MUST SEE CHILD INJURY PREVENTION SESSIONS! - Safekids

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websites 

www.safekids.org.nz 

www.mysafekids.org.nz 

NOT GOING TO THE CONFERENCE? 

Follow us at www.twitter.com/safekidsnz 

September 2012 Issue No 58 

NEWS 

Safekids – a service of Starship Children’s Health 

BIG LEAP FOR 

JOSHUA! 

Great news from 

our 2007 Safekids 

Campaign hero. 

Read about it on page 15. 

2012 World Safety Conference Special 

MUST SEE CHILD INJURY 

PREVENTION SESSIONS! 

See details on pages 4-5. 

CONSUMER ALERT 

Child ingestion 

dangers of 

‘super magnets’ 

Advocacy Matters: 

• Q&A: Is it legal to sell expired 

child restraints in New Zealand? 

• Call to action on mercury 

thermometers 

Starship Trauma Update 

Child cycling injury admissions, 

January 2007 to December 2011 

PLUS: Safekids Coalitions, partners in action around NZ: Glenn Innes, Waitakere, Dunedin, 

Taranaki, Tokoroa, Whanganui, Nelson, Rotorua and Wairarapa!

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR 

Welcome to delegates of the 2012 World Safety Conference! 

The 11th World Conference on Injury Prevention and 

Safety Promotion (Safety 2012) is finally here. On behalf 

of the Safekids New Zealand team, I would like welcome 

all delegates from across New Zealand and around the 

world, and in particular to our colleagues from the Safe 

Kids Worldwide member countries. 

Working in child injury prevention, while very rewarding, can also 

be a challenge. This is especially true for those of us who work with 

at-risk communities or with vulnerable families and children. 

Working in collaboration with the right partners is essential. This is 

why Safety 2012’s theme Connecting pathways for a vibrant and 

safer future will be of help to child injury prevention workers. 

Aside from learning new skills from some of the world’s best injury 

prevention and safety researchers, Safety 2012 is also a venue to 

make mutually beneficial connections with others who share the 

same goals. 

We hope that after attending Safety 2012, you return inspired, reenergised 

and with new networks, ready to take on the challenge 

of keeping your countries and communities safe, particularly for 

children. 

We look forward to meeting you at Safety 2012, and seeing you 

at the Safekids NZ and Safe Kids WW stands (#10 and 14). 

Sincerely, 

Ann Weaver 

Director, 

Safekids New Zealand 

Keeping Auckland District Health Board 

kids safe. Safekids recently installed 

run over warning signs at Auckland City 

Hospital and at Greenlane Clinical Centre. 

The signs are located near the crèche in 

both sites. We would like to thank Starship 

General Manager Fionnagh Dougan and 

the Starship Senior Management Team for 

supporting this project. 

Safekids New Zealand thanks the following organisations for 

supporting the delivery of the 2012 Information & Planning 

Day Workshops Series and the Safekids Campaign focusing 

on Child Cycling Safety & Safety Out & About. 

Major sponsor: 

In participation with: 

Cover: The Safekids Driveway Kit in Marlborough. 

Plunket Blenheim’s Maureen Van gelder talks to 

4-year old Daniel Brand about safety around vehicles. 

Photo credit: Marlborough Express. 

2 

Safekids News is Safekids NZ’s quarterly publication. 

For enquiries, contact the editor at anthony.rola@adhb.govt.nz. 

Safekids News encourages discussion within the injury prevention 

community. Opinion articles or articles with bylines reflect the 

views of the author alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views 

of Safekids New Zealand 

About Safekids New Zealand 

Safekids New Zealand is the injury prevention service of Starship 

Children’s Health and a member of Safe Kids Worldwide. Our 

mission is to reduce the incidence and severity of unintentional 

injuries to children in New Zealand aged 0 - 14 years. 

Safekids NZ Team 

Ann Weaver, Director 

Anthony Rola, Marketing and Communications 

Blackie Tohiariki, Special Projects Coordinator 

Chantal Woodfine, Sponsorship Manager 

Gervaise Ledger, Team Support 

Joanna Milne, PA to the Director 

Moses Alatini, Policy Analyst 

Patricia Bolton, Policy Analyst 

Sara Bennett, Senior Policy Advisor 

Simone Randle, Injury Prevention Advisor 

Victoria Jarvis, Coalition Coordinator 

Wayne Carter, Information Specialist 

Make a difference 

Safekids New Zealand encourages the involvement of 

government, community, industry, decision makers and families 

in child safety. If you would like to know more about us, wish to 

advocate on behalf of children in your community, 

or partner in a programme with us, contact us at: 


Fifth Floor, Cornwall Complex, 

40 Claude Road, Epsom, Auckland 1023 

PO Box 26488, Epsom, Auckland 1344 

New Zealand. 

Telephone: +64-9 630 9955 

Fax: +64-9-630 9961 


Safekids News: September 2012 Issue No 58

Major sponsor 

In partnership with 

EVENTS 

Porirua 

Masterton 

2012 Safekids 

Campaign workshops 

a success 

Whangarei 

By Simone Randle, Safekids NZ Injury 

Prevention Advisor 

Palmerston North 

Nelson 

Lower Hutt 

The 2012 Safekids Campaign Information 

& Planning Workshops have ended, and on 

behalf of the team, I would like to send heart 

felt thanks to all the attendees, coordinators, 

guest speakers and to our major sponsor, the 

Starship Foundation. 

In summary, 25 workshops were held across the 

country, with over 400 attendees from the road 

safety sector, social and family support services, 

health services, Police, Government and Local 

Government. 

New Plymouth 

Whanganui 

Pacific 

We also had iwi-based organisations, Pacific 

Peoples services, sports and leisure centres, 

migrant and refugee communities, Plunket, 

early childhood education, after school holiday 

programmes and retailers, amongst others. 

Driveway Run Over, Home Safety report 

now available. 

North Shore 

Blenheim 

Māori 

The evaluation report for the 2011/ 2012 Safekids 

Campaign (Driveway Run over and Home Safety) is now 

available. Thank you to all the practitioners, parents and 

members of the public who provided feedback to the 

evaluation process. To download this (under reports), visit: 

www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/page/Position_Papers 

Safekids a ‘Finalist’ at the 2012 

International Safety Media Awards 

The Safekids Campaign will be recognised for excellence in media 

and communications at the 2012 International Safety Media Awards 

(ISMA) which will be held at the closing ceremony of the Safety 2012 

World Conference in Wellington. 

The awards website describes the 

competition as “an opportunity to 

share what is being done around the 

world, for all of us to learn from our 

colleagues, and to celebrate positive 

media messages.” 

For delegates attending the conference, 

the closing ceremony will be held from 

2:30-4:20PM (4 October 2012), with 

the presentation to the ISMA awardees 

from approximately 3:20-3:35PM. 

Safekids NZ has also been invited to 

participate in a session earlier that day, 

from 12:30-1:30, during which finalists 

will have an opportunity to show at least 

part of their entries and briefly describe 

their project. 

Safekids New Zealand has been gaining 

numerous awards for its child injury 

prevention campaigns, particularly on 

passenger safety and driveway run over 

prevention. Safekids won the Local 

Authority Traffic Institute (Trafinz) 2011 

Leadership Award for Transport Safety, 

and has also been named a finalist 

at the 2011 and 2012 New Zealand 

Marketing Awards. 

For more information about the ISMA 

awards, or about the 

Safekids Campaign, visit 

www.alaska-ipc.org/isma/ 


www.safekids.org.nz/index. 

php/page/campaigns 

KNOW WHERE THE KIDS ARE 

BEFORE GETTING IN THE CAR 

THERE’S NO GOING 

P 

P 

P 

CHECK 

for children before driving off 

SUPERVISE 

children around vehicles–always 

SEPARATE 

play areas from driveways 


3 


Scan this QR Code 

or visit www. 

mysafekids.org. 

nz to watch some 

of Safekids New 

Zealand’s Guerilla 

Marketing ideas. 

Background 

Unintentional childhood injury is a serious but neglected public 

health issue in New Zealand. The casualties are high (two children 

killed every week and 8,184 children hospitalised every year), and the 

economic burden is immense – it cost the government NZ$146.6 

million in child injury claims during the 2007/2008 financial year. 

Unintentional childhood injury is not seen as a priority issue, has few 

allies, and receives little support or recognition. 

The injury prevention workforce is facing an uphill battle, and Safekids, 

the child injury prevention service for New Zealand, is forced to 

pursue conventional goals with unconventional methods – using 

Guerrilla Marketing tactics. 

What is Guerrilla Marketing? 

Guerrilla Marketing is an effective public health tool used when 

funding or resources are limited or non-existent. It’s thinking outside 

the box, finding solutions to communicate public health issues beyond 

TV commercials and print ads. 

Guerilla Marketing is an investment on time, creativity and imagination. 

When done effectively, the results are memorable campaigns that cut 

through the clutter and leave an indelible mark among its audiences. 

Results/Outcome 

Guerrilla Marketing played an important role in promoting child 

passenger safety and driveway run over prevention messages during 

the 2009-2011 Safekids Campaign: 

✓ TRAFINZ Road Safety Leadership Award (2011). 

✓ FINALIST, New Zealand Marketing Awards (2011 and 2012). 

✓ Boosters Seats in Safer Journeys - Safekids moved the government 

to consider a booster seat law in its road safety strategy to 2020, 

Safer Journeys. 

The Higher You Sit, the Safer the Fit 

(Passenger Safety Campaign) 

How old should kids be before they give up their booster 

seats and just use adult seat belts? Is it five years old? Seven? 

Or is it around 12? 

The truth is, it’s not how old your kids are, it’s how tall they are. 

Wrong 

Correct 

A seat belt that doesn’t fit properly can cause severe head, 

spine and abdominal injuries in a crash. 

So remember, keep your kids in a booster seat until they’re 

148cm tall. Because the higher they sit, the safer the fit. 

For more information, visit www.safekids.org.nz 

小孩多少岁可以不再用防护座椅 , 

而开始使用成年人用的安全带 ? 5 岁 ? 

7 岁或者 12 岁左右 ? 

事实上 , 这并不是年龄的问题 , 

关键是您的小孩长到多高。 

座椅安全带配戴不当 , 发生事故时可能 

会导致头部、脊椎和腹部严重受伤。 

请谨记 , 如果您的小孩身高不到 

148 公分 , 务必使用防护座椅。 

因为小孩的坐姿越高 , 则越安全。 

欲了解更多详情 , 请访问网站 

www.safekids.org.nz. 

Booster Rooster (Passenger Safety Campaign) 

The NEW Safekids Driveway Safety Kit and 

Warning Signs (Driveway Run Over Prevention) 

WORLD SAFETY CONFERENCE SPECIAL 

GUIDE TO SAFETY 2012: 1–4 OCTOBER 2012 

MUST SEE CHILD INJURY PREVENTION SESSIONS 

Safety 2012 is the 11th World Conference on Injury Prevention and 

Safety Promotion. Held biennially under the auspices of the World 

Health Organization, the 4-day conference features a scientific 

programme, an exhibition and a social programme revolving around 

the conference theme ‘Connecting pathways for a vibrant and safer 

future.’ 

For those specialising in unintentional child injury prevention, 

Safekids New Zealand has put together a list of concurrent sessions 

to help maximise your attendance at this year’s conference. 

Note: Session, dates and times may change. For an up-todate 

programme and full session details, visit 

Not going to Safety 2012? 

Safekids NZ is covering 

Safety 2012 on Twitter. 

Follow us for news, views 

and links. Visit: 

www.twitter.com/safekidsnz 

www.conference.co.nz/worldsafety2012/ 

TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER 2012 

11.00am – 12.30pm Sessions: 

1B: Child Safety 

• A case-control study of dog bite risk factors in a domestic setting 

to children aged 9 years and under. Karen Ashby. 

• ‘Revision of Japanese safety standards of bicycle wheel guard 

for preventing childhood injury due to wheel spoke’. Tatsuhiro 

Yamanaka 

• It shouldn’t hurt: Creating policies and places for injury-free active 

living for children. Keshia Pollack. 

• Using the Integrated Behaviour Change Model (ibcm) to identify 

intervention elements for promoting optimal child restraint 

practices in New South Wales, Julie Brown. 

• Development and Implementation of evidence-based Interventions 

for drowning prevention in an expansion site in Dagupan City, 

Philippines. Jonathan Guevarra. 

• Child injury mortality, socioeconomic status, nationality and 

religious affiliation in Israel. Michal Ivancovsky 

1D: Product Safety 

• The safety information and guidance provided to parents by 

all-terrain vehicle dealers and sales representatives, Charles 

Jennissen. 

• Comparing child product safety concerns with injury incidents: 

Does the evidence support the response? Kirsten McKenzie. 

• Development of a standard test method for assessing 

the firmness of infant sleep surfaces, Ruth Barker. 

1F: Collaboration 

• Evaluation of the child safety education coalition in England, 

Caroline Mulvaney. 

12.50pm – 1.20pm Sessions: 

• Poster 702.00: Using social media to get 

our child injury prevention messages out 

there, Wayne Carter. 

• Poster 776.00: Guerilla Marketing in Child 

Injury Prevention – Winning the war to 

keep kids safe in New Zealand, 

Anthony Rola. 

• Poster 1303.00: Preventing driveway run 

over injuries – using research to build a 

campaign, Simone Randle. 

Guerilla Marketing in Child Injury 

Prevention – Winning the war 

to keep kids safe in New Zealand 

Anthony Rola, Safekids New Zealand 

• Poster 1316.00: Safety Rocks: Community-based art activity 

development to reduce driveway runover trauma, Julie Millar. 



• Benchmarking progress on child safety action in Europe - the 

results of the 2012 Child Safety Report Cards, Morag MacKay. 

• National action plan for child injury prevention – launching a 

roadmap for an injury-free childhood, Grant Baldwin. 

• Situation of child injuries in Vietnam and interventions, Lan Ngoc 

ThiTran. 

• Child injury-prevention and the UN convention on the rights of 

the child, Elizabeth Towner. 


3C: Button Battery Ingestion – addressing an 

emerging hazard internationally 

• Battery ingestion hazard mitigation, Doug Lee. 

• Button batteries - a hidden danger in every home, Martin Rushton 

• Regulators study of button batteries: Product designs, warnings and 

packaging, John Jamieson 

• Modifications of coin cells with anti-ingestion and encapsulation 

design features, Jonathan Midgett 

• Coin cell battery ingestion hazard mitigation strategies, Jonathan 

Midgett 

• Coin-sized lithium batteries pose an emerging global burn risk 

to children, Angela Mickalide, Kate Carr, Eric Chalmers, Ann 

Weaver. 

• Design strategies to mitigate the hazard of button 

cell battery electrical burn injuries, Gene Rider. 

• Preventing lithium coin cell battery ingestion: A 

five-pronged strategy, Michael Babiak. 

• Energizer’s approach to lithium coin cell battery 

ingestion, Michael Babiak, Philip Cooper. 

• Resident advocacy to mitigate hazards of button 

battery ingestions, James Harisaides. 

• Coin battery modification to prevent 

gastrointestinal injury from current flow. Eli Baum, Carl Baum. 

• Button battery ingestion and insertion by children - an international 

approach to an emerging dangerous injury. Eric Chalmers, Ruth 

Barker, John Jamieson, Kate Carr, Ann Weaver, Jonathan Midgett, 

Martin Rushdon, Mike Shepherd. 

• Batteries not included: Identifying disc battery injury in a health 

setting, Ruth Barker, Design of a safer lithium coin cell battery, 

Jeongbin Ok. 

4 


5 岁 ?7 岁 ? 还是 12 岁 ? 

其实应在于孩子的身 

高 , 而非年龄。 

安全带若不能扣紧发 

生事故可造成头部、 

脊椎和腹部严重受伤。 

请牢记 : 孩子身高不到 

148 厘米前 , 务必使用 

合适的安全座椅或加高 

座椅。 

fit. 

WORLD SAFETY CONFERENCE SPECIAL 

WEDNESDAY 3 OCTOBER 2012 

11.00am – 12.30pm Sessions 

4C: Safe Communities 

• Safe Community evaluation in terms of child safety, Esmatossadat 

Hashemi. 

• Promoting safety at work in cooperation with the local community, 

Rina Bodankin. 

• PRECISE-A model of community participation in Injury prevention 

in Bangladesh - implication for other low income countries, Kamran 

Ul Baset 

4F: Home Safety 

• Safety around the home. An interactive, evidence-based guide to 

creating a safe home environment, Susanna Eckersley. 

• Home injury hazards and home injury in New Zealand, Michael 

Keall 

• Pacific provider making a difference, Coral Timmins. 

2.35pm – 3.35pm Sessions 


• Interventional study on middle school students’ bicycle injuries in 

the rural area, Li-ping Li. 

• Development of assessment tools on safe settings for child and 

adolescent injury prevention, Juanita Basilio. 

• Acting in the community interest: A sustainable NGO theatre-ineducation 

model for delivering child safety education in schools, 

David Gribble. 

• The Venom Patrol - An online educational resource for improving 

health literacy and for snakebite prevention, Ken Winkel. 

4.00pm – 5.30pm Concurrent Sessions 

6A: Child Safety Workshop 

• Behavioural approaches to child injury prevention: Successes, 

challenges and future directions, David Schwebel. 

• Parenting interventions to prevent unintentional injury: Update 

and extension of a Cochrane systematic review, Denise Kendrick. 

• Behavioural approaches to child injury prevention: Successes, 

challenges and future directions, Andrea Gielen. 

• Innovations in child injury prevention: Evidence-based strategies 

that address fire safety for young children and playground safety 

for older children, Barbara Morrongiello. 

6G: Water Safety 

• Benchmarking Australian children’s swimming and water safety 

skills and knowledge: Challenges and lessons learnt, Amy Peden. 

• Children and drowning in Vietnam, An Nguyen Trong. 

Throughout the world, almost one million 

children die of an injury each year, 

and every one of these tragedies is preventable. 

THURSDAY 4 OCTOBER 2012 

11.00am – 12.30pm Concurrent Sessions 

7D: Water Safety 

• Policy interventions related to child drowning prevention in low and 

middle income countries, Suchada Gerdmongkolgan. 

• An overview of drowning in New Zealand and associated research 

efforts, Alexander Brunt, Sally Webb. 

• Age pattern of drowning mortality across 44 countries, Tsung-Hsueh Lu. 

7G: Child Safety; Road Safety 

• Stakeholder views and perceptions on epidemiology and 

management of childhood and adolescent injuries in north western 

Uganda, Milton Mutto. 

• Effect-evaluation of web-based, tailored safety information combined 

with personal counselling on parents’ child safety behaviours, Mirjam 

Van Beelen. 

• Determinants of parent perceptions of dangerous traffic related to 

school travel, Linda Rothman. 

• Cross-cultural comparisons of parents’ knowledge, attitudes 

and behaviours related to child safety, Angela Mickalide, Chiedza 

Mavengere, Lotte Brondum, Alessandra Francoia. 

• Perception of school-bound children’s mothers on road-crossing and 

other road-safety issues in Bangladesh, Kazi Selim Anwar. 

• Photovoice: Children’s perspectives on road traffic safety in ten 

countries. Priti Gautam, Lotte Brondum, Alessandra Francoia, 

Theresa Perez. 

SAFETY 2012 satellite meetings 

Three significant events are also being held in Wellington 

before and after Safety 2012: the International Society for 

Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention (ISCAIP) Biennial 

Meeting (1 October); The Australasian Road Safety Research, 

Policing and Education Conference (4-6 October); and the 

Public Health Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM, 17–19 October). 

Safekids New Zealand has been invited to deliver oral and 

poster presentations at these events: 

• ISCAIP: Purpose Built Data to Tackle Child Unintentional Injury, 

by Moses ‘Alatini, Safekids New Zealand Policy Analyst. 

• ISCAIP Using research to build a campaign (two posters,Child 

motor vehicle passenger safety and Preventing driveway run 

over injuries) by Simone Randle, Safekids New Zealand Injury 

Prevention Advisor. 

• Australasia Conference: Child motor vehicle passenger safety; 

using research to build a campaign, by Simone Randle. 

• NZCPHM ASM: Improving child health through the prevention 

of unintentional injury: Safekids New Zealand reaching 

communities to prevent child passenger injury, by Patricia 

Bolton, Safekids New Zealand Policy Analyst. 

Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 600 coalitions in the 

United States and in 23 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drowning, falls, burns, 

poisonings and more. Please join us for a robust exchange of ideas at the 

11th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion – look for Safe Kids at Stand 14. 

Together we can make a difference in the lives of children around the world. 

To learn about Safe Kids Worldwide, 

visit: www.safekids.org/worldwide 

follow us on facebook: safekidsusa 

twitter: @safekidsusa 

FREE postcards at 

Stand 10 (Safekids NZ) 

We are giving away themed postcards 

at the Safety 2012 conference so 

delegates can send child injury 

prevention messages to loved ones at 

home. There is also a special Safekids 

mailbox at our booth so you can send 

the postcards postage free! 

HOW OLD SHOULD KIDS BE BEFORE 

THEY GIVE UP THEIR CARSEATS AND 

BOOSTER SEATS, AND JUST 

USE ADULT SEAT BELTS? 

Is it five years old? Seven? Or is it around 12? 

The truth is, it’s not how old your kids are, it’s how ta l they are. 

A seat bel that doesn’t fit properly can cause severe head, spine and abdominal injuries in a 

crash. So remember, keep your kids in the right carseat or booster seat until they’re 148cm ta l. 

Because the higher they sit, the safer the fit. 

KNOW WHERE THE KIDS ARE 

BEFORE GETTING IN THE CAR 

小孩几岁可不再 

坐安全座椅或加 

高座椅 , 而只用 

成人安全带 

P 

P 

P 

CHECK 

THERE’S NO GOING 

for children before driving o f 

SUPERVISE 

children around vehicles–always 

SEPARATE 

play areas from driveways 

HOW OLD SHOULD KIDS BE BEFORE THEY 

GIVE UP THEIR CARSEATS AND BOOSTER 

SEATS, AND JUST USE ADULT SEAT BELTS? 

Is it five years old? 

Seven? Or is it around 

12? The truth is, it’s not 

how old your kids are, 

it’s how ta l they are. 

A seat bel that 

doesn’t fit properly can 

cause severe head, 

spine and abdominal 

injuries in a crash. 

So remember, keep 

your kids in the right 

carseat or booster seat 

until they’re 148cm ta l. 

Because the higher 

they sit, the safer the 


5 


ADVOCACY MATTERS 

Q&A: Is it legal to sell expired restraints in NZ? 

Recently we were asked this question by a concerned individual 

who found an expired car seat being sold at a second hand shop. 

As we found out, determining the legality of selling expired child 

restraints is not a simple ‘black or white’ situation. 

In New Zealand, there is nothing in legislation that precludes the 

selling of an expired child restraint as such. 

Ask Mo’! 

Do you have a question 

about policies and laws 

relating to child safety? 

Ask Moses ‘Alatini, 

Safekids Policy Analyst at: 

Moses.Alatini@adhb.govt.nz 

However, according to the New Zealand 

Transport Agency (NZTA), the Land 

Transport Rule: Vehicle Equipment 

2004 requires child restraints to be 

installed in accordance with the 

manufacturer’s instructions. 

This means that if a child restraint 

is installed in a motor vehicle after 

the expiry date specified on the 

child restraint, it is therefore a 

breach of the rule. 

If an expired child restraint was sold by 

CALL TO ACTION: Safe disposal of mercury fever 

thermometers 

By Dr Patricia Bolton, Safekids NZ Policy Analyst 

a retailer, it could be argued that it was “not fit for purpose” and as 

such a breach of the Consumer Guarantees Act. 

While it is unclear if selling expired child restraints in New Zealand is 

illegal, Safekid’s position on buying child restraints is clear: Do not 

buy a child restraint that is past its expiry date. 

Safekids NZ recommendations when buying a child restraint: 

• The child restraint must fit your child and car correctly 

• It must meet an approved safety standard 

• Check the date when the child restraint was made 

• Do not buy a child restraint that is past its expiry date, or is 

missing parts. 

• Do not buy child restraints without knowing their history. 

• Do not use a car seat that has been in a crash 

For further information about this topic, or for more Safekids 

information about purchasing and using child restraints, visit: 

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/rules/vehicle-equipment-2004-qa.html 

www.mysafekids.org.nz/passengersafety 

Elemental mercury is a hazardous substance, and releases 

toxic vapour when items containing mercury, such as fever 

thermometers, are broken 1 . Mercury vapour can cause 

significant harm to the brain, nerves, lungs and kidneys 2 , and 

children are particularly vulnerable to its toxic effects 3 . Children 

can also be injured by mercury fever thermometer glass cuts if 

the thermometer glass breaks during use 4 . It is essential that a 

spill of mercury is cleaned up and disposed of in a special way 

to avoid ongoing exposure to mercury vapour (see Ministry of 

Health factsheet 5 ). 

The World Health Organization and Health Care Without Harm 

have established a global mercury-free initiative to support the 

removal of mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers 

from healthcare 6 . Whilst several District Health Boards in 

New Zealand have removed mercury-containing items from 

hospitals, the high number of mercury spill notifications to 

the National Poisons Centre in the past 5 years (466 mercury 

spill notifications July 2007-June 2012) indicates that many 

New Zealand households continue to use mercury fever 

thermometers 7 . 

Mercury thermometers must be disposed of at hazardous 

waste disposal facilities to avoid mercury re-entering the 

food chain through contamination of soil and waterways 8 . 

Unfortunately, in many regions of New Zealand access to 

hazardous waste disposal facilities is limited by convenience 

and expense. 

To support the safe disposal of mercury fever thermometers, 

Safekids NZ and Auckland Regional Public Health Service 

are investigating the potential for a national pharmacy based 

mercury fever thermometer disposal programme to be set 

up. Such a disposal programme would provide New Zealand 

families with a more accessible means to safely and responsibly 

dispose of mercury fever thermometers as hazardous waste at 

their local pharmacy. 

Please contact Safekids NZ if you are interested in supporting 

a mercury fever thermometer disposal programme to prevent 

mercury related child harm and injury. 

Don’t mess with mercury. The US Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) produced a video demonstrating the health 

risks of mercury contamination to children. Visit the website 

to watch it: www.dontmesswithmercury.org 

For information on hazardous waste disposal facilities near you, 

contact your local council. To contact the author about this 

article, email 

Patricia.Bolton@adhb.govt.nz 

1 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile of Mercury. Atlanta, 

Georgia, USA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 

ATSDR, 1999. 

2 

World Health Organization. Elemental mercury and inorganic mercury compounds: Human 

health aspects. Concise International Chemical Assessment Document. CICAD 50. Geneva, 

Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2003. 

3 

Bose-O’Reilly S, McCarty KM, Steckling N, Lettmeier B. Mercury Exposure and Children’s 

Health. Current problems in pediatric and adolescent health care 2010;40(8):186-215. 

4 

Aprahamian N, Lee L, Shannon M, Hummel D, Johnston P, Kimia A. Glass thermometer 

injuries: It is not just about the mercury. Pediatric Emergency Care 2009;25(10):645-47. 

5 

Ministry of Health. Cleaning up mercury spills in your house. Wellington, New Zealand: 

Ministry of Health, 2012. Available from: http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/environmentalhealth/cleaning-mercury-spills-your-house. 

6 

Karliner J. Toward the Tipping Point. WHO-HCWH Global Initiative to Substitute Mercury- 

Based Medical Devices in Health Care. A Two-Year Progress Report, 2010. 

7 

National Poisons Centre. Data retrieved on 29 June 2012 by Lucy Shieffelbien. Dunedin, 

New Zealand. 2012 

8 

Ministry for the Environment. Mercury Inventory for New Zealand 2008. Wellington, 

New Zealand: Ministry for the Environment, 2009. 

6 


TRAUMA TEAM UPDATE: Starship Children’s Health 


Child cycling injury admissions to Starship 

Children’s Hospital January 2007 to December 2011 

Data supplied by Rangi Dansey, Starship Trauma Systems Coordinator. Analysis by Dr Patricia Bolton, Safekids NZ Policy Analyst 

During the 5 year period from January 2007 to December 2011, 

301 children between the ages of 0-14 years were admitted to 

Starship Children’s Hospital with unintentional cycling related 

injuries. This number of admissions equates to an average of 5 

admissions per month. 

Demographics 

Demographics of cycling injuries aligned with national data 1 , with 

the highest number of admissions being for Māori and European 

males aged 10-14 years. Fifty-eight percent (173) of cycling related 

admissions were children aged 10-14 years, thirty-eight percent 

(115) aged 5-9 years, and four percent (13) aged 0-4 years. The 

average age at admission was 10 years. 

The majority of children admitted were male (77%, 233). Nineteen 

percent (56) of children admitted were coded as Māori, eleven 

percent (34) Pacific, fifty-seven percent (171) European, six percent 

(18) Asian and seven percent (22) Other. 

Cycling injury admissions Jan 2007- Dec 2011 by ethnicity and age 

0-4 years 5-9 years 10-14 years Total 

Māori 4 15 37 56 

Pacific 4 16 14 34 

European 4 64 103 171 

Asian 0 9 9 18 

Other 1 11 10 22 

Total 13 115 173 301 

Seasonal trend 

Child cycling related admissions varied by month of the year, with 

the highest number of admissions during the warmer months of 

January-March. 

Place and mechanism 

The major places where injuries occurred were the street (117, 39%), 

followed by recreational areas (71, 24%) and the home (60, 20%). 

Fourteen percent (43) of accidents were coded as traffic accidents 

involving a motor-vehicle; the remaining eighty-six percent (258) of 

accidents were not traffic related. 

The main causes of injury were described as falling off, losing 

control, striking against/accidentally struck and motor vehicle 

collison (including collison with cars exiting driveways) 2 . 

Farm, 1, 0% 

Mine, 1, 0% 

Public Building, 3, 1% 

Unknown, 18, 6% 

Other, 31, 10% 

Home, 60, 20% 

PLACE OF INJURY 

Injury location and type 

When categorised by body region: 

Street, 117, 39% 

Recreation, 71, 24% 

• The upper extremity was the most common site of injury (38%, 

183), and upper extremity fractures were the leading cause of 

injury (36%, 171). 

• Fractures to the lower extremity (11%, 52), and abrasions, 

lacerations and contusions to the head and neck (10%, 48), 

lower extremity (9%, 43) and trunk (9%, 43) were the next most 

common injuries sustained. 

• Internal organ injury (8%, 36), and head and neck fracture (7%, 

32) were also prominent injuries. 

Cycling injury by body region 3 

Head and neck total 

• Concussion 

• Cerebral haemorrhage 

• Fracture 

• Abrasion/laceration/contusion 

Upper extremity total 

• Fracture 


• Other 

Lower extremity total 

• Fracture 


• Other 

Trunk total 

• Internal organ injury 

• Fracture 


Cycling injury 

(n=480) percentage 

120 

18 

22 

32 

48 

183 

171 

11 

1 

96 

52 

43 

1 

81 

36 

2 

43 

25% 

4% 

5% 

7% 

10% 

38% 

36% 

2% 

0% 

20% 

11% 

9% 

0% 

17% 

8% 

0% 

9% 

Injury severity 

Using the Injury Severity Score (ISS) (an internationally recognised 

method for calculating the combined severity of injuries sustained) 

ten percent (30) of injuries were moderate or severe (ISS ≥ 10). 

Length of hospital admission 

The median length of hospital admission for all children was 2 days. 

Median length of admission for moderate or severe injury (ISS ≥ 10) 

was 5.5 days; median length of admission for all other cases (ISS < 

10) was 1 day. 

Helmet use 

Helmet use was unknown for 56 percent (170) of admissions. Of 

the remaining admissions (44%, 131), fifty-three percent (69) were 

wearing a helmet when injured, and forty-seven percent (62) were not 

wearing a helmet when injured. For the 131 admissions where use of 

helmets was documented, there was no difference in helmet use by 

gender or age. Differences in helmet use by ethnicity may be present, 

however the high number of unknown helmet use limits interpretation. 

Key Safety Messages for Child Cyclists: 

• Be smart – plan safe cycle routes with an adult, the best riders 

are skilled riders. 

• Be safe – no helmet no bike. 

• Be seen – wear bright colours and use reflective gear. 

Key Safety Messages for Drivers 

• Slow Down and Look Out For Kids. 

1 Safekids New Zealand. Safekids New Zealand Position Paper: Child Cycling Injury 

Prevention. Auckland, Safekids New Zealand: 2012. 

2 Due to data description limitations figures for causes are not provided, so as to avoid 

inaccuracy and misrepresentation. 

3 A total of 486 injuries were coded for the 301 admissions. Six of these injuries (3 

abrasions and 3 contusions) are not included in the table as the body region affected was 

not specified. 

7 


Safety belts are 

designed to protect 

adults, NOT children. 

A booster seat 

used with a safety 

belt provides best 

protection for your 

child when they have 

grown out of their car 

seat. 

A booster seat 

will improve the fit 

of the vehicle safety 

belt and raise your 

child to window 

level. 

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Out & About Safety Resources 


THE NUMBERS: Fall Injuries 

8 

15 

9 

64 

3 9 

3 

72 7 0 0 

On a global scale, fall related injuries are 

one of the main causes of injury related 

child disabilities. In New Zealand, fall 

related injuries are the leading cause 

of unintentional child injury resulting in 

hospital admission, for children aged 0 –14 

years. 

3,901: The average number of children (2005-2009) hospitalised 

with fall-related injuries each year in New Zealand. This equates to 11 

hospital admissions a day. 

2: Number of children killed each year in New Zealand, on average 

from a fall-related injury (2003 – 2007). Children aged 0 to 4 years 

accounted for half of all deaths. 

75%: The percentage boys accounted for of all child fall-related 

deaths. 

Other useful facts: 

• Causes of deaths included falling from a wheelchair, playground 

equipment, on and from a ladder, out of or through a building or 

structure, tree, cliff and from one level to another. 

• Falls from playground equipment (37%) are the leading cause of 

fall related injury hospital admissions among children. 

• In New Zealand, hospital admissions for a fall related injury 

were significantly higher for children of Māori ethnicity (667.3 per 

100,000), than for any other ethnic group. 

More information can be found in Safekids’ new Factsheet: 

Childhood Unintentional Fall Related Injuries (2012). Download this 

at: 

www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/page/Factsheets 

SafekidsSupport@adhb.govt.nz 

Advocating for Run Over 

Prevention 

Keeping kids safe is a shared responsibility between 

families, communities, organisations, and decision 

makers. 

Local governments 

are very well placed 

to effectively 

prevent driveway 

run over injuries 

to children. This is 

because they can 

include driveway 

safety information 

within their District 

Plans, Annual Plans and other documents. 

One tool that can help guide you as an individual, coalition 

member, community group, or organisation about how to 

shape your local governments’ decisions is Safekids NZ’s 

Advocacy Guide: Working with local government to prevent 

driveway run over injuries. 

It contains information about: 

• The role of local government in child safety 

• Roles councils can play to improve driveway safety for 

children 

• How to influence what councils do to improve driveway 

safety 

• Step by step guide through the District Plan process 

• Background information about driveway run over injuries in 

New Zealand. 

To download this advocacy guide, visit: 

www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/page/Driveway_Runover 

ORDER FREE SAFEKIDS 

RESOURCES NOW! 

The theme for this year’s campaign is Child Cycling Injury 

Prevention and Safety Out & About, and Safekids has a list of 

resources that can help you promote important safety messages 

on the topics. 

‘Out & About’ injury themes include drowning, child pedestrian 

injuries, passenger injuries, ATVs and injuries at farm, 

unintentional cutting & piercing injuries, driveway run over injuries 

and falls. 

Safekids resources are provided FREE to those who deliver child 

injury prevention messages to communities in New Zealand. 

If you are attending Safety 2012, you can get free samples from 

our booth (Stand 10). 

Download the resource order form at: 

www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/page/Campaign_Tools 


Position Paper: 

CHILD CYCLING INJURY PREVENTION 

Photo credit: RIDE ON – Nelson/Tasman 


Booster Seats 

Save Lives 

Take the 5-Step Test to see if your 

child needs a booster seat 

8 


C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Community events 


GLEN INNES: Child Safety day promotes cycling, safety in 

& around cars 

The Glen Innes Neighbourhood Policing Team hosted a ‘Kid’s 

Safety Day’ focused on road safety issues, particularly on 

cycling safety, restraints and driveway safety. 

Held at the Glen Innes Community car park, more than 1000 people 

were in attendance. Aside from the Police, other organisations and 

businesses volunteered their staff and time to support the event. 

“It was great to see a huge amount of kids attending this event with 

their families and actually seeing both kids and parents taking the time 

to learn about road safety issues facing Glen Innes,” said Constable 

Alfred Faireka of the Neighbourhood Policing Team, Glen Innes Police 

Station. 

There was also plenty of entertainment, like colouring competitions, 

performances from pacific dance groups and prizes. 

“Thanks to Safekids, Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, BikeNZ, 

Bike Barn, Mad Butcher’s, G.I. McDonald’s, G.I. Pak’N’Save and all 

the other organisations and businesses involved for their support,” 

Constable Faireka said. 

WAITAKERE: CycleWest launched 

CycleWest is an Auckland Council led project offering cycling 

opportunities for the West Auckland community. Their aim is increase the 

number of residents choosing to cycle for sport, recreation or transport. 

cyclewest 

KIDSCLUB 

A fun safe environment for 

pre-schoolers to learn and 

develop their bike skills. 

A great opportunity to develop your childs motor and social skills. 

CycleWest includes, but is not limited to, programmes such as Learn to Ride (developed 

by Bike NZ), bike skills, BMX, mountain bike and road cycling. 

Parents involvement is encouraged. Bring your child and their 

bike and helmet. Some equipment is provided. 

WestWave SESSIONS 

Thursdays July - 13 August 19 July 11am - - 16 August 12pm 

1.30pm - 2.30pm 

Te Pai Netball Centre SESSIONS 

“A key component of this project is to develop Te Rangi Hiroa (Birdwood Reserve) as a 

regional hub for biking that caters for a range of skills, ages and activities,’ said Rochelle 

Young, Waitakere Bike Development Coordinator. 

CycleWest is also working with primary schools within the West Auckland area to deliver 

the Bike NZ Learn2Ride programme. “Sometimes safety messages delivered at school 

do not reach home where it is required, such as information around bike safety for 

parents,” she said. 

Mondays 20 August - 24 September 11am - 12pm 

Thursdays 23 August - 27 September 1.30pm - 2.30pm 

Cost 

$3.50 

per session 

Rochelle Young on 966 3103 or 021 687 682 

For further information please contact 

Safekids is supporting this initiative by providing safety resources for kids to take home, 

such as the Be Smart, Be Safe, Be Seen cycle safety resource. 

For more information about CycleWest, or about Safekids resources and information 

about safe cycling, contact/ visit: 

rochelle.young@sportwaitakere.co.nz (for CycleWest) 

www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/page/Cyclist 

9 




DUNEDIN: Coalition scores win for walking & cycling safety 

The Dunedin Safekids Coalition scored a major advocacy win 

for cyclists and pedestrians in the Otago Region after their 

submission helped influence positive changes in the region’s 

3-year transport programme. 

Earlier this year the coalition met with 

Suzanne Watt of the Otago Regional 

Council, to discuss the Otago Regional 

Land Transport Programme (RLTP) 2012- 

2015. The programme sets the direction for 

transportation activity in the Otago region 

over the next three years. 

Following the meeting, the coalition agreed 

on making a joint submission, focusing on 

the following recommendations: 

• That the balance of the programme 

needs more weight on safer walking 

and cycling routes; and that it should 

encourage cycle skills and cycling as a 

method of school transport. 

• That the priority band for the Southern 

Commuter Route A* be increased, 

supporting the council’s road safety 

programme and strategic cycling 

network. 

“The coalition noted that in South 

Dunedin, 30-40% of households 

do not have access to cars. Our 

submission recommended that 

the RLTP place more emphasis on 

interventions to reduce the risk of 

injury and death to child cyclists,” 

said Coalition Leader and Safe and 

Sustainable Travel Co-ordinator 

Charlotte Flaherty. 

Their recommendations also supported 

individual submissions made by some 

members of the coalition. The Safekids 

Dunedin Coalition is composed of Plunket, 

Police, Cycling Otago, Transition Valley 

473; Dunedin City Council, Public Health 

South, Sport Otago, St John’s and the Valley 

Project community and various education 

groups. 

In June, the coalition received a very 

positive response from the committee 

managing the RLTP. “The Southern 

Commuter Route priority band has been 

raised, and the committee rejected a 

proposal to delay further construction 

of a shared cycle walkway as a result 

of submissions in favour of cycle 

infrastructure,” Charlotte added. 

Well done team! 

For more information about the Dunedin 

Safekids Coalition, contact 

cflahert@dcc.govt.nz 

Booster Rooster Still Flying! 

Sometimes parents just don’t know, 

so one of Safekids’ goals was to 

develop a tool to make it easy for 

parents to tell if children still need a 

booster seat. 

Within 2 years over 70,000 Booster 

Rooster height charts have been 

distributed across the country, making 

it one of our most successful Safekids 

resources ever. 

You can still order height charts—but 

be quick as they are flying from our 

shelves faster than you can say cock 

a doodle doo!! 

Watch Booster Rooster in action at 

communities across New Zealand by 

visiting the website: 

http://youtube/HfGVNygfCA8 

TARANAKI: Under 5s safer thanks to free safety gates 

While the numbers are decreasing 

for child fall injuries in Taranaki 

over the last decade, the injury 

issue is still the leading cause for 

hospitalisation for children under 5 

in the area. This is why a safety gate 

rental scheme was launched with 

the goal of helping parents create a 

safe home environment for kids. 

The rentals scheme by KidSafe Taranaki Trust 

started in 2011 with 40 child safety gates 

available for loan (with a bond) to low income 

families with children under five years old. 

After strong support and uptake, the Trust 

now anticipates a total of 130 safety gates 

will be available throughout the region. 

“Active supervision of children and providing 

a safe home environment using safety 

devices, such as safety gates, are important 

strategies for preventing child falls injuries,” 

said Eloise Pollard, Health Promoter, Public 

Health Unit, Taranaki District Health Board 

Funding for the scheme was provided by 

TSB Community Trust and The Sunshine 

Trust. Ten safety gates were allocated to the 

Waitara community, in recognition of Kidsafe 

Taranaki Trust founder, the late Dr Alan 

Parsons. 

For more information about the safety 

gate rental scheme, email 

Eloise.Pollard@tdhb.org.nz 

Free safety gates. Eloise Pollard, 

Taranaki DHB Health Promoter 

and Gabrielle Patten, Plunket New 

Plymouth Carseat Coordinator. 

10 




TOKOROA: helping teen drivers identify the ‘fatal 5’ 

Targeting the Fatal Five – Alcohol, speed, restraints, dangerous/ high risk drivers and dangerous driving – 

was the focus of the recent Teen Driving Expo held in Tokoroa last May. 

Held at the South Waikato YMCA, students from local high schools 

and youth institutions were invited to ‘experience’ road safety. 

The event was organised by the NZ Police’s Road Policing, Youth 

Education and Alcohol Harm Reduction Teams in the Taupo Area, 

and sponsored by South Waikato District Road Safety Coordinator 

Robert Cathie. 

The event featured interactive activities that appealed to 

the young audience, such as identifying driving hazard 

identification using a computer and using the fatal vision 

goggles in an obstacle course. Goodies were also handed 

out, such as the ‘ghost chips’ wrist bands that were 

inspired by the popular NZTA drink driving advertisement. 

The Safekids Driveway Safety Kit was also on display, 

letting everyone see what they can’t see—their siblings, 

cousins or neighbours around cars when they are in the 

driver’s seat. 

And to make sure the important messages sunk in, guest 

speakers delivered talks about their involvement in fatal 

motor vehicle crashes—including a story about a child run over 

incident. 

“The idea was to do hands-on stuff and hands on work” said 

Constable Louise Samuel, Tokoroa Police Education Officer. “It’s 

all about being interactive and getting the teens to participate 

and even contribute to the discussions,” said Constable Louise 

Samuel. 

The event was a success, with a fully engaged audience, positive 

comments from parents, and requests for follow up events in the 

future. 

For more information about this event, contact: 

Ann-Louise.Samuel@police.govt.nz 

Robert.Cathie@southwaikato.govt.nz 

WHANGANUI: School caretakers are onboard 

Driveway run over messages are reaching schools in Whanganui, 

thanks to the Whanganui Well Child Coalition, and the School 

Caretakers and Property Managers Network. 

Safekids coordinator and public health 

nurse Marianne Vine spoke with school 

caretakers and property managers last 

year about driveway run over being an 

injury issue for school children and their 

younger siblings. 

She also shared Safekids’ messages and 

resources including the ‘warning sign’ 

stickers. 

“Since then we’ve had feedback from 

school staff and the public who have 

seen our messages,” Marianne said. 

Here’s one from Ken Savage, school 

caretaker of Durie Hill School in 

Whanganui, who goes about operating 

his school sweeper and at the same time 

promotes run over prevention messages! 

Run over ‘warning signs’ and other safety 

and awareness resources are available 

free to community groups and individuals 

who want to support the Safekids 

Campaign. 

The Whanganui Safekids driveway run 

over kit caretaker is Te Heti Te Kohanga 

Reo. 

To order our free resources, borrow 

the Whanganui driveway kit, or to 

download our order form or contact: 

www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/page/ 

Campaign_Tools 

campaign@safekids.org.nz 

lisa@teheti.co.nz (driveway kit) 

11 




NEW PLYMOUTH: Police on board with Driveway Messages 

One of the major projects 

undertaken in the last Safekids 

Campaign was the distribution of 

driveway safety kits across the 

country. These kits are used to 

demonstrate the dangers of slow 

moving vehicles to children, such as 

this event in New Plymouth. 

As reported by the Taranaki Daily News, 

Sergeant George White encourages 

people to experience the Safekids 

demonstration which proved how 

difficult it was to see children from a 

standard motor vehicle. 

The demonstration shows that all cars 

have a blind zone that prevents drivers 

from seeing a young child. “And if they’re 

sitting on the ground playing with a 

crayon, you can’t see them for more than 

8 metres,” Mr White told the Daily 

News. 

“Drivers need to be more cautious. 

Either back out slower, or get out and 

have a look before you get going - 

don’t be in a hurry,” he said. 

Communities in New Zealand can 

borrow the kit at no cost. To locate the 

Safekids kit nearest to your location, 

and for more information about how it 

works, visit: 

www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/page/ 

driveway-run-over-kit-locations 

www.mysafekids.org.nz/ 

drivewayrunover 

Photo credit: North Taranaki Midweek. 

NELSON: Plunket ‘Safety Week’ turns up a notch 

After two successful test runs, 

Nelson Tasman Bays Plunket is 

ready to take its ‘Safety Weeks’ 

programme to the next level. 

The Safety Weeks are being offered to 

early childcare centres in Nelson and 

Tasman, free of charge. “Our goal is to 

regularly deliver child safety messages to 

our preschools, using a variety of effective, 

child-friendly tools,” said Plunket Nelson 

Safety Officer Jo Hender. 

The tools include puppets (Buckle Bear to 

promote road and pedestrian safety, and 

Safekids’ Booster Rooster for passenger 

safety), and interactive demonstrations 

(the Driveway Safety Kit and Burns 

Demonstration Kit). 

The programme also targeted the 

parents and caregivers, offering Plunket 

car seat checking clinic services to 

those driving their children to school. 

WAIMAKARIRI: Teddy stays out 

of trouble! 

Teddy Stays Out of Trouble was the hot ticket in Rangiora last July, with 

hundreds of children and their teddies turning up for a day of fun and 

learning. 

Throughout the day, children and their families learned valuable safety and first aid 

messages from St. John, the Police, Fire Service and Surf Life Saving. Messages 

included Safekid’s The Higher You Sit, the Safer the Fit (Passenger safety), Hot 

Water Burns Like Fire (Burns prevention) and Check, Supervise & Separate 

(Driveway Run over). 

“We used the teddies as a medium for learning. By teaching the children how to take care 

of their teddies, it was easy for them to learn how to keep themselves safe,” said Injury 

Prevention Waimakariri Programme Coordinator Sarah Lodge-Whitham. 

For information about this event, contact: 

sarah.lodge@wmk.govt.nz 

Welcome Tori! 

Plunket Nelson/ Tasman Bays welcomes 

Tori Goode who was recently appointed 

as Plunket Safety Co-ordinator for the 

area. Tori will be promoting the Nelson 

Tasman Bay’s Safety Weeks campaign, 

and will be actively promoting the 

Safekids driveway signs as part of her 

role. 

“We would like to thank Whangarei 

Parents centre for purchasing a 400mm 

x 400mm sign from us. We now have a 

stock of the sign in this size and will post 

them to North Island destinations for $50 

each including postage and GST, and 

South Island Destinations for $45 each 

incl postage and GST. We can also order, 

on demand, the signs in 610mm x 610mm 

dimensions and supply them for $70 each 

including GST (not including postage),” 

Tori said. 

If you are interested in purchasing the 

driveway warning signs from Plunket 

Nelson/ Tasman Bay, contact: 

Jo.Hender@plunket.org.nz 

12 




Rotorua: ‘Safety Rocks’ spring campaign under way 

Thousands of paving stones will be 

sent to childcare centres around 

Rotorua this spring, all part of an 

innovative education campaign 

that aims to promote important 

messages to help keep young 

children from being run over in their 

home driveways. 

Launched early this year, Treasure Rotorua/ 

Safekids Rotorua coalition’s ‘Safety Rocks’ 

encourages families to identify a safe, 

supervised location where children stand 

and wait (their waving spot) while vehicles 

in the driveway are being moved. “It’s 

important that drivers can see the children 

on their Safety Rocks so they’re absolutely 

certain that the children are not in the path of 

the vehicle,” said Safety Rocks project team 

leader Julie Millar. 

Rotorua District 

Council also 

distributed car 

polishing cloths 

with the Safekids 

warning sign— 

what a ‘neat’ 

way to promote 

prevention 

messages in 

driveways! 

The paving stones are provided to childcare 

organisations in the area, free of charge. 

“Safety Rocks are painted by the children in 

their own design which increases ownership 

of their safe waving space at home, whilst 

also developing art skills. Once dry, the 

rocks are taken home and placed in their 

identified safe waving spot,” Julie added. 

The Ngongotaha Lions Club and 

international students (past and present) 

from Waiariki Institute of Technology helped 

to basecoat the pavers before delivering 

them to early childhood centres. “With their 

help, we have 2,800 pavers done and waiting 

to be delivered to childcare organisations in 

the Rotorua district this spring! 

Generous financial support for the project 

has been provided by three local agencies, 

namely Creative Communities, Drivewise 

and Treasure Rotorua. “We would also 

like to thank Rotorua District Council, 

Treasures Rotorua/ Safekids Rotorua 

Coalition members, and other organisations 

for donating or giving discounts on 

the materials we used. They include 

Placemakers, Firth, Resene, Wattyl, Paint 

Aids, Damar Industries, Colin Millar, Mozart 

Graphic Identity and Paper Plus,” Julie 

added. 

For more information about the ‘Safety 

Rock’ campaign, email 

safetyrockpainting@gmail.com 

WAIRARAPA: Holiday programme on 

cycling, driveway, truck safety a hit 

In the Wairarapa, the local coalition organised a school holiday programme 

which promoted cycling, driveway run over and truck safety in partnership 

with the Masterton Safe and Healthy Community Council (MSHCC). 

“The event was a huge success, with 

9-13 year olds moving through a series 

of stations where they learned safety 

messages and skills. This included a truck 

safety station led by Sandy Walker from 

the Road Transport Association and the 

local truck company, McCarthy’s,” said 

Kerry Hefferen, Road Safety Coordinator 

from the Wairarapa Road Safety Council. 

Other stations include the ‘Be Seen’ stop, 

where children made there own reflective 

cut outs to put on bike frames and 

helmets, and a video presentation stop on 

the risks of cycling without helmets. 

A helmet fitting and bicycle check station 

was also in place, thanks to the Masterton 

Avanti Plus who assigned a mechanic 

who made much needed bike repairs. 

An obstacle course was also set up, 

designed to test and improve the 

children’s bike handling skills. Exercises 

include a slow ride, slalom, hand signals, 

braking exercises, straight line riding and 

looking back. 

Younger children also got involved, thanks 

to the Safekids Driveway Safety Kit and 

Masterton’s new road safety mascot, Jack 

the Kaka. 

Finally, a colouring competition which 

promoted helmet use was held. 

Representatives from the Fire Service 

were the judges and they awarded 27 

cycle helmets as prizes. 

For more information about the Wairarapa 

safety-themed holiday 

programme, email: 

rsc@wairsc.org.nz 

(Kerry) 

13 


PRODUCT SAFETY & EVENTS 

CONSUMER ALERT: CHILD INGESTION DANGERS 

OF ‘SUPER MAGNETS’ 

Sets of small powerful magnets marketed as desk 

toys and puzzles for adults have become increasingly 

popular. Sold under a variety of brand names and from 

various sources including over the Internet, the sets are 

typically comprised of numerous – it can be as many 

as 1000 - identical and in the main 

spherical, or occasionally cubeshaped 

magnets, approximately 4 to 

6 millimetres in size. 

These magnets are very strong, and 

most are Neodymium-Iron-Boron or 

NIB sometimes referred to as rare earth 

magnets. It is the strength of these 

magnets that enable them to be crafted into 

intricate 3 dimensional shapes. 

Whilst there have been no reported cases 

so far in New Zealand relating to infants 

and children swallowing or inhaling these 

types of magnets, there have been reported 

cases of serious harms from the US and 

Australia and there have sadly been some 

fatalities. 

The problem arises when more than 

one magnet is swallowed or inhaled and 

because of their strength they become 

attracted to each other in, for example, 

the digestive tract. This can lead to serious 

blockages, fistulas and perforations that 

in some cases can require major invasive 

surgery. 

A wide range of ages of children has featured in the reported cases. 

With infants and the very young it would appear that swallowing has 

been as a result of the natural curiosity and ‘mouthing’ activities 

that feature at that age. 

Older children – some in their early teens – have ingested or 

aspirated magnets when for example they have been 

using them to mimic body piercing jewellery. 

The risks of harm are sometimes exacerbated when 

the children involved cannot tell adults what has 

happened as is the case with the very young or if 

older children are too worried or embarrassed to say 

anything. Delay in treatment can be harmful. 

Consumer Affairs within the Ministry of Business, 

Innovation and Employment is currently investigating 

the issue as a matter of urgency and will be looking at 

what measures might be required to effect controls on 

the sale and supply of these magnets sets. 

In the meantime Consumer Affairs would advise 

anyone owning or thinking of buying one of these 

sets to take care that very young children are not able 

to gain access to them and that older children are 

made very aware of the dangers of misusing these 

products. 

For more information and if you have questions, 

contact the Ministry through the website, or follow the 

CPSC link for more safety information: 

Photo credit: www.cpsc.gov 

Photo credit: www.saferproducts.gov 

www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz 

http://www.cpsc.gov/info/magnets/index.html 

Alcohol and children’s injuries 

Safekids New Zealand Director Ann Weaver presented at the 

Alcohol Action NZ 3rd Annual Conference, focusing on the 

link between child injuries and alcohol abuse. 

In her presentation Ann said children are vulnerable as a result of 

other people’s risky drinking, which may result in the risk taking 

behaviours of intoxicated adults. She also highlighted opportunities 

for interventions Safekids New 

Zealand has taken, such as 

promoting active “sober” supervision. 

Her presentation echoed that of Dr 

Nick Baker, Chair of the Child & Youth 

Mortality Review Committee, who 

said alcohol use is often a factor in 

the deaths of babies and children. 

“Every baby needs a sober caregiver. 

Sometimes children are harmed by 

being in the care of someone who is 

unable to keep them safe properly 

because they are intoxicated,” 

Nick said. “Older children face added risks from drinking alcohol 

themselves or being in the company of people who are drunk.” 

The Child & Youth Mortality Review Committee operates under the 

umbrella of the Health Quality & Safety Commission. To watch this 

video, or for more information about ‘babies, children and alcohol’ 

and the Commission, visit: 

14 

www.mysafekids.org.nz (in the news) 

www.hqsc.govt.nz (search: babies, children and alcohol) 

Burns Support: Camp ‘Awhi’ 2012 

The Burn Support Group Charitable Trust Camp was held this 

year in Rotorua. Following a tradition of naming each camp, it 

was decided that this year would be Camp Awhi—meaning to 

‘cradle or embrace in your arms’. 

“The camp is for families with children aged between 7 and 18 who 

have sustained a burn injury, and offers an opportunity for mutual 

support among burn survivors,” said Burn Support Trust President 

George Stephens 

Each child had the opportunity to take part in all the activities which 

included kayaking, mud run, go karts, Burma trail, water slide, 

magic carpet ride and the favourite by far horse riding. A lot of the 

children had never done horse riding before, so it was nice being 

able to watch their little faces light up during 

the trek. 

Aside from offering burns survivor support, 

the trust is also a Safekids Campaign partner, 

promoting child burn injury prevention 

messages to communities, such as the first 

aid message ‘Seconds to burn BUT at least 

20 minutes to cool!’ 

For more information about Burn 

Support, the camp and burns 

prevention, contact or visit: 

info@burns.org.nz 

www.burns.org.nz 

www.safekids.org.nz/index. 

php/page/Burns 


ACC SAFETY WEEK 

SAFETY WEEK IS HERE! 

Falls are a major cause of injury for 

kids around the home – but what 

many people don’t realise is that 

parents and caregivers also have 

serious falls at home. Each year 

over 100,000 people aged 25-64 fall 

at home. Thousands of the resulting 

injuries are so serious that they 

require more than a month off work 

to recover. 

The injuries sustained by parents and caregivers can impact greatly 

on their ability to care for children and participate in their activities. 

Imagine not being able to take your kids to school or watch them 

perform in the school production. 

ACC’s Safety Week from 1-7 October 2012 is about helping to 

prevent these types of injuries. 

The theme for Safety Week this year is ‘Fight the 5’. 

ACC is encouraging everyone to take action against common home 

hazards. Moss, rugs, power cords, chairs and puddles are some 

of the biggest culprits when it comes to serious falls in and around 

New Zealand homes. 

But the good news, it’s surprisingly easy to fight these five hazards 

and make your home a safer place for you and your children. 

• Moss - remove moss from paths and steps so you don’t slip. 

Cut trees and shrubs back to prevent shade – a condition that 

moss thrives in. 

BIG LEAP FOR JOSHUA! 

We recently received great news from Joshua Ward 

and mum Lara. Both were the face of the 2007 

Safekids Campaign which resulted in the removal 

of caustic detergents (pH higher than 12.5) from 

supermarket shelves in New Zealand. 

The 2007 campaign, sponsored by Starship Foundation 

and Barfoot & Thompson, has been a success. There have 

been no serious caustic detergent ingestion injury admission 

similar to Joshua’s since then. 

Joshua was just 19 months old when he swallowed 

dishwashing powder, which left him with terrible injuries. At 

5 years old he had already undergone almost 50 operations 

to remove scar tissue from his throat, was fed through a tube 

and needed 24-hour care. 

Early this year Joshua (now 9 years old) had his tracheotomy 

tube removed. Lara sent us a photo of Joshua’s first 

swimming experience. “Wow he put his head under water, 

eight years worth! He cupped my face with both hands and 

whispered ‘Mum, you have to let me go now!’ It wasn’t easy, 

but I did!” 

“He has such a wonderful team up at Starship, and we would 

like to thank Safekids from the bottom of my heart, for being 

there in those early dark days,” 

Thanks Joshua and Lara for being a part of the Safekids 

Campaign. Thanks also to Starship Foundation for 

sponsoring the Safekids Campaign. 

• Power cords – snaking power cords and general clutter are 

tripping hazards – secure cords out of harm’s way and tidy up 

mess regularly. Keep walkways clear. 

• Rugs and mats – fasten rugs or mats to floors and stairs. Fix upturned 

carpet to avoid nasty trips. 

• Chairs – chairs aren’t ladders and are very unstable if you stand 

on them. Using a ladder or step-ladder is much safer. 

• Puddles – wet areas are hazardous – wipe up spills or make 

bathrooms safer with non-slip shower, bath and floor mats. 

If you haven’t registered your organisation for Safety Week yet, it’s not 

too late – visit the home safety website and register for regular updates 

and great ideas on how you and your organisation can get involved. 

www.homesafety.co.nz 

2007 

2012 

Joshua and Lara (top photo) at the Safekids 

Campaign in 2007, launching Australasia’s 

first poisoning prevention website. 

15 


INFO CENTRE UPDATE 

The Safekids Information Centre and Resource Room 

The Safekids Information and Centre and 

Resource Room is a professional library service 

with a comprehensive collection of national 

and international material collected since 1993. 

We aim to promote and assist child injury 

prevention work throughout New Zealand by 

providing useful and appropriate resources and 

information services which include: 

✔✔ 

Information about any area of unintentional 

child injury and its prevention. 

✔✔ 

Resource material and information about 

planning interventions, education, training 

sessions and campaigns. 

✔✔ 

Child injury issues, trends and emerging 

issues. 

At the Information and Resource Centre, you 

will find: 

• Academic literature - journal articles, 

research, reports. 

• Books on injury prevention, health promotion 

and programme development. 

• Journals and newsletters from prevention 

agencies. 

• Examples of prevention programmes and 

campaign literature, pamphlets and posters. 

• Sample copies of New Zealand child-safety 

resources. 

• Training resources, teaching kits, information 

kits. 

• Education resources, including DVDs. 

• Media ‘clippings’, organised by subject. 

• Access to significant electronic reference 

resources such as Medline and e-journals. 

Use our library catalogue search engine at 

our website (this searches our ‘Inmagic, DB/ 

TextWorks’ library database) and the ‘Links’ 

page for online information on child injury 

prevention. The KidsInfo Bulletin is our bulletin 

of selected child injury prevention-related 

items added to our collection. Safekids 

News, Safekids resources, project plans and 

presentations, factsheets, position papers and 

other research are also all available online. 

We act as an information clearinghouse, and if 

we don’t have the answer to your question we 

probably know someone who will. Information 

is provided at no charge to you. 

For queries, please contact our Information 

Specialist, Wayne Carter, phone/email 

+64 9 631 0724 

infocentre@safekids.org.nz 

The Safekids Information & Resource Centre is 

located on the 5th Floor, Cornwall Complex, 40 

Claude Road, Epsom, Auckland 1023, New Zealand. 

New additions to the library 

The Safekids Information & Resource Centre collects research and other material which adds to our knowledge about 

child injury and its prevention. Here is some of the material added to our collection recently: 

Trauma Team Update 

We have created a new webpage at our 

website where the PDFs of all of the Starship 

‘Trauma Team Update’ columns which have 

appeared in Safekids News since the start 

of 2008 are gathered together in one place 

where they are easy to review and access. 

http://www.safekids.org.nz/index.php/ 

page/trauma-team-update 

Recent topics include: 

Injuries to children as riders and 

passengers of motorbikes and ATVs 

(May 2006 to April 2012). 

Safekids News Issue 57, June 2012: 6. 

This article is based on data from the 

Starship Trauma System and examines 

injury admissions related to riding or being 

a passenger on a motorbikes or all terrain 

vehicle (ATV)/ quad bike. Includes sections 

on: Traffic versus non-traffic, Quad bike/ ATV, 

Helmets, Ethnicity, Place of injury, Seasonal 

trend, Safekids key messages for ATV/ quad 

bike safety. Includes tables and charts. 

Reference number 9744 

Admissions to Starship Children’s Hospital 

from dog bites January 2009 to December 

2011. 

Safekids 

News Issue 

56, March 

2012: 6. 

This article 

is based on 

data from 

16 

Safekids News: September 2012 Issue No 58 

the Starship Trauma System and examines 

injury admissions related to dog bites from 

Jan. 2009 - Dec. 2011. Includes tables and 

charts. 


Injury admissions related to small 

wheeled objects. 

Safekids News Issue 54, September 2011: 6. 


Starship Trauma System and examines injury 

admissions related to small wheeled objects 

such as skateboards, scooters and skates. 

The peaks of injuries are in the 10-14 year 

old age group and involve falls. Includes 

table and charts and ethnicity data. 


Injury admissions: At the beach, by the 

pool, 2007-2010. 

Safekids News Issue 55, December 2011: 6. 


Starship Trauma System and examines injury 

admissions related to near-drownings and 

other injuries such as falls at the beach 

or by the pool. Includes information on 

admissions, time of year and ethnicity. 

Includes tables and charts. 


Winter admissions for unintentional 

injuries. 

Safekids News Issue 53, June-August 2011: 

8-9 


Starship Trauma System and examines 

injury admissions which occur during winter. 

Includes information on cause of injury 

(such as fall, transport, caught accidentally in 

or between objects, striking against/ struck 

accidentally, cutting, etc), cause of admission, 

time of year and place of injury. Includes 

several tables and charts. 


Contact us 

If you are interested in any of these items 

or the topics mentioned please contact the 

Information & Resource Centre on (09) 631 

0724 or infocentre@safekids.org.nz. You can 

also ask to be put on the emailing list for 

KidsInfo Bulletin, our bulletin of selected 

child injury prevention-related items added 

to our collection (emailed out every two 

months). 

Our database can also be searched online 

at www.safekids.org.nz. Also see www. 

mysafekids.org.nz and follow us on Twitter 

at www.twitter.com/safekidsnz. 

We are always pleased to help 

with all your child injury prevention 

enquiries.

MUST SEE CHILD INJURY PREVENTION SESSIONS! - Safekids

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