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

An accident is an unplanned event that causes injury or harm to a person or damage to property.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. define accident and safety measures;
2. list common accidents that happen at home and in school;
3. state safety measures that prevent accidents at home;
4. state safety measures that prevent accidents in the school environment;
5. state safety measures that prevent accidents at the workplace.

What are safety measures?

Safety measures are the steps people take to prevent accidents and reduce harm.

• Accident: an unplanned event that causes injury, harm or damage.
• Safety: being protected from danger, injury or loss.
• Safety measure: a rule, habit or item that keeps people safe, such as a fire extinguisher.
• First aid: the first help given to an injured person before a doctor or nurse arrives.

What causes accidents?

Most accidents happen because of carelessness, poor equipment or lack of supervision.

• Carelessness: playing with fire, running on wet floors or handling sharp objects roughly.
• Ignorance: not knowing how to use an appliance, chemical or machine safely.
• Faulty equipment: bad wiring, broken stairs, worn bathroom tiles or a badly kept vehicle.
• Lack of supervision: children left alone near water, fire or chemicals.

What accidents happen at home and in school?

Common accidents at home and in school include fire outbreaks, burns, electric shocks, cuts, falls, fractures and drowning.

Accidents at home

• Fire outbreaks: caused by candles, gas leaks, mosquito coils or petrol and kerosene.
• Burns from pressing irons: touching a hot iron or leaving it on.
• Hot water burns: spills from kettles, pots and boiling rings.
• Sliding in the bathroom: wet or old tiles make people fall.
• Knife or razor blade cuts: careless use of sharp objects.
• Electric shocks: faulty electrical appliances, sockets or wires.
• Bone fractures: falling or knocking the leg against hard objects such as stairs.

Accidents in school

• Chemical burns: splashes of chemicals on the skin during experiments in the laboratory.
• Falls from the staircase: pushing, running or crowding on stairs.
• Drowning: swimming in the school pool without supervision.
• Fractures on the pitch: running or playing roughly on the sports field.
• Eye injury from caning: students’ eyes can be hurt when they are caned or beaten.
• Food poisoning: food that is badly prepared or served.

What are the safety measures at home?

Safety measures at home protect family members from fire, shock, burns, falls and dangerous animals.

1. Proper wiring: professionals should wire the house to prevent electric shocks.
2. Gas safety: gas cylinders should be properly closed to prevent gas leakage.
3. Safe storage of fuel: petrol and kerosene should be kept far from the reach of children.
4. Avoiding open flames: candles, mosquito coils, boiling rings and similar items should be avoided if possible.
5. Safe bathrooms: floors should be scrubbed regularly, and old bathroom tiles should be replaced.
6. Regular checks: electrical gadgets and sockets should be checked when leaving the house and before going to bed.
7. Clear surroundings: the bush around the house should be cleared often to keep away snakes, scorpions and other dangerous animals and insects.

What are the safety measures in the school environment?

Safety measures in school protect students in classrooms, laboratories, sports fields, pools and school buses.

1. Safe buildings: the school building should be constructed properly, with the necessary safety measures in place.
2. Fire extinguishers: they should be placed in strategic locations, particularly laboratories and offices.
3. Sports supervision: sports masters and, where possible, a nurse should be present during inter-house sports and special sporting events.
4. Pool supervision: lifeguards and swimming instructors should be around when students use the pool.
5. Chemical storage: dangerous chemicals should be kept in special rooms that students cannot enter.
6. Food hygiene: school food should be carefully prepared and served to avoid food poisoning.
7. Safe transport: school buses should be in good condition and driven by professional drivers.
8. First aid kits: they should be provided in the school clinic, the laboratories and all departments.

What are the safety measures at the workplace?

Safety measures at the workplace protect workers and visitors in offices, shops and factories.

1. Fire extinguishers: they should be kept in strategic places.
2. Proper wiring: experts should wire the building.
3. Switching off gadgets: staff should make sure all electrical gadgets are off after office hours.
4. Smoking control: smoking should be disallowed in all offices and restricted to certain areas.
5. Staff training: safety managers should hold periodic training on how to prevent accidents.

Which safety measure prevents which accident?

Each accident can be prevented by a matching safety measure, as the table shows.

What should a student do when an accident happens?

A student should stay calm, call an adult at once and give simple first aid only if trained.

1. Stay calm and move away from the danger.
2. Call a teacher, parent or nearby adult for help.
3. In an electric shock, switch off the power before touching the victim.
4. For a minor burn, cool the area under clean running water.
5. Do not move a person with a suspected fracture. Wait for help.
6. Take the injured person to the school clinic or a hospital.

Evaluation

1. Define accident and safety measures.
2. List four likely accidents at home, four in school and two at the workplace.
3. State five safety measures for the home.
4. State five safety measures for the school environment.

Assignment

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