Prevention of Accidents

What is an Accident
• Definition
An unforeseen happening causing
damage to life and property
• Accidents are no. 1 cause of death &
disability in people < 45 years
• 40 % of admissions to surgery wards in
major hospitals are because of accidents
• Tremendous resource implications
Sites of Accidents
• Accidents happen

– at Home
– on Roads
– at Work
– in Community
Home Accidents
• Burns
• Poisonings
• Falls
• Choking
• Electric Shocks
• Bites & Stings
Home Accidents
• Burns
– Loose clothes
– Faulty kerosene stoves
– gas leaks
– homicidal
– tea and hot water spills
– unattended children
Home Accidents
• Falls
– no parapets
– kite flying over rooftops
– Staircase falls
Home Accidents
• Poisonings
– wrong containers
– medicine & pesticides etc within reach of
children
– ignorance
Home Accidents
• Choking
– small objects
– peanuts, food etc
– gas leakage at night
Home Accidents
• Electric Shocks
– faulty wiring
– lack of proper equipment earthing
– ignorance
Workplace Accidents
• Machines
• Farming Equipment
• Insecticide poisoning
• Caustic chemicals
Road Accidents
• Badly trained Drivers
• Faulty Vehicles
• Pedestrian Facilities absent
• Infrastructure deficiencies
• No use of seatbelts & Helmets
• Socioeconomic problems
– lack of good public transport
Accidents in Community
• Firearm injuries and other forms of
violence ….. “ Andhi goali”
• Buildings / roof collapses
• Terrorist activities (Blasts etc)
Natural Disasters
• Floods
• Earthquakes
• Epidemics
Prevention on Road
• Public Education
– at institutions
– in community
– in workplaces
• Stricter laws enforcement
– driving licenses
– seatbelts/ helmets/ driving offences
• Establishment of proper infrastructure
– proper roads signals, markings, footpaths,
Prevention at Home
• Health education
• Safe kitchen area to prevent burns
• Earth all equipment
• Keep hazardous material out of reach &
label properly
• Parapets and stair guards
Prevention in Community
• Trauma Registry
– for accurate data collection which is vital for
prevention
• Preventing the second accident
– adequate and quick transport to hospital
– doctors and paramedics well versed in
principles of trauma management
(ATLS concepts)
Questions ?
&
Comments !
The single most important factor
in accident prevention is public
education
• At academic institutions
• Through print and electronic media
• Mosques, & other community centers
• Volunteers / Paid community workers