71% higher 
Exposure to smoke, fire or flames 42% higher 34% higher 18% higher 
Falls 45% higher 24% higher 37% higher 

Falls are the most common cause of accidental death in Scotland 

RoSPA’s data reveals that like the UK as a whole, falls are the most common cause of accidental death in Scotland (42%), followed by poisonings (40%). 

Most common cause of accidental death in 2022 (UK wide) Most common cause of accidental death in 2022 (Scotland) 
1.Falls – 46% Falls – 42% 
2.Poisonings – 26% Poisonings – 40% 
3.Other – 13% Road traffic / transport – 7% 
4.Road traffic / transport – 7% Other – 5% 
5.Threats to breathing e.g. choking and suffocating – 3% Threats to breathing e.g. choking and suffocating – 2% 
6. Drowning – 1% Drowning – 1% 

Accidents cost the UK almost £12 billion every year 

As well as personal pain and injury, accidents put a huge strain on the NHS, costing at least £6 billion annually in NHS medical care – not including ambulance callouts, surgery or long-term treatment.  

Across the UK accidents led to around 5.2 million bed days, costing the NHS an estimated £5.4 billion last year. In addition, accidents resulted in around 7 million Accident & Emergency (A&E) visits across the UK last year, costing a further £613 million, bringing the total cost of accidents to the NHS to at least £6 billion annually. 

Accident-related injuries are also a drain on the economy and prevent people from working. The combined cost to UK businesses is £5.9 billion, due to lost output and indirect management costs. 

Ten times more working days lost due to accidents than strikes 

Across the UK in 2022/23 7.7 million working days were lost by those who were unable to work after an accident as they’d been admitted to hospital, or by their carers who took time off work to be with them. A further 21 million working days were lost by those who had to attend A&E after an accident.  In total in 2022/23 accidents led to almost 29 million lost working days across the UK – 10 times more than were lost due to strikes (2.7 million lost working days) in the same year. 

RoSPA is calling for the Government to create a National Accident Prevention Strategy to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS.

Read RoSPA’s full report, ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’. 

Steve Cole, Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs Director at RoSPA, said: “Scotland is facing an accident crisis. It has the worst rates of accidental death than anywhere else in the UK.

“Scots are substantially more likely to suffer a serious accident today than they were 20 years ago. We must take action now to stop further preventable deaths and serious injuries – accidents are avoidable and do not need to happen.

“Even those who have never been involved in an accident are still suffering, as increasing numbers of accidents are choking the UK economy and engulfing the NHS – taking up bed space, money, time and resources that could be directed to other serious illnesses.  

“Our new report revealing the growing numbers and types of fatal and life-changing accidents across the UK unveils a new public health scandal. By implementing a National Accident Prevention Strategy to sit across government departments problems can be tackled at their core, with a joined-up approach to cover all types of accidents – whether they happen at home, on the road, at work or in public.

“For too long we have accepted the economic and social consequences of accidents, and we’re still paying the price. We are calling for a National Accident Prevention Strategy to make Scotland a safer place to live.” 

Dan Evans, Chief Executive at Speedy Hire, said: “We take health and safety extremely seriously, and it is a source of immense pride that we have been recognised for our excellence in keeping colleagues and customers safe.

“For us, colleague safety doesn’t begin and end at the workplace door, which is why at Speedy Hire we take a ‘whole person, whole life’ approach. This has never been more important to do so, as RoSPA’s report reveals people are far more likely to suffer a serious accident at home than they are at work.

“Both the cost of accidents to peoples’ personal lives and to businesses is far too high, so we must act now to keep people safe and support economic growth.” 

Dr. James Broun, Research Manager at RoSPA and author of ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’, said: “Our major review of all accident data uncovers the full scale and true cost of accidents for the very first time. This data is unique; it looks at all types of accidents across the UK, as well as individually across all four nations.   

“Accidents aren’t currently monitored or recorded to the same extent as other health issues, but the findings are alarming. Accident rates across the UK, as well as within England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – are rising steeply.  We’ve brought together this data to reveal the reality of this crisis and to impress upon the Government that action must be taken to reverse rising accident figures.” 

RoSPA are calling for the Government to seize the initiative and create a National Accident Prevention Strategy – a first for the UK. And, because it’s impossible to arrest a crisis like this without a plan, RoSPA propose that the National Accident Prevention Strategy is the specific responsibility of an individual minister without a portfolio. This would enable the minister to treat accident prevention holistically, with the authority to attend the Cabinet and the ability to convene cross-departmental committees. 

The National Accident Prevention Strategy must: 

  • Take a joined-up approach which cuts across departments and provides strategic leadership to guide policy making at national level 
  • Empower individual departments or agencies to craft and implement more detailed policies 
  • Propose ambitious and evidence-led but realistic policy interventions to reduce accident rates 
  • Cover the core sectors directly affecting the UK economy: home, work, product, leisure and transport 
  • Be forward-facing to address emerging challenges, like the climate crisis, the rise of AI and the UK’s ageing population 
  • Address inequalities like deprivation, age, ethnicity and region 
  • Take a four-nations approach to data sharing and collaboration 
  • Strengthen Government’s data collection and publishing processes relating to accidents