November 2003

Expo urges injury prevention action

An Expo at the Hume Global Learning Centre bringing together program providers was a highlight of the launch of Injury Prevention Week.

Exhibitors included the Victoria Police—promoting bicycle and home safety, Royal Children’s Safety Centre, Farmsafe Alliance, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, sports injury prevention program Smartplay, older persons’ fall prevention program Foothold on Safety, the Health Translation Directory team and child safety program SafeStart.

SafeStart is a Department of Human Services’ Public Health Group initiative operating in the Shire of Yarra Ranges, City of Ballarat and City of Greater Dandenong.

The initiative focuses on the prevention of unintentional injury to children to eight years in the home and at play.

The SafeStart projects have developed in ways that are responsive to local issues, local population needs and service capacity.

SafeStart activities include a safe-kitchen education centre in the Shire of Yarra Ranges and multicultural child safety sessions in the City of Greater Dandenong.

In the City of Ballarat, SafeStart is a partnership with the Office of Housing to enhance the safety of homes in the Delacombe Public Housing Estate.

Injury Prevention Week—with the theme Injury Is No Accident: Think Ahead And Take Preventive Action—draws attention to an often-overlooked health and safety issue.

Each year in Victoria, about 300,000 people visit a hospital emergency department or are admitted due to injury.

Another 1,800 Victorians die each year from injury.

Many injuries are preventable through a combination of government, industry, community and individual action.