Stumptown Shooters

From: "Donald J Haarmann"

Date: Thu, 19 May 2005 10:16:33 -0400

X-Message-Number: 7

New Scientist

9 vi 01

EACH YEAR around this time Feedback's favourite government report appears-the Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System report from Britain's Department of Trade and Industry. It gives figures for accidents reported by people admitted to a sample group of British hospitals and then gives extrapolated estimates for the country as a whole.

First the bad news in this year's report, which is based on 1999 data: the toll of accidents caused by tea cosies is up again, with a national estimate of 37 tea cosy injuries, compared with 20 the previous year. Equally alarming, the number of accidents caused by place mats—a menace we have paid too little attention to in the past-is up from 157 to 165 across the country as a whole.

These worrying figures are somewhat balanced by a welcome decline in another area of concern-sponge and loofah accidents. The shocking previous total of 996 nationwide is now down to 787.

But the major causes of concern are still with us. The number of people hospitalised after a trouser accident (up from 5137 to 5945) is worryingly high, while the drop in injuries inflicted by armchairs (down from 18,690 to 16,662) leaves little room for complacency. Hospitalisations caused by socks and tights have also risen (10,773 compared to 9843 previously), while injuries inflicted by vegetables remain unacceptably high at 13,132 compared with the previous year's 12,362.

The number of accidents involving tree trunks has also risen from 1777 to 1810, while leaf accidents have soared from 664 to 1171, with a similar increase in birdbath accidents from 117 to 311.

Many people will also be shocked by the number of accidents caused by beanbags, which has risen from 957 to 1317. The seriousness of this menace becomes clear when measured against the 329 injuries caused by meat cleavers or the 439 caused by rat or mouse poison.

In fact, the report makes it clearer than ever that our homes are full of unacknowledged dangers. It identifies 3421 people nationwide as having been injured by clothes baskets, while other threats include dust pans (146 injuries), bread bins (91), talcum powder (73), toilet roll holders (329), clogs (622), false teeth (933) and Wellington boots (5615).

As in the past, printed magazines like New Scientist caused far more injuries than chainsaws-4371 compared with 1207.

So remember-you can't be too careful.

Donald j haarmann

----------------------------

Kind makes those darn "Dangerous" Fireworks seem

just a bit more user-friendly doesn’t it?


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