On preventable harms

A Leader-Post Viewpoint from Saturday rightly lauds the philosophy of Safe Saskatchewan, a new effort to reduce preventable injuries within the province:

Safe Saskatchewan is a partnership between the province's public and private sectors led by the Saskatchewan Safety Council. It was established in 2005 with the goal of "achieving a continuous reduction in the number of unintentional injuries in Saskatchewan."

You'll notice the use of the phrase "unintentional injuries" rather than "accidents". That's because one of Safe Saskatchewan's immediate goals is to change the prevailing public attitude that most injuries are the result of accidents.

In fact, most injuries are not the result of accidents. An accident, by definition, is when something goes wrong suddenly and unexpectedly. But studies show most injuries are predictable and preventable and occur because of risks that people take. And this doesn't just apply to the job site, it also applies at home and at play.

Safe Saskatchewan hopes that through education and awareness initiatives, it can convince people that preventing injuries is something over which they have control. As a result, they will then be in a position to take steps to avoid putting themselves at risk.

It's hard to disagree with that philosophy. But it would be nice to see it applied somewhat more evenly. For example, how about a bit more attention to the preventable nature of the latest "freak accident" in Afghanistan?