RoSPA

Every year, thousands of infants require medical attention for poisoning from products commonly found in and around the home. Most of these incidents involve children under 5 years old, averaging 15 cases per day.

This case study focuses on a key safety campaign aimed at raising awareness about these risks and equipping families with the knowledge to prevent such accidents.

The campaign, run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), aimed to promote awareness and prevent child poisoning and eye injuries caused by household cleaning products. Micro was tasked with designing a product that could effectively communicate the campaign’s message in an engaging and practical format.

The key educational element, known as “The Mag-Pad,” was developed – a magnetic hanger with a detachable notepad displaying safety advice, intended to be placed on refrigerators or other metallic surfaces. These Mag-Pads were distributed to hospitals, health visitors, children’s centres, and nurseries.

Micro later designed and supplied a bespoke magnetic notepad for this campaign to deliver a more complex safety message to families.

The Mag-Pad successfully reached its intended audience, helping RoSPA promote awareness and prevent accidents at home. The campaign’s effectiveness was evident in the significant reduction in emergency department visits in key regions and the wide distribution of the educational materials, supporting families in making safer choices.

RoSPA’s series of home safety campaigns, including the introduction of the Mag-Pad, have demonstrated positive results. Early figures from 2014-2015 show a reduction in the number of children attending emergency departments due to poisoning. Over 240,000 families in Birmingham, Liverpool, King’s Lynn, Nottingham, and Bradford have received help in preventing poisoning and eye injuries. The campaign was later expanded to Northern Ireland and Lincolnshire.

• Birmingham and Liverpool: These cities saw a 50% decrease in A&E admissions for children under 5 due to accidental poisoning.
• Bradford: A 25% reduction in admissions for accidental poisoning among children under 5 was recorded.
• Newcastle, Nottingham & Norfolk: These areas are in the early stages of the campaign, with promising results expected.
• Glasgow: Although not part of the UKCPI-funded campaign, similar work in Glasgow resulted in an 88% decrease in admissions at Yorkhill Hospital.

“Micro has produced two bespoke products for us and nothing is too much trouble. We have always had a fantastic service and Micro fully supports our work. The staff are friendly and efficient, offering help and ideas when needed, and most importantly, deadlines are always met.”
Sheila Merrill – RoSPA