OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

at

Garfield Street Children’s Centre

(adapted by Maria Walsh 9.12.03, from an Article by Cathryn Bennet

“Keeping it safe in children’s services – Occupational Health and Safety”

in

“Putting Children First – Newsletter of the NCAC Inc.” Issue 6, June 2003

Policy reviewed by Policy Committee without change 12.4.06)

Staff need to be healthy and safe in order to best care for children. Management, staff and families of children’s services are responsible for ensuring that Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) practices, as outlined in each State and Territory’s legislation, are exercised in the workplace.

Rights and responsibilities

Employers have three main OH&S responsibilities:

  1. To protect the health and safety of workers in the workplace;
  2. To identify risks associated with all people on the premises including children, families, visitors and staff; and
  3. To consult with employees about OH&S in the workplace.

All employees have the right to work in an environment that is safe. With this comes the responsibility for each employee to perform their duties in such a way that they do not put their own, or other peoples health and safety, at risk. It is essential that as an employee, you advise your employer if you see a potential hazard, report any work-related injuries and consistently implement your service’s policies and procedures. Your responsibility also extends to providing feedback and input to your service’s health and safety committee.

By working together to actively promote a healthy and safe environment, staff will be demonstrating continuous improvement.

Health and safety for staff in children’s services

Just as there are many risks and hazards in the workplace there are many safe practices that staff can adopt. These practices cover issues such as manual handling techniques, managing stress, working with hazardous materials, hygiene and dealing with emergencies and accidents.

  • Manual handling is an area associated with many risks. These can occur as a result of poorly designed equipment, unsafe lifting practices, incorrect size of furniture that encourages bad body posture and muscle strain from over-reaching or stretching. These risks can be managed if staff are informed of correct manual handling techniques and perform tasks with care. Please see section 7 “Back care and manual handling” p. 38-42 of Health & Safety at work – child care, WorkCover NSW 3rd edition 1997; ch 4 Managing Manual Handling “Managing the Risks in Children’s Services” An integrated approach to managing risk for children and staff. The Lady Gowrie Centre (WA) inc (1999.
  • Stress can affect everyone – particularly those working with the physical and emotional demands of children. Common causes of stress include inadequate staffing levels, changes in the workplace, noise levels and workload pressures. To reduce stress it is important to exercise regularly and learn techniques to aid relaxation and improve general wellbeing. Please refer to workshop notes by Patrice Thomas “Stress Management for Early Childhood Staff” 26.8.03; Section 9 “What about stress?” p. 46-51 of Health & Safety at work – child care, WorkCover NSW 3rd edition 1997; Health and Safety Fact Sheet, Workers Health Centre, 1997; ch 7 Managing Stress “Managing the Risks in Children’s Services” An integrated approach to managing risk for children and staff. The Lady Gowrie Centre (WA) inc (1999).
  • The use of chemicals or hazardous substances is sometimes unavoidable in the day-to-day operation of a service. Staff must be aware of how to handle and store hazardous substances. Where possible, staff should try to minimize the use of these substances. Please refer to Section 6 “Taking care with chemicals” p. 35-37 of Health & Safety at work – child care, WorkCover NSW 3rd edition 1997; ch 3 Managing Chemical Hazards “Managing the Risks in Children’s Services” An integrated approach to managing risk for children and staff. The Lady Gowrie Centre (WA) inc (1999).
  • In relation to accidents and emergencies, staff should follow the service’s documented procedures and have a good knowledge of first aid and the reporting process for accidents and emergencies. Please refer to centre policies for Medical Emergencies - Illness, Injury or Death (25.10.03), Emergency Evacuation Procedure (14.10.03) and Accident Report (30.7.01); Section 8 “Emergency evacuation” p. 43-45 of Health & Safety at work – child care, WorkCover NSW 3rd edition 1997, ch 8 Planning for Emergencies “Managing the Risks in Children’s Services” An integrated approach to managing risk for children and staff. The Lady Gowrie Centre (WA) inc (1999
  • Staff must be aware of current hygiene practices in order to reduce the risks of infectious diseases and control their spread. Infection control practices such as handwashing and regular cleaning routines can assist in this area. Staff should also ensure that their immunizations are up to date and, if necessary, discuss this with their doctor. Please refer to centre policies for Exclusion of sick children and staff (3.7.02); Preventing infectious diseases in child care (2.10.03) (includes “Report of Ill Child for Parent/Doctor” and “Record of Illness in the Centre”); “Staying Healthy in Childcare 3rd Edition 2001, National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra and Section 4 “Infectious disease – how to protect yourself” p. 21-28 of Health & Safety at work – child care, WorkCover NSW 3rd edition 1997; ch 5 Preventing Infection “Managing the Risks in Children’s Services” An integrated approach to managing risk for children and staff. The Lady Gowrie Centre (WA) inc (1999).
  • In the course of work, staff in child care face a risk to their skin through exposure to the sun, chemicals (mainly for cleaning) and constant hand-washing. Staff should take protective steps by following the centre policy Sun Protection at Garfield Street Children’s Centre 21.11.03, wearing protective clothing including apron and gloves where appropriate and apply moisturizers such as sorbelyne. These are provided by management. Aprons should be laundered at the centre. Please refer to “Health and Safety Fact Sheet – Dermatits” Workers Health Centre, 1999; ch 6 Managing Environmental Hazards “Managing the Risks in Children’s Services” An integrated approach to managing risk for children and staff. The Lady Gowrie Centre (WA) inc (1999).

It is important to remember that risks change in the work environment. You may have purchased some new equipment, reorganized the play space or have the children out on an excursion. Risk assessments, safety audits and checklists are easy and effective ways to record your services OH&S management systems. These should be completed as a regular routine so they become part of our service’s culture.

Strategies for preventing injuries and promoting safety

Garfield Street Children’s Centre Management works to demonstrate a consistent, systematic approach to dealing with health and safety issues. This is implemented through developing and maintaining a process of risk management. Risk management involves identifying, assessing and controlling the health or safety risk thereby helping to reduce and possibly prevent the number of accidents and illnesses amongst staff and children.

At Garfield Street Children’s Centre staff and parents conduct an annual risk assessment using the document “Managing the Risks in Children’s Services” An integrated approach to managing risk for children and staff. The Lady Gowrie Centre (WA) inc (1999). On a daily basis, risk assessment is to be conducted by all staff and recorded in theProgramme Evaluation. Staff meetings are another forum for staff and management to raise and address any safety concerns. Please refer to the Garfield Street Children’s Centre Routine Staff Meeting Agenda Format. In addition, staff are encouraged to add items to the Maintenance Book and with the Director’s approval contact the Centre Handyman whose telephone number is on the white board in the office. Plumber, Electrician and Church secretary’s contact details are also listed on the white board. Kitchen appliances may require service and contact details are kept in the kitchen folder.

The guidelines and procedures listed above ensure that the centre has a record of our practices to show evidence that the workplace is actively monitoring OH&S risks and hazards. They provide casual and permanent staff and visitors with the information they need to maintain consistency in assessing and reporting OH&S issues.

Centre management will ensure that current information on OH&S is maintained at the centre and is made available to families, staff and visitors. Please refer to the centre library section on OH&S which includes the publications mentioned throughout this document as well as the following “OHS Regulation 2001” WorkcoCover; “Managing Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) in Children’s Services” by S. Tarrant 2002, Lady Gowrie Child Centre, Sydney. Please also refer to Quality Area 9, QIAS Source Book 2001. Management has developed professional development programme for staff to attend relevant in-service courses to ensure staff have the information and training required to support OH&S practices.

Considerations for staff assessing risks and developing policies;

  • Training – current skills and knowledge
  • Supervision – the level provided by staff
  • Limits – some activities need to have limits or guidelines
  • Equipment – selecting the appropriate equipment for a particular activity
  • Age – the developmental stage of children in care
  • Environment – indoor, outdoor and excursions
  • Interactions – of children and staff

Some practical ways to ensure that health and safety issues are addressed:

  • Check the buildings (indoor and outdoors), grounds and play equipment daily
  • Store and move equipment appropriately
  • Keep walkways clear for ease of access and evacuation
  • Store potentially dangerous products safely
  • Minimize the use of chemicals in the workplace
  • Clean up spills immediately and ensure floor surfaces are non-slip
  • Arrange play spaces for ease of use and comfort
  • Practice correct lifting and manual handling techniques
  • Remove hazards
  • Wear protective clothing and apparatus when required
Injury management and return to work plan

Should an employee sustain workplace injury or illness, an injury management and return to work plan will be developed in consultation between the employee, centre management, relevant insurance company representatives and medical professionals treating the employee.