Out and About
Backyard safety
Each week, hundreds of young people are treated in hospital emergency departments for injury. In fact, injury is the greatest cause of death to Australian children over the age of one. About half of the injuries to young people aged under 15 years happen at home.Many injuries – especially among older children - can be prevented with some care and knowledge of how to stay safe. It also helps if your backyard is a ‘kid safe’ place to play.
How can I help make my yard safe for my family, friends and me?
There are simple things that can be done to increase the safety of your yard and garden:
- Fence your yard off from the driveway, the pool, any other water, steps, and animals that may cause harm
- Keep your fences properly maintained – there should be no gaps or sharp edges
- Keep the yard clear of obstacles. Put away any garden tools and equipment
- Clear the yard of rubbish or garden waste that could harbour snakes or spiders
- Keep small children inside while grass is mowed and other activities involving potentially dangerous equipment are completed.
Sometimes accidents just happen, but other times they can be avoided by thinking ahead and taking action to eliminate potential hazards:
- Look at your back yard from a small child’s point of view and remove anything that could be attractive to a child – but dangerous if used incorrectly, or lead to an accident through a child dropping or climbing it, or tripping over it
- Look for any other hazards and decide how best to remove it or protect against the damage it could cause – then make appropriate changes. Consider the positions of items such as play equipment, plant pots, hoses, tools, barbecues and sports equipment
- Consider whether plants are dangerous – are they poisonous, thorny, or do they have branches that could break off? Could a child try and climb any trees?
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