Accident in the Home and School: Measure for Safety – JSS1 Social Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Accidents are unplanned events that cause injury or harm, and they can happen at home, in school and at the workplace. Common examples are fire outbreaks, burns, electric shocks, cuts, falls and drowning. Safety measures are the steps people take to prevent these accidents. This note lists the common accidents and the safety measures for each place.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• list common accidents that happen at home and in school;
• state safety measures that prevent accidents at home;
• state safety measures that prevent accidents in the school environment;
• state safety measures that prevent accidents at the workplace.

What accidents happen at home and in school?

Different accidents occur while carrying out a task at home or in the school environment. These accidents need safety measures. They include:

1. Fire outbreaks
2. Burns from pressing irons
3. Hot water burns
4. Sliding in the bathroom
5. Knife or razor blade cuts
6. Electric shocks through electrical appliances
7. Bone fractures from knocking the leg against hard objects like stairs
8. Burning of the skin from splashes of chemicals during experiments in the school laboratory
9. Injury to students’ eyes when teachers cane or beat them
10. Falling from the school staircase
11. Drowning in the swimming pool
12. Fractures while running or playing on the pitch, etc.

What are the safety measures at home?

1. To prevent electric shocks, the house should be properly wired by professionals.
2. Gas cylinders should be properly closed to prevent gas leakage.
3. Petrol and kerosene should be kept far from the reach of children.
4. The use of candles, mosquito coils, boiling rings, etc. should be avoided if possible.
5. Bathroom floors should be scrubbed regularly, and old bathroom tiles should be replaced.
6. All electrical gadgets and sockets should be checked when going out of the house or before going to bed at night.
7. The bush around the house should be cleared constantly to prevent snakes, scorpions and other dangerous animals and insects.

What are the safety measures in the school environment?

1. The school building should be constructed properly, with the necessary safety measures put in place.
2. Fire extinguishers should be provided in strategic locations, particularly in laboratories and offices.
3. Sports masters and, where possible, a nurse should be available during inter-house sports or special sporting events.
4. Lifeguards and swimming instructors should be around when students are using the swimming pool.
5. Dangerous chemicals used in laboratories should be kept in special rooms that students cannot enter.
6. School food should be carefully prepared and served to avoid food poisoning.
7. School buses should be in good condition and should be driven by professional drivers.
8. First aid kits should be provided in the school clinic, the laboratories and all departments in the school environment.

What are the safety measures at the workplace?

1. Fire extinguishers should be kept in strategic places.
2. The building should be properly wired by experts.
3. Staff should ensure that all electrical gadgets are switched off after office hours.
4. Smoking should be disallowed in all offices and restricted to certain areas, for instance the restaurant.
5. Safety managers should conduct periodic training for staff on how to prevent all forms of accidents in the workplace.

Evaluation

• List likely accidents in schools, homes and workplaces.
• State five safety measures for each.

Assignment

Write down five safety measures that can be taken in your home. Beside each one, name the accident it prevents.