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BECKENHAM HOME SAFETY COMMITTEE
I have pleasure in submitting the following report on the work of
the Beckenham Home Safety Committee, forwarded to me by Mr. J.
Bretton, Local Safety Officer.
" During the past year, the Home Safety Sub-Committee has
supported the National Campaign on general home safety aspects, but
particularly on the theme, 'Buy for Safety', this being the opportunity
of using the retail outlets to present safety to the public.
The retailers must play a vital role in the safety campaign and this
particular drive should make managements and employees far more
aware of the great need to emphasise safety factors to the customers,
not only to ensure that they buy the approved or branded product, but
also to see they know how to handle and look after it once the purchase
has been made.
This buying and selling campaign has continued with ever increasing
momentum, via Press, Radio, Television and other media, with the
results that now the consumer Protection Act 1961 has been approved,
therefore regulations can now be imposed in respect of any prescribed
class of goods, to prevent or reduce the risk of death or personal
injury, and to ensure by any prescribed warning or instructions.
From January to March, 1964, it is proposed to hold a ' Sight
Testing' campaign. It is hoped through this campaign to make all
people conscious of the appalling rate of eye injuries which occur
almost daily.
Nearly all home accidents can kill, many non-fatal injuries leave
permanent disability, especially burns and scalds and fractures, but
tragic though these consequences are, they often seem less serious than
the accident which causes eye injury or blindness, so depriving the
victim of all or part of the sense of sight.
As mentioned in the 1963 annual report, the joint Road/Home
safety handbook for the Borough has now been received from the
printers, and arrangements made for full publicity of this booklet,
through the good services of local Libraries, Clinics, Doctor's
Surgeries, W.V.S., and other public spirited organisations.
Various Quiz Units and portable displays were shown at many
Summer Fetes and Shows, whilst large and small exhibitions were held
at Clinics and Schools. A considerable quantity of publicity material
was displayed throughout the Borough during the year, particularly on
school premises, this with the valued assistance of head teachers and
their staff, and members of the Junior Accident Prevention Council.
A Road/Home Safety exhibition was one of the features at the
Town Hall during the visit of the 'Young Citizens' on the 18th October,
1963. The Local Safety Officer was in attendance, and many interesting
questions were asked and various discussions took place among these
young men and women. Training equipment and propaganda material
was on view, the latter being freely distributed.
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