Childcare Worker Safety Training

An article in the April 2014 issue of Occupational Health and Safety highlights the importance of safety training for childcare workers. Untrained care providers are often unprepared for the challenges of keeping kids safe, especially when presented with unexpected incidents such as choking and injury. The article identifies four key steps to safety for childcare workers:

• Prevention. Preventing incidents by mitigating hazards is necessary. Electrical outlets must be protected, child seats in cars must be properly installed and hazardous objects must be kept away rom children.
• Being safe. During emergency response, ensure that additional individuals will not be endangered. For example, if a child has experienced electrical shock, make sure that the power is shut down at the main breaker box before touching the injured child.
• Calling 911. This seemingly simple act may require training depending on the setup of classroom and daycare center phones. Emergency response plans should also identify a capable individual to administer first aid and an individual who will be responsible for calling 911.
• Taking action. Before an emergency occurs, ensure that healthcare workers have been trained on CPR, choking and how to respond to common injuries and illnesses. 

Read the entire article here. For a detailed list of hazards found in childcare settings and mitigation strategies, click here.