Student Injury Rates in Student Injury Rates in Public SchoolsPublic Schools

How we as educators can help.How we as educators can help.

Are Our Schools Safe?Are Our Schools Safe?

Does a low number of student injuries make it a Does a low number of student injuries make it a good schoolgood school

We as educators are responsible to protect all We as educators are responsible to protect all students from injury in and around school students from injury in and around school premises.premises.

What Age Group is Most Likely What Age Group is Most Likely to Sustain Injury?to Sustain Injury?

Students between Students between the ages of 10-14the ages of 10-14

Grades four to sixGrades four to six

Male students at Male students at risk more than risk more than femalefemale

Rules to Prevent Rules to Prevent InjuryInjury

No running in the No running in the hallwayshallways

No pushing or No pushing or shovingshoving

Do not run with a Do not run with a scissorsscissors

Hang on to handrail Hang on to handrail when going down when going down stairsstairs

A safe school A safe school environmentenvironment

Safety program to Safety program to help accidental injuryhelp accidental injury

Conditions that might Conditions that might affect their healthaffect their health

School Environment

How Safe Are Our Playgrounds?

• What are the leading causes of injuries

•How can we prevent them

Top InjuriesTop Injuries

CollisionsCollisions

TripsTrips

FallsFalls

Data on School InjuriesData on School Injuries

States do not have to States do not have to report injuriesreport injuries

Arizona, Hawaii, Arizona, Hawaii, South Carolina, and South Carolina, and Utah have data basesUtah have data bases

Reports are voluntaryReports are voluntary

No guidelines for No guidelines for educatorseducators

Working TogetherWorking Together

Modify school equipmentand facilities

Supervision andsafety policies

Education of students,teachers, parents,and administratorsabout prevention

To Be EffectiveTo Be Effective

Open communicationOpen communication

Interest in school safetyInterest in school safety

Be an exampleBe an example

Access to informationAccess to information

Report hazards and injuriesReport hazards and injuries

Find ways to control hazardsFind ways to control hazards

Before Accidents OccurBefore Accidents Occur

Work places are check regularlyWork places are check regularly

Safety and health inspectionsSafety and health inspections

Employees relay hazards to Employees relay hazards to managementmanagement

Accidents are looked intoAccidents are looked into

Data reported so injury and illness can be Data reported so injury and illness can be preventedprevented

School InspectionsSchool InspectionsPeriodically health and Periodically health and safety inspections need to safety inspections need to be donebe done

A safe environment requires A safe environment requires everyone's participationeveryone's participation

All grounds and buildings All grounds and buildings are includedare included

Be able to recognize Be able to recognize hazardshazards

Hazards should be Hazards should be correctedcorrected

ChecklistChecklist

Playground Playground equipmentequipment

No mold on No mold on wallswalls

Leaks in Leaks in roofroof

Floor clutterFloor clutter

Halls are Halls are clearclear

Test waterTest water Handrail on Handrail on stairsstairs

High heavy High heavy objectsobjects

Bathrooms Bathrooms are cleanare clean

PE PE equipmentequipment

Signs/wet Signs/wet floor, etc.floor, etc.

Trash on Trash on groundsgrounds

Rugs are Rugs are lying flatlying flat

Ceiling tilesCeiling tiles Carpet/tileCarpet/tile Chairs, Chairs, desks, desks, tablestables

Stop Health HazardsStop Health Hazards

Involve several Involve several individualsindividuals

Schedule regular Schedule regular inspectionsinspections

Follow upFollow up

When a hazard is When a hazard is found immediately found immediately eliminate before injuryeliminate before injury

ConclusionConclusion

A safe and healthy environment is often A safe and healthy environment is often taken for grantedtaken for granted

Parents trust us as educators Parents trust us as educators

Knowledge of how to reduce risk of injury Knowledge of how to reduce risk of injury is a mustis a must

We must be actively involved to reduce We must be actively involved to reduce student injuriesstudent injuries

ReferenceReference

Kaldahl, M. A., Blair, E. H. (2005). Student Kaldahl, M. A., Blair, E. H. (2005). Student injury rates in public school. injury rates in public school. Journal of Journal of School Health,School Health, 75 (1), 38-40. Retrieved 75 (1), 38-40. Retrieved June 7, 2005, from EBSCOhost academic June 7, 2005, from EBSCOhost academic search premier database.search premier database.

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