The SafeAge Project is a 3-year collaborative academic research project funded by the
Australian Research Council. The project aims to generate contemporary knowledge of the role
of consumer products in injuries and deaths for older Australians. This knowledge benefits:
- older Australians and carers by informing purchasing decision-making and product use
- industry by informing safer product design
- government and health professionals by informing injury prevention strategies and
- regulatory responses such as recalls and safety standards.
Context:
There are significant consequences of unsafe consumer products on population health. Whilst
the government estimates there are around 780 deaths and 52,000 injuries per year in Australia
from consumer products, it is unknown what proportion relates to older persons and the leading
classes of unsafe products and safety hazards or what high risk behaviours contribute to
product-related injuries and deaths for older persons. This research will address these
knowledge gaps by integrating data from international regulatory responses, administrative
health records, consumer complaints and online product reviews, and interrogating the data to
generate contemporary product safety knowledge.
SafeAge Advisory Committee:
A SafeAge Advisory Committee will guide and advise on the project, ensuring the research
maintains high standards of quality, relevance, and impact. Comprising of representatives from
government, industry and the community, the committee will meet four times throughout the
project’s duration to offer insights on:
- the project’s direction
- interpretation of findings
- implications for practice and policy
- effective communication strategies
Meeting lengths will be between 1-2 hours and accessible in-person or virtually, with minimal
preparatory reading required.
There will be two consumer representative positions on the committee. A remuneration of $187
will be paid to each representative per meeting and representatives are expected to:
- commit to attending all four meetings, either in-person or virtually
- contribute a consumer-oriented perspective to the discussions
Active involvement of consumers, government, industry, and health professionals in the project
will aid in the translation of outcomes to create safer home environments.
Please note: Consumers’ Federation of Australia would like expressions of interest for the role before Friday June 7th. For the application itself, please provide one paragraph on why you are interested in being a consumer representative for this research project as well as a copy of your CV.
Research partners:
