Austria

Grosse schützen Kleine
Österreich
ANNUAL REPORT
Our vision
2000
Our vision: A safe world for our children
A safe world for our children
Österreich

Our Vision
Our Vision: A safe world for our children
A safe world for We wish to express our thanks to
all partners for their support and endeavours

Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
List of Contents
Our Vision 2
List of Contents 3
Preface of the President 4
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE 5
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE AUSTRIA 5
Basic Situation in Austria 6
Objectives 2000 7
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE International 8
Internatinal Memberships 9
Science and Research 10
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE National 11
National Event – Bike Helmet Demonstration 12
Safety Education – CD-Rom 13
Child Safety Box 14
Information Professionals 15
Information Campaigns 16
Public Relations 17
Participation in Conferences and Congresses 19
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE - National Coalition Partners 20
Coalition Partner Carinthia 21
Coalition Partner Lower Austria 25
Coalition Partner Upper Austria 26
Coalition Partner East Tyrol 27
Coalition partner Salzburg 29
Coalition Partner Styria 33
Coalition Partner Vienna 36
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE - Addresses 38
3

Austria
Preface of the President
Accidents are no incidents
An accident cannot be regarded as mere stroke of fate. There is always
a certain cause leading to an accident. Prevention of an injury requires
knowledge of risks and hazards and demands counterreaction, so that it
may not occur at all.
In our studies, being published in renowned magazines, we analyze injuries
of children in detail; thus improvements within the field of product
safety can be gained in cooperation with producers, dealers and others.
By projects elaborated in this connection important messages about
risks and preventive measure are passed on to various target groups.
Due to our common efforts, we were able again this year to contribute
to the success in childhood injury prevention. This report is to give a
short description of the work done in the field of injury research and
–prevention in all our branch offices and to render account for the
money received from official and private sponsors.
This annual report is also meant to give our project partners, sponsors
and supporters an overview on the activities definitively carried out and
to thank them sincerely for their support.
o.Univ.Prof. Dr. Michael E. Höllwarth
4

Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
President
Vice-Presidents
Honorary-Presidents
Head-Cashier
Deputy-Cashier
First-Clerk
Second-Clerk
Project Management
Univ. Prof. Dr. Michael E. Höllwarth
Univ. Prof. Dr. Gernot Brandesky
Univ. Prof. Dr. Axel Haberlik
Dr. Andreas Konrad
Univ. Prof. Dr. Johannes Mayr
Univ. Prof. Dr. Günther Schimpl
Univ. Prof. Dr. Hugo Sauer
DDr. Karl Frühwirth
KommR. Rudolf Konrad
Dr. Ernst Köppel
Maria Müller
Dr. Sirkka-Liisa Zeder
Gudrun Raber
Mag. Dr. Peter Spitzer
Secretariate
Gunda Mannsberger
Maria Stafford
Tulln
Linz
Vienna
Salzburg
Lienz
Graz
Klagenfurt
Auenbruggerplatz 34, 8036 Graz
Tel: (0316) 385-3764 Fax: -3693
e-mail: kinder.unfall@kfunigraz.ac.at
5

Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Basic Situation in Austria
Each year 800.000 accidents occur in Austria requiring medical attention; more than a
quarter thereof, in 1996 the number was 230.000, concern children ages 14 and under.
To the above number 3000 death-related injuries can be added, including around 100
children (1996: 101 children sustained death-related injuries).
These injuries have an enormous impact on the entire economy of Austria, i.e. a loss of
155 billion Austrian Schilling annually.
As to be proved by statistics, children ages 14 and under are main victims of non-death
related injuries during leisure time, at home and during sports (90%). 42 % thereof
occur in the very close surroundings of children – in houses, flats and gardens.
The percentage of injuries occurring in traffic and on the way to school (5,2%) is
almost equal to injuries at schools (4,8%).
6

Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Objectives 2000
By national and regional projects and campaigns GROSSE
SCHÜTZEN KLEINE is turning against the number one killers of
children ages 14 and under.
In 2000 the national work in preventing measures was
concentrated on
• Household
• Traffic
• Playgrounds
covering research work and projects for people concerned on
national and regional levels, for parents and also children, who
were actively involved
7

Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
International
Standard Institutes
Science and Research
8

Austria
International
Standard Institutes
Cooperation in the Austrian Institute of Standards –member
of the European Institute of standards
CEN (the European standards organization) – research on
suffocation accidents to children aged 4 and under, who have
either slipped through or became trapped within child-care
products (high chairs, bouncers, carriers etc.).
9

Austria
International
Science and Research
Nursery chest injuries
Study on child-care products
Injuries to children as passengers
Children as pedestrians in road traffic
For the last nine years GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE have been analyzing 450 traffic accidents of
children and young people as pedestrians. To avoid future traffic accidents a
Traffic safety team
was called in with experts specialized in the field of traffic, vehicle safety technique, the police
and medical doctors.
Each individual accident was analyzed in accordance with certain aspects, such as
• Opinion of the parents and the children concerned
• Medical analysis
• Record of the police
• Technical analysis of the vehicle
• Psychological and pedagogical aspects
• Discussions within the team on preventive measures.
Publications
Mayr et al.
Spitzer P., Höllwarth M.E.
Tropper U. et al.
Bunk beds - a still underestimated risk for accidents in
childhood? Eur J Pediatr (2000) 159: 440-443.
Unfallverhütung im Kindesalter. In: Muntean W. (Hsg.):
Gesundheitserziehung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen.
Medizinische Grundlagen. Springer New York 2000, 59-77.
Kinderwagenunfälle. Monatsschr Kinderheilkunde
2000 / 148; 365-367.
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Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
National
Bike Helmet Day
CD-Rom for Child Safety
Child Safety Box
Information Professionals
Information Campaigns
Public Relations
Participation in Conferences and Congresses
11

Austria
National
Bike Helmet Day
37 % head injuries are caused by bike accidents. Wearing a helmet would reduce this high
rate by 85 %.
Since 1992 we organize national bike helmet campaigns - this increased the percentage of
children wearing helmets from 5.6 % to 42.9 %!
Further measures are, however, necessary, as the acceptance of helmets among the youth is
only 12 % and among adults it is even less (8.1 % ).
Bike Helmet Demonstration of Sporthauptschule Schloßstraße in the city of Salzburg
Excursion with Bike Helmets of Sporthauptschule Egger Lienz
Bicycle and Roller Blade Demonstration in Klagenfurt
Bike Helmet Demonstration through the city of Graz
12

Austria
National
CD-ROM
Except for traffic education there hardly exist any educational media for
hazards in homes, gardens, within leisure time and during sports. So our
CD-Rom is meant to form an ideal supplementation for childhood safety
within these fields.
Cooperation with Hauptverband der Austriaischen Sozialversicherungsträger
(National Social Insurance Institute)
Activity
• Production of a CD-Rom for children aged six to ten
• CD-Rom dispatch to all elementary schools and general schools for
han dicapped pupils
• Training measures with and introduction of CD-Rom to all traffic
instructors
Distribution
• 3.500 elementary schools
• 500 general schools for handicapped pupils
• 80 persons responsible for traffic education
13

Austria
National
Child Safety Box
Nearly 100.000 children ages five and under are injured in homes every year
Child Safety Box – so that your child can grow up within a safe home.
Distribution of child safety boxes free of charge
second half 2000 - in cooperation with the Local Department for Housing Construction.
• 5000 boxes went to local households
Distribution of child safety boxes free of charge
in cooperation with the federal country of Salzburg
• first half of 2000 110 boxes went to day-care mothers
• second half of 2000 110 boxes were handed over to day-care mothers again
Distribution of child safety boxes free of charge
in cooperation with the federal country of Upper Austria
• 90 boxes were handed over to social departments
14

Austria
National
Information Professionals
Advanced childhood safety instruction has priority – it should, however, contain special
safety tips to be passed on at work and in private life.
We depend on the persons spreading our tips, since without them injury prevention will
remain ineffective.
Childhood injury prevention course for mid-wives
• two days
• topic injury prevention in childhood
• topic pediatric surgery
• in Fürberg/Wolfgangsee – Upper Austria
Compendium for professionals
• Text (with supplements and updates)
International data
National data
Experts info A-Z
• Slides (supplements and updates)
125 slides
Slide descriptions
15

Austria
National
Information Campaigns
The intention of distributing our information material (booklets and leaflets) to young and
expecting mothers is to pass our preventive messages to the target group at a very
sensitive moment.
Child Safety Box Folder:
• 80.000 nos. via Penaten Rooming-In-Set
• 30.000 nos. via hotels equipped for children & babies
GSK Information Folder
• 25.000 nos. via Penaten Baby-Wohlfühlbox
• 20.000 nos. via congresses at the Penaten-booth
• 20.000 nos. via the National Social and other Insurance
Institutes
The age of IT requires multiplication of information material. The
distribution of preventive measures by brochures, publications and
data material has become an essential component of injury
prevention in childhood.
Newsletter: 2 editions
Digiplaks
16

Austria
National
Public Relations
In cooperation with PRO&CO Public Relations national active press releases on priority
topics are prepared; reactive releases are made, if required by certain accidents.
This way of communication and forwarding our messages to the public has great
emphasis in our work, so we can reach and inform various target groups via media.
Main focus
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
The ”first address” for injury
prevention in childhood
Medical competence
First grade representatives
First hand information
Measures
General consulting
Monthly press releases on proactive topics
Reactive crisis e-mails
Annual meetings with editors
Media monitoring
Professional service
Up to date: seasonal or fast
Individual preparation
Regional data from coalition
Partners
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Austria
National
Public Relations
Media types
Comparison between numbers of puplications 1999/2000
TV-presence
Willkommen Österreich
Willkommen Österreich
Help-TV
topic: water slides
topic: inflatable bouncers
topic: dog bites
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Austria
National
Participation in Conferences and Congresses
Participation in SAFE KIDS Leadership Conference
Washington January
Bundesministerium für Justiz, Konsumentenschutz (Department of Justice )
”Product Safety“ meeting
Dangerous products from the point of view of pedestrians
March 9, Vienna
Postgraduate education of medical doctors and pedestrians
Injury prevention – theory and practise
May 27, Lower Austria
Österreichische Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde
Arbeitskreis Unfallforschung und –prophylaxe
Meeting with GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
September 21, Graz
Österreichische Konferenz Gesundheitsfördernder Krankenhäuser
Förderung von Gesundheit durch Empowerment
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE: childhood accidents in traffic
October 12/13, Vienna
Bundesministerium für Unterricht (Department for Education)
Use of childhood safety CD-Rom in school education
November 7, Wels, Upper Austria
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kinderphysiotherapie-Kongress
”Das Kind in der Therapie“
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE: injury prevention
November 10/11, Villach
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Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Coalition Partners
CARINTHIA
LOWER AUSTRIA
UPPER AUSTRIA
EAST TYROL
SALZBURG
STYRIA
VIENNA
20

Carinthia
Carinthia
profession
tasks
Univ.Prof.Dr. Gernot Brandesky
Mag. Silke Ruprecht
Mag. Sigrid Götzhaber
Mag. Iris Perko
pediatric surgeon
psychologist
psychologist
psychologist
head of branch office
project management
safety instructor
safety instructor
Safety education at elementary schools (37 classes)
Safety education at kindergartens
Projects on injury prevention at grammar schools
Rose-thistle campaign
„Wiff-Zack Club“
Meetings for parents
Bike and roller blade helmet demonstrations
Safety days in Cyrinthia’s skiing areas
Lectures
Excursions
Expert opinions on ways to school
21

Carinthia
Coalition Partner Carinthia
Safety-Wiff-Zack
Due to their development children do not recognize dangers early enough to escape them
or to behave correctly until the age of nine or older.
By certain training methods preventive behavior can be practiced thus promoting safety
consciousness of children.
Introduction of ”injury prevention“
Emphases of injury prevention at home, in traffic, during sports and leisure timeright
behavior with animals
Seasonal topics
Educational excursions
Instruction aids: dolls, safety-bear costumes, Wiff-Zack, further material
During the winter term of 1999/2000 participation of 950 children
During summer term 2000: participation of 850 children
22

Carinthia
Coalition Partner Carinthia
Rose-thistle Campaign
Although the use of restraint-systems is compulsory in Austria, an adequate fastening of
children in car seats is not a matter of self-evidence.
It was observed, that only six of ten children were secured by a safety belt and only four
of six children were fastened correctly.
In front of schools and kindergartens arriving cars are checked on safety standards
for kids in cooperation with the police
If the safety standards will be met, pupils hand over a rose to the driver – if not,
the driver receives a thistle together with an appropriate notice
650 cars were checked already
Correct safety standards at 70% of the cars
23

Carinthia
Coalition Partner Carinthia
Safety Day in Carinthia’s Skiing Areas
During the past years the general fitness of children and young people was gradually
decreasing. This fact in combination with fatiguing of pupils during a skiing day has an
enormous influence on the cause of accidents.
Skiing safety day on ”Gerlitzen“, February, 19
Cooperation with ”Sportamt Klagenfurt”
Certain program highlights
Participation of 350 children
24

Lower Austria
Coalition Partner Lower Austria
profession
tasks
Prim.Univ.Doz.Dr. Hans Salzer
pediatrician
head of branch office
Further education of parents in Tulln with the emphasis on injuries of children aged one
year and under
Injury prevention training of people concerned in cooperation with the Red Cross of Lower
Austria
Injury prevention for ”Hausfrauen aktiv in Fels am Wagram"
Scientific work such as finding out the number of children being transported by ambulance
cars from the location of accidents
25

Upper Austria
Coalition Partner Upper Austria
profession
tasks
Prim.Dr. Michael Engels
pediatric surgeon
head of branch office
Monthly training courses for school classes at the pediatric surgery department of the
hospital.
Lectures on child safety for nursery school teachers in kindergartens at Linz and suburbs
First aid folder
Distribution of first-aid kit in conjunction with ”Mutter-Kind-Verein“
Several reports annually on childhood injuries
Press releases in cooperation with Pro&Co Public Relations
Study on aspiration accidents
26

East Tyrol
Coalition Partner East Tyrol
profession
tasks
OA.Dr. Hermann Sonnberger
pediatrician
head of branch office
Information on childhood injury prevention to women in childbed at the district hospital
of Lienz
Distribution of child safety box folders to mothers leaving the hospital
Distribution of information material through safety house at the emergency department
for children
Regular visits of school classes to the pediatric department of the hospital
Hospital teacher for children also informs on childhood injury prevention
27

East Tyrol
Coalition Partner East Tyrol
Childhood safety education in kindergartens and elementary schools of East Tyrol
• Dispatch of one safety memory and one manual on injury prevention to all local kindergartens
• Distribution of one safety calendar, one accident prevention rally and one CD-Rom to all local
elementary schools
Bike helmet day, June 8, 2000
Roller blade course in cooperation with ”Sicheres Tirol” at the autumn fair of East Tyrol
28

Salzburg
Coalition Partner Salzburg
profession
tasks
Prim.Univ.Doz.Dr. Irene Oesch Hayward
OA Dr. Jan Bauer
Dr. Monika Bauer
pediatric surgeon
pediatric surgeon
medical doctor
head of branch office
project management
project management
Home safety
Childhood safety education in kindergartens
Injury prevention for new kinds of sports
Childhood safety on skiing slopes
Bike helmet demonstration
Prevention and health
Lectures
Media work
29

Salzburg
Coalition Partner Salzburg
Home Safety
Basic Situation:
• Annually 100.000 children need hospital treatment due to accidents at homes.
Target:
• Reduction of childhood accidents at home
• Hinting to the most frequent sources of hazards children are exposed to and
passing on important tips on injury prevention.
Project:
• Common event of GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE; Salzburg, the GKK (insurance
company) Salzburg and the Red Cross of Salzburg to reduce accidents at home
• Adaption of the three folders ”Safety for your Child“, from birth to two years in
accordance with the conditions of Salzburg
• Design and preparation of an envelope containing the above
three folders, a card with emergency phone numbers and a
child safety box folder – distribution of this envelope at
GKK, local pediatricians and maternity centers.
• Sale of child safety boxes.
30

Salzburg
Coalition Partner Salzburg
Sensitizing for Dangers
Basic Situation:
• Toddlers are interested in everything; they want to discover their surroundings by
mouthing, they draw cups filled with hot liquids from the table or touch hot oven
plates.
• The consequences are severe injuries entailing lifelong problems
Target:
• to reduce severe burns and scalds
• to reduce severe cauterizations and poisonings of toddlers
Project:
• Contacting and informing ”Salzburger toddler groups“ about preventing measures
• Informing kindergartens about the tasks, activities and offers of GROSSE SCHÜTZEN
KLEINE
• Distribution of the brochures ”Kleine Lebensretter“ and ”Wie schütze ich mein Kind“
• Production of two placards ”Mami beim Kochen helfen“ and ”Chemical Accidents“
• Production of two information sheets
• Distribution of placards at toddler groups and kindergartens
31

Salzburg
Coalition Partner Salzburg
Injury Prevention during Sports
Basic Situation:
• Sport accidents of all kinds are the number one of accidents children aged six to
fifteen sustain.
• Trendy sports, such as skiing, snowboarding, biking, skateboarding, roller blading,
mini-scootering cause most childhood accidents.
Target:
• Education of pupils to practice these kinds of sports in a responsible and fair way
Projects:
• Winter 2000 to 2001: injury prevention in winter sports
• Spring 2001: injury prevention in summer sports
• Common event of GSK and Intersport Eybl at elementary schools of Salzburg
• Experts‘ demonstration (Intersport Eybl) of a complete safety equipment and correct
practice of various kinds of sports
• Hinting to possible sources of hazards and possibilities
to prevent injuries
• Video (slide-) demonstration of the most frequent
accidents and their consequences
32

Styria
Coalition Partner Styria
profession
tasks
Univ.Prof. Dr. Michael E. Höllwarth
Mag. Dr. Peter Spitzer
Gunda Mannsberger
Maria Stafford
pediatric surgeon
AHS-teacher
translator
secretariate
president of GsK
project management
secretariate
secretariate
Conception of studies
Collection of scientific publications
Service of internal specialized library
Service of project pool
Looking after national projects
Coordination of coalition partners
Strategic project planning
Working out of the Annual Report
Communication with Johnson & Johnson
Conception of activities concerning further education,
lectures and seminars Training of traffic instructors
Further education in childhood safety of kindergarten
teachers
Dispatch of brochures and all sorts of information material
Communication with Pro&Co for press releases
33

Styria
Coalition Partner Styria
Child Safety on Playgrounds
Each year nearly 8000 children are hurt in playgrounds.
The leading cause for injuries are falls from heights.
As 90 % of playgrounds showed inadequate surfacing and maintenance
seems to be a problem on 70 % of playgrounds, a campaign was launched
by the Local Department for Housing Construction.
Activity
Production of a playground folder hinting to the main sources of danger
on public playgrounds.
Distribution
• To all districts of Styria
• To housing societies.
34

Styria
Coalition Partner Styria
Safe Styria for Children
About 12.000 childhood accidents occur in Styria annually. Children 10 and under
are main victims of accidents occurring at home, during sports or in traffic.
In cooperation with the Health Department of the Local Government
production of a:
DVD on child safety with child-care products.
ORF series for the local TV stations (10 part series).
Advertisements in the local newspaper (10 ads)
Safety bear info tours, June – October, at:
• Furniture stores (Kika, Gröbl)
• Styrian health insurance institute and branch institutes
• Local hospitals (departments for children and gyn.
departments)
• Advertisements in local newspapers.
October: final press conference with local health
concerned politician.
35

Vienna
Coalition Partner Vienna
profession
tasks
Prim.Univ.Doz.Dr. Günter Fasching
and medical doctors of ”Preyer’sches Kinderspital“
pediatric surgeon
head of branch office
Petra Sandtner
Fa. Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson)
secretariate
Scientifically based lectures on roller blading and
”Childhood Accidents”
PR-activities:
Various TV –broadcastings on childhood injury prevention and
home injuries
Since October 2000
Prim.Univ.Prof.Dr.A. Rokitansky of SMZ-Ost-Donauspital with Dr.Ursula Kohlhuber and OA Dr. Edmund
Blab is head of the Vienna branch office, since Mr. Fasching has moved to Klagenfurt and is now
head of the Pediatric surgery of the LKH Klagenfurt.
SMZ-Ost Donauspital
Kinderchirurgische Abteilung
Langobardenstraße 122
1220 Wien
Tel: 01/ 28802-4402
36

Vienna
Coalition Partner Vienna
Taxi with Child Safety Seat
Already in 1997 a group of taxi drivers in Graz was trained by GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
and equipped with child safety seats.
Now realization of this compaign at a larger scale in Vienna.
Cooperation with the National Traffic Safety Fund.
Training of taxi drivers
Strickers on taxis with child safety seats
Media work
Evaluation late autumn 2000
37

Austria
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Addresses
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Kärnten
Prim.Univ.Doz.Dr. Günter Fasching
LKH Klagenfurt
St.Veiter Straße 47
A-9026 Klagenfurt
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Osttirol
OA Dr. Hermann Sonnberger
BKH Lienz/Kinderabteilung
Emanuel von Hiblerstr. 5
A-9900 Lienz
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Niederösterreich
Prim.Dr. Hans Salzer
LKH Tulln Kinderabteilung
Alter Ziegelweg 50
A-3430 Tulln
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Salzburg
Prim.Univ.Doz.Dr. Irene Oesch Hayward
A.ö. LKA. Abt. für Kinderchirurgie
Müllner Hauptstraße 48
A-5020 Salzburg
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Oberösterreich
Prim.Dr. Michael Engels
Chir. Abt. am LKH
Krankenhausstraße 26
A-4020 Linz
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Steiermark
Univ.Prof.Dr. Michael E. Höllwarth
Auenbruggerplatz 34
A-8036 Graz
GROSSE SCHÜTZEN KLEINE
Wien
Prim.Univ.Prof.Dr. Alexander Rokitansky
SMZ-Ost – Donauspital
Kinderchir. Abteilung
Langobardenstr. 122
A-1220 Wien
38

Österreich
Auenbruggerplatz 34, A-8036 Graz
Tel.:(0316) 385 3764, Fax.:(0316) 385 3693
E-mail: kinder.unfall@kfunigraz.ac.at