Many head injuries are the result of accidents that are difficult to predict or avoid. However, there are some ways to reduce your risk.
Safety helmets
Cyclists and motorcyclists can protect their head by wearing a properly fitting safety helmet. British Standard safety helmets are a legal requirement for motorcyclists.
Research commissioned by the Department for Transport found that bicycle helmets 'should be effective at reducing the risk of head injury'.
However, it's difficult to be certain about the benefits of cycle helmets. This is because data about road accidents that involve cyclists may not contain all of the relevant information. For example, the data may not explain where exactly the head injury occurred, which makes it difficult to determine whether a helmet might have prevented the injury.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) all support the use of cycle helmets and suggest that they may help to reduce head injuries.
Safety in the home
Following sensible health and safety guidelines can help prevent accidents in the home. To help keep your home and garden as safe as possible you should:
keep stairways tidy so that you don't trip over anything
use appropriate safety equipment if you're doing any kind of DIY
don't stand on an unstable chair to change a light bulb – use a stepladder
clean up any spillages to prevent someone slipping over
Following sensible health and safety guidelines can help prevent accidents in the home. To help keep your home and garden as safe as possible you should:
keep stairways tidy so that you don't trip over anything
use appropriate safety equipment if you're doing any kind of DIY
don't stand on an unstable chair to change a light bulb – use a stepladder
clean up any spillages to prevent someone slipping over
Childproofing your home
It's not possible to childproof your home completely. However, you can take steps to keep toddlers and young children safe at home. For example, you can:
check that windows are lockable and can't be opened by your child, particularly bedroom windows
move furniture, such as beds, sofas and chairs away from windows to prevent your child climbing up and falling out
fit safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs
It's not possible to childproof your home completely. However, you can take steps to keep toddlers and young children safe at home. For example, you can:
check that windows are lockable and can't be opened by your child, particularly bedroom windows
move furniture, such as beds, sofas and chairs away from windows to prevent your child climbing up and falling out
fit safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs
Safety at work
To reduce the risk of sustaining a head injury at work, always follow any necessary health and safety guidelines. For example, you may have to wear a hard hat when working in potentially hazardous areas.
Only use ladders in a workplace environment for short-term, light work. Any work that requires spending a considerable amount of time at height, or involves heavy lifting, should be carried out on scaffolding or another suitable platform.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides more information about the correct use of ladders in the workplace, including a list of common tasks that involve working at height.
Any work that involves going up onto a roof should also be considered high-risk and therefore high standards of safety are essential.
To reduce the risk of sustaining a head injury at work, always follow any necessary health and safety guidelines. For example, you may have to wear a hard hat when working in potentially hazardous areas.
Only use ladders in a workplace environment for short-term, light work. Any work that requires spending a considerable amount of time at height, or involves heavy lifting, should be carried out on scaffolding or another suitable platform.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides more information about the correct use of ladders in the workplace, including a list of common tasks that involve working at height.
Any work that involves going up onto a roof should also be considered high-risk and therefore high standards of safety are essential.
Sport safety
Wear any necessary safety equipment when playing sports, particularly contact sports. Don't play any contact sports after a head injury without first consulting your GP.
Wear any necessary safety equipment when playing sports, particularly contact sports. Don't play any contact sports after a head injury without first consulting your GP.
tags: Severe head injury - Prevention, Prevention, head injury, head, injury, Severe head injury, Many
head injuries are the result of accidents that are difficult to predict
or avoid., However, there are some ways to reduce your risk., Safety helmets, Safety in the home, Childproofing your home, Safety at work, Sport safety.
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