[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 127 (Wednesday, October 2, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HOME SAFETY COUNCIL STUDY ON HOME INJURIES AND DEATHS

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                           HON. RICHARD BURR

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 1, 2002

  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, unintentional home injuries 
have reached an unacceptable level, according to a new study by the 
Home Safety Council, and Americans need to be aware of the risks they 
face in their own homes. It may be surprising to some that these 
injuries are the leading cause of death for those between the ages of 1 
and 44, and—other than illness—unintentional injuries are 
the number one cause of death in the United States.
  The study, recently completed by the University of North Carolina, 
also shows us how unintentional home injuries hurt America's working 
families and our economy. Lost workdays for injured parents cost both 
employees and employers, not to mention driving up health care costs 
and raising dilemmas in providing childcare. These injuries cost 
Americans nearly $380 billion each year, and account for an estimated 
10 percent of all visits to hospital emergency rooms.
  We are forming a Congressional Home Safety Working Group in the next 
Congress that can directly address home safety issues on Capitol Hill 
and in Federal agencies. The working group will examine how the Federal 
Government can support home safety education and prevention activities. 
A year from now, we need to see a reduction in the number of 
unintentional home injuries. For some great suggestions on what 
Americans can do right now to protect themselves, visit 
www.homesafetycouncil.org.
 I want to congratulate David Oliver, Executive Director of the Home 
Safety Council, for commissioning this monumental study; Dr. Carol 
Runyan, Director of the Injury Prevention Research Center at University 
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for conducting the study; and Dr. Sue 
Binder, Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and 
Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for supporting 
this study and bringing Federal attention to this critical issue. I 
would also like to encourage my fellow colleagues to raise the level of 
attention to home safety issues on Capitol Hill and in Federal 
agencies.

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