Transcript Slide 1

Health and Safety
Child Care Centers
and Family Day
Care Homes
Program Issues
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Environmental Health
Food Safety
Environmental Safety
Environmental
Safety
Guidelines Regulating Childcare
and Family Day Care Settings
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North Carolina has three different documents
regulating health and safety in child care:
General Statutes Child Care Facilities
Child Care Rules
Sanitation of Child Care Centers
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http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/NC/northcarolina.htm
Environmental Safety
Create child centered
environment
Kitchen Safety
General Kitchen Safety
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Establish kitchen safety rules
Establish safety rules for appliances and
equipment
Teach dangers and “not to’s”
General Kitchen Safety (continued)
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Teach children dangers:
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Appliances
Cords
Knives
General Kitchen Safety (continued)
Children should not:
 Sit
on countertops
 Crawl around unrestricted
 Run or play in food preparation area
 Be unsupervised in the kitchen space
General Kitchen Safety (continued)
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Use only rubber-backed or non-skid rugs
Mop only when children are away from center
or in another room
Utensil and Equipment Practices
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Turn pot handles toward back of stove and
counter
Use back burners on stove top whenever
possible
Turn burners off immediately after use
Utensil and Equipment Practices
(continued)
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Use stove knob “covers’ on controls reachable
by children
Keep hot foods and beverages pushed back
from edge of countertops and tables
Use safety latches on appliances such as
refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave
Utensil and Equipment Practices
(continued)
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Use non-breakable dishes and eating utensils
Teach older children knife safety
Utensil and Equipment Practices
(continued)
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Keep dishwasher closed when not in use
Keep children away from dishwasher when
emptying
Use cord shorteners on appliance and phone
cords.
Tall refrigerators and stoves should be secured
to eliminate possibility of tipping
Meal Time
Eating Practices
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Teach and expect children to sit during meal
time
Keep highchairs away from stove and work
counters
Stay with children during mealtime
Eating Practices (continued)
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Buckle children in highchairs with
highchair restraint
Securely latch highchair tray
Take precautions not to pinch hands
and fingers in highchair
Play and Nap Time
Areas
Play and Nap Time Areas
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Keep all areas clean, orderly and free of
potential hazards
ACTIVITY — General Safety
Upon completion of this activity, you will be
able to identify the kinds of hazards that young
children face in their environment each day.
General Safety Activity
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View each room from a child’s vantage point
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Get down on the floor and look around the
room
General Safety Activity
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What looks interesting under the furnishings?
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What are at the various eye levels of the
children under your care?
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What can items might look attractive to the
children?
Leading causes of death
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Falls
Poisoning
Fires and Burns
Choking
Drowning
Preventing Slips, Trips and
Falls
Slips, Trips and Falls
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Keep floors free of things that can be tripped
over or slipped on
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Keep stairs in good shape
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Eliminate throw rugs
Slips, Trips and Falls
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Make certain you can see where you are
going when carrying big loads
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Keep the area well lighted
Poison Prevention
Poison Proof Your Facility
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Potential dangers exist in all rooms
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Look through your facility for poisonous
products
Why are Children at Risk?
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Crawl and play on floors and lawns
Put things in their mouths
From foods
Accidental poisoning
Remember children’s
bodies are small…
A little bit of some chemicals
can cause big problems
What products are dangerous for
children?
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Batteries
Pesticides
Automotive products
Cleaners
Paints and solvents
Other Dangerous Products You May
Not Think of Include:
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Medicine
Mouthwash
Makeup
First Aid Supplies
Deodorant
Perfumes
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Furniture Polish
Liquor
Plants
Bleach
Cigarettes
Household products are
hazardous if…..
they can cause harm when not used
properly
How Are Products Harmful?
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Toxic/poisonous (cause headaches, dizziness,
nausea, injury, death)
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Corrosive (burn skin and eyes)
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Flammable (can be set on fire)
Protecting Children from
Hazardous Products How To’s . . .
Use hazardous products safely
 Store hazardous products carefully
 Dispose of hazardous products properly
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Use Safely
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Read the label
Look for the signal words (caution, warning,
flammable, harmful, danger, poison)
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Follow directions and special instructions
Use Safely
Whenever possible, use products when
children are away
 Put away after use
 No eating or smoking when using
hazardous products
 Never mix products
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Store Safely
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Store in original container
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Close tightly after use
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Store 150 ft from well or water pump
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Keep away from heat, sparks, or fire
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Store in locked or secure place out of
reach of children
Dispose of Safely
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Dispose of hazardous products
according to label directions
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Dispose of hazardous product
containers in a way such that
children can’t get to them
Dispose of safely continued
Give away
 Take to community hazardous waste
collection point
 Never dump or burn
 Recycle
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Keep this number near the
phone :
Carolinas Poison Center
1-800-222-1222
Hazard Hound can Help
You Keep Children Safe
Teach Children . . .
Not to touch products
with “Paws Off” stickers
Label all potentially dangerous
products with the “Paws Off”
Stickers
Reducing Children’s Risk How To’s
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Strategies for eliminating pests
Strategies for reducing exposure to hazardous
products
Pest Control Strategies
Why Do You Have Pests?
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Broken, loose or torn
screens
Gaps or holes in home
Dirty floors, counters
and dishes
Spilled foods
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Storing garbage where
pests can reach
Roof or plumbing leaks
Storing food in
containers without lids
Keeping Pests Out
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Seal cracks and crevices where pests can
enter the home.
Check things like bags and boxes for roaches
before bringing them into the house.
Teach your children not to share combs, hats,
or coats at school or daycare.
Fire and Burns
Fires
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Have a working electrical smoke detector with
a battery back-up
Have a readily accessible full charged
fire extinguisher
Store matches and lighters away from
children
Discuss fire safety with the children
Have an exit plan in case of fire
Burns
It only takes 2 seconds for 140o
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Install a scald guard or temperature limiter
device to help prevent burns
Set hot water heater at a maximum of 120o
Practice kitchen safety rules that help prevent
burns
Fire Safety and Burn Prevention
Use a protective screening with supports
for any approved fuel burning heater,
fireplace or floor furnace
 Cover or insulate hot pipes or radiators
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Fire Safety and Burn Prevention
Use only vented fuel burning heaters
 Use a carbon monoxide detector if you
have a gas furnace or a fuel burning
appliance
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Choking and Suffocation
Choking and Suffocation
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Keep an eye on young children while eating
and playing
Pick toys that are appropriate for the age of
the child
Never tie toys to a playpen as a child can
strangle if caught on them
Keep cribs and play pens away from windows
covering pull cords
Choking and Suffocation
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Don’t let children play with balloons
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Don’t let children play near cars or old
appliances
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Keep plastic bags and covers away from
children
Drowning
Drowning
If you have a pool:
 Fence the pool area
 Don’t leave toys in the pool
 Have children walk, not run, in pool area
 Watch children at all times
Drowning
Children can drown in only a couple of
inches of water!
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Watch children around all water sources – hot
tubs, wading pools, creeks, ponds, streams, backyard pools
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Empty wading pools when not in use
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Never leave children alone in bathtub
Other Safety Concerns
Equipment and Furnishings
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Appliances, cabinets and shelves should be
attached to the wall or braced by being
anchored together.
Blocks and heavy objects should be stored on
lowest shelves
TV sets, fish bowls and other similar items
should be restrained so they won’t slide off
Electrical Safety
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Use safety plugs on all unused electrical
outlets that aren’t located behind furniture or
appliances
Make certain all electrical cords are in good
condition and free of frays or cracks
Bathroom Safety Practices
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Keep all medications in containers with childresistant closures and in a locked location
away from children’s reach
Do not allow children to play in or near toilet
Equipment and Furnishings
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Pictures and other wall hangings should be
attached to wall with wire and closed screweyes
Electrical fans should be out of reach of
children and fitted with mesh guard to protect
small fingers
Other Safety Concerns
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Adults and older children should learn CPR
Children should wear safety gear – helmets,
kneepads, etc.
Prepared by:
Sarah D. Kirby , Ph.D.,
Housing Specialist, NCSU