hazard and risk management - appendix 5

Generic hazard list

Hazard
(Injury factor) / Location or Task / Potential Harm
(Likely Physical Effects) / Controls/Safe Work Practice
(What Can We Do To Prevent These Outcomes) / Monitoring Required
(How Often)
EQUIPMENT
Hot water to heat baby bottles / Scald, burns /
  • Ensure no children near containers of hot water. Bottles to be heated only in bottle prep area.
/ Daily
Knives / Kitchen / Cuts, lacerations, wrist strain /
  • Ensure children cannot enter kitchen
  • When using knives, do not talk to others at the same time.
  • Make sure the task is done slightly below elbow level – make sure you can see what you are cutting.
  • Blades should be sharpened regularly to ensure they are always sharp (using blunt knives requires greater force with more possibility for the knife to slip).
  • Do not try to catch a falling knife – stand back and let it fall.
  • Do not store knives with other utensils.
/ Daily
Hot water urn / Kitchen
/Staff Room / Burns /
  • Ensure the urn is not placed near seating or in a high use bench area where people could be splashed
/ Daily
Plastic Bags/loose cords/rope / All areas / Suffocation /
  • Ensure plastic bags are stored away from children’s reach
  • No loose cords or rope in reach of children
  • No child to be out of sight of a teacher
/ Daily
Heaters / Burns /
  • Heaters are childproof
  • Wall or ceiling mounted
/ monthly
Fire Extinguishers/Hose Reels /
  • Should be placed to limit access for children
  • Checks should be carried out on this equipment in line with requirements
/ Three monthly
Chairs /
  • Ensure chairs kept as close to table as possible to keep legs out of the way
  • Ensure chairs not left in passageways

Child transportation Van
Hazard
(Injury factor) / Location or Task / Potential Harm
(Likely Physical Effects) / Controls/Safe Work Practice
(What Can We Do To Prevent These Outcomes) / Monitoring Required
(How Often)
ENVIRONMENT
Spills / All areas / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, sprains/strains, concussion /
  • Isolate the spill immediately to ensure no person can come into contact with it and then clean it up
/ Daily
Sand on floor / Entrance ways from outside / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, sprains/strains, concussion /
  • Sweep sand out often
  • Staff and children to walk not run
  • Children taught to clean their shoes before entering from playgrounds
  • Rubber fatigue mats down
/ Daily
Power points / All areas / Electric Shock /
  • Child proof covers put on all uncovered power points within a child’s reach
  • Do not overload multi-plug boxes [one per switch]
/ Daily
Toys on floor / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, sprains/strains, concussion /
  • Put all toys away when finished
  • Be mindful of
  • Ensure your view of where you are walking is unobstructed when carrying a child or object

Heavy items falling over / All areas / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, sprains/strains, concussion /
  • Children encouraged not to climb on furniture
  • Large items bolted to walls

Urine spills/soiled toilet seats / Bathrooms / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, sprains/strains, concussion
Illness /
  • Bathroom to be checked regularly throughout the day (cleaning schedule?)
  • Accidents to be cleaned up immediately using correct protective equipment (…)
  • Waste disposal …

Sandpit / Outdoor playground / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, sprains/strains, concussion
Illness /
  • Ensure checked prior to use for animal droppings
  • Rake sandpit regularly to minimize holes
  • Ensure kept topped up with sand.
  • Maintenance register???

Sharp branches/trees in outside areas / Outside / Abrasions, cuts, eye injury, puncture wounds /
  • Ensure safety check completed prior to children using outdoor area
  • Check no branches trimmed up to a level that they cannot come into contact with

Indoor/Outdoor play structures / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, sprains/strains, concussion /
  • Safety mats to be under structures to soften fall
  • Height restrictions?
  • Equipment should not be placed near fences, walls, gates, windows or door handles
  • Prior to purchasing and installing any new equipment reference to NZ Standards

Rubbish disposal / All areas / Abrasions, cuts, sprain/strain /
  • Do not overfill rubbish bags
  • Ask for assistance when necessary
  • Wrap sharp objects and ensure they disposed of in an area children do not have access to

Doors / All areas / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, amputation /
  • Ensure appropriate latches are fitted where appropriate

Windows/
Glass / All areas / Lacerations from broken glass /
  • All glass/mirrors in the centre are safety glass

Hot Water / All areas / Burns /
  • Water temperature to be maintained as per regulations
  • Checked ….
/ Daily
Sleep room /
  • Ensure temperature controlled at correct level
  • All children’s bedding washed after use
  • Mattresses to have waterproof cover
  • Cots not stacked ….
  • Ensure plugs out of reach
  • Window?
  • Monitor?
  • Checks completed – sleep policy?
  • Meet regulations in terms of number of children
  • No food and drink allowed in bed
/ Daily
Sun / Outdoors / Sunburn, melanoma /
  • Centre sun protection policy to be followed at all times
  • Hats to be worn by staff and children outside

Children escaping from Centre / All areas /
  • Gates and fencing installed to ensure a child cannot exit the centre

Swings / Outdoor playground / Abrasions, cuts, broken bones, concussion /
  • Where possible swings should be butted up to a fence line
  • Supervision at all times
  • Ensure children know not to walk in front of swings

Water play / All areas / Drowning, death /
  • Water play is to be supervised at all times and age appropriate…

Poisonous plants
Animal Droppings
JOB TASKS
Lifting / Lifting children
Lifting equipment
Lifting food / Sprain/strain of shoulder/back /
  • Specific weights cannot be prescribed because of combination of risk factors but control options are:
  • Assess the weight of the child or load before lifting to check you can lift safely
  • Use the semi squat technique to lift
  • Hold the child or object close to your body – the further away from the body the load is – the greater the potential for harm.
  • Do not twist your back while you are lifting – move your feet and keep your back straight.
  • If lifting boxes, check you can’t make the load lighter before lifting. Hold boxes with the long side against your body, rather than pointing away from your body.
  • Use a trolley if available.
  • Place one foot in front of the other when placing heavier items into bottom of shelves to provide stability to the lumbar spine.
  • Lift with your elbows pointing downwards towards the floor not out to the side.
/ Daily
Training
Nappy changing / Nappy changing room / Sprain/strain of shoulder/back /
  • Eliminate where possible by having a ramp up to the change table
  • Safe lifting as above
  • Use appropriate barriers to prevent contamination
  • Dispose of nappies … and wipes …
  • Wash hands …

Illness / Day to day contact / Cross infection of children and adults /
  • Sick children/adults to be sent home
  • Body fluids to be wiped up immediately with correct cleaning product
  • Disposable gloves to be worn …
  • Policy?

Food Preparation / Illness /
  • Food to be stored hygienically and labelled
  • Staff to be trained in ….
/ Daily
Dishwashing/Kitchen hygiene / Illness /
  • Suitable dishwasher
  • Dishes washed hygienically
  • Kitchen cleaning check list completed
/ Daily
DIETARY
Hot food / Burns /
  • Temperature of food served to children is checked
/ Daily
Allergies / Allergic reaction, death /
  • Identify anyone with special dietary requirements
  • List of children with allergies is kept on kitchen wall
  • All new staff to be provided with this list
  • Training on treatment of allergic reaction
  • Food storage labelling…
  • Staff trained in identifying symptoms and delivery of care as required
/ Daily
Excursions /
  • Full risk assessment to be completed.

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
Medicines
Cleaning Agents / Poisoning, allergic reaction, dermatological reaction, burns /
  • Stored away from children’s access and in childproof cupboard
  • Chemicals must be in their original bottles or clearly labelled
  • MSDS to be kept on all chemicals on site
  • Store chemicals at their correct temperatures
  • Do not mix chemicals together
  • Contractors …

Medications /
  • Ensure not left in child’s bag
  • Procedure …