Child Care Basics Series

1. Child Care Basics Series Module 4: Injury Prevention in the Child Care Setting Facility Safety and Hazardous Materials Handling

2. Objectives Understand the dynamics of injury prevention in outdoor play spaces. Explain the basic components of a safe child care facility environment designed to decrease injury. Understand the basics of identification, storage, and handling of hazardous materials in the child care environment. Understand body fluid precautions and disposal in a child care environment.

3. Value of Outdoor Play Outdoor play is: A predictor of lifetime physical activity Increases imagination and creativity Decreases stress Contributes to increased ability to learn Improves perceptual abilities Enhances motor development and Aids in development of social skills

4. Weather Considerations Sunny weather: Use shade, sun-protective clothing, and sunscreen. Wear sun-protective clothing, such as hats, between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. Warm weather: Maintain hydration (water). Before and during prolonged outdoor activity. Dress children in clothing that is light-colored, lightweight, and limited to one layer. On hot days, infants receiving human milk in a bottle can be given additional human milk in a bottle but should not be given water, especially in the first six months of life. Infants receiving formula and water can be given additional formula in a bottle. Cold weather: Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. Outer garments such as coats should be tightly woven, and be at least water repellent when raining or snowing. Wear a hat, coat, and gloves/mittens that are kept snug at the wrist. Check children’s extremities for maintenance of normal color and warmth at least every fifteen minutes.

5. Play Ground Safety Approximately 50,000 children go to the ER each year because of injury from playground equipment. 80% of injuries are from falls. Deaths result from strangulation with ropes, cords or leashes attached to play equipment or drawstrings on clothing.

6. Dirty Dozen of Playground Safety • Improper Protective Surfacing • Inadequate Use Zone • Protrusion & Entanglement Hazards • Insufficient Equipment Spacing • Trip Hazards • Lack of Supervision • Age-Inappropriate Activities • Lack of Maintenance • Sharp Edge, Crush & Shearing Hazards • Platforms with No Guardrails • Equipment Not Recommended for Public Playgrounds

7. Indoor Safety Adequate space, fall zones around climbable equipment Age appropriate toys for all children in an area Eliminate or minimize: Trip hazards, entrapment, and strangulation hazards Sharp or protruding objects that child could fall on or snag clothing. Tip-over hazards (tall furniture should be anchored) Sharp corners and elevated surfaces

8. Indoor Safety – Check list Sharp or breakable items out of reach? Cleaning products, medications, other poisons in a locked cabinet? Choking hazards for children less than 3 out of reach? Inspect toys for broken or loose pieces. Gates, doors, other barriers secure? Shelves and furniture anchored to prevent tipping? Sharp edges and corners of furniture covered? SUPERVISION – Am I fully attending to the children in my care?

9. Activity In the next 5 minutes: Walk around the room. Make a list of at least 5 things that increase the risk of injury for a child less than 6 years of age, and how you would decrease the risk. Make a list of at least 2 additional things that increase the risk of injury in a child less than 3 years of age and how you would decrease the risk.

10. Indoor Safety – Poison Prevention Any Substance can be harmful if used in the wrong way. Children are at higher risk to poison-related injuries than adults due to body size, tendency to put things in their mouths, natural curiosity, and lack of knowledge. Always use cleaning products and disinfectants per manufacturer guidelines and facility policy. Keep all potentially hazardous materials inaccessible to children (locked cabinets or non-accessible area). Never underestimate the creativity of children in accessing objects of interest.

11. Indoor Safety – Poison Prevention Routes of exposure: Swallowing (eating or drinking) Skin contact (spilling or contact with contaminated surface) Hand/object to mouth contact - Children frequently put objects in their mouth that may be contaminated. Injection (Ex. bites from a spider, sting from bees) Inhalation

12. What Do I Do? If you think a child has been exposed to a hazardous substance If they are in distress call 911 If they do not appear to be in immediate harm follow your facilities policy regarding poisoning.

13. Hazardous Materials Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be available onsite for each hazardous chemical that is on the premises. The following items should be used as recommended by the manufacturer and should be stored in the original labeled containers: Cleaning materials; Detergents (in all forms, including pods); Automatic dishwasher detergents (in liquid or solid forms, including pods); Aerosol cans; Pesticides; Health and beauty aids; Medications; Lawn care chemicals; Marijuana (in all forms, including oils, liquids, and edible products); Liquid nicotine and tobacco products; and  Other toxic materials.

14. Storage Medications: • Child-resistant caps • Kept in a organized fashion • Stored away from food • Stored at proper temperature • Inaccessible to children Cleaning Products/Chemicals • When not in active use, all chemicals used inside or outside should be stored in a safe and secure manner in a locked room or cabinet, fitted with a child-resistive opening device, inaccessible to children, and separate from stored medications and food.

15. Occupational Risk – Body Fluids Standard Precautions – Treat ALL potentially hazardous body fluids as if they are infectious. (Hep B, Hep C, HIV) Exposure points: Mouth, eyes, nose, open lesions/sores Protective equipment: gloves (latex or non-latex), safety eye glasses, masks ALWAYS report possible exposures. Know and follow your facilities procedures regarding body fluids.

16. Body Fluids Body fluid precautions should be taken with: Urine Stool Blood Vomit (Breast milk is not considered potentially infectious)

17. Body Fluids - Cleaning Small amounts Wipe off and clean visible soil with detergent solution. Rinse surface with clean water. Apply a disinfectant per manufacture's instructions Large Amounts Wear gloves avoid splashing. (Protect eyes, nose, mouth, open sores if this is a risk) Wipe up gross contamination with disposable towel and place in leakproof plastic bag. Disinfect area and rinse with clean water (Also disinfect non-disposable equipment used)

18. Questions? • Resources: • Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards for Early Child Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition. http://cfoc.nrckids.org/index.cfm • National Recreation and Park Association. The Dirty Dozen, 12 Play Ground Hazards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6mckYLoVAg Child Care Health Consultation Program (Enter your information here)