Cutting and Piercing Injury

Key Safety Messages:

Be Sharp: Help prevent unintentional Cutting and Piercing injuries around the home and in public play spaces by clearing up broken glass.

Use Safety Glass in windows and doors.

Most people consider having a cut or graze is a normal part of growing up. Cutting and piercing injuries are a common cause of injury for children and despite being painful, such injuries are usually simply treated.

However every now and then cutting and piercing injuries result in life threatening emergencies. More effective first aid treatment and emergency service response has reduced the numbers of fatalities, yet these events can still result in life-long physical and mental scars. In New Zealand approximately one child a year dies from an unintentional cutting or piercing injury.

Click the links below to access injury resources, information, prevention and other information.

Factsheets

Childhood Cutting & Piercing Injury (Pdf, April 2009)

Resources

NEW! Be Sharp at home and at Public Areas (Poster, A4 or A3, June 2010)
Windows Association of NZ (WANZ) Safety Glass Flyer (A5, Pdf, April 2009)
Take the Edge Off The Problem Flyer (English & Maori, A5, KidSafe Week 2003)

Position Papers, Research, Bibliography, Reports and Advocacy Information

Safekids Annual Campaign Report: Child Passenger Safety & Cutting and Piercing Injury Prevention (September 2010).
Bibliography: A selection on Cutting & Piercing Injury (Pdf, March 2009)

Project Plans

The Sir Peter Blake Care for Our Coast Community clean-up kit (A4, Pdf, April 2009).
Sir Peter Blake School Cleanup kits. Includes teacher's resources for 4-8 and 9-10 years old (link to www.sirpeterblaketrust.org)

Media Release

Have a Safe Christmas & Summer, Perfect Gift Ideas Media Release (Nov 2009).
Simple Steps @ Home Can Save a Lifetime of Injury (Pdf, September 2009).

For more information on the Cutting & Piercing Injury prevention campaign, contact Campaign@safekids.org.nz. You can also contact your local Safekids Coalition Leader to find out how you can help promote child injury prevention in your community.

Links

For links to New Zealand and international websites relating to this injury topic, go to our links page.

We would like to thank our campaign sponsors and partners. Click here for our Sponsors Page.

This page was last updated February 1, 2012.