Health and safety practices criterion 10
Any ECE Activity Room and equipment used by children as part of the ECE programme are regularly checked for hazards. All practicable steps are taken to eliminate, isolate, or minimise hazards to the safety of children.
Consideration of hazards must include but is not limited to:
- cleaning agents, medicines, poisons, and other hazardous materials;
- electrical sockets and appliances (particularly heaters);
- vandalism, dangerous objects, and foreign materials;
- equipment faults; and
- bodies of water.
Documentation required:
A hazard identification and management system. The system can be consistent with the requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, but goes beyond the consideration of significant hazards to employees to include all hazards to children.
Related to clause 46(1)(c)(iii) of standard.
Rationale/Intent:
The criterion aims to uphold the safety of children by ensuring that services have a mechanism to assess and address environmental hazards in an ongoing way.