Worksafe Western Australia has begun an inspection program to look at the overall safety aspects of childcare services in WA, since there has been significant growth within the early childhood sector.
The primary focus of the safety inspections is to deliver information to services on recognising the hazards Educators face as part of their jobs such as manual tasks, hazardous substances, slips, trips and falls etc. The inspectors will also focus on the procedures services may have in place for managing violence, aggression and challenging behaviours, including policies, training and investigation of incidents.
Communicable diseases are also an area of concern, and inspectors will be looking at whether Educators are being given suitable training and information on the risks involved.
All inspections will be conducted with the aid of a checklist to ensure consistency across all workplaces. Enforcement action will be taken during the inspection if breaches of the laws are found.
Further information on safety and health in child care workplaces and the checklist for this inspection program can be obtained by telephoning WorkSafe on 1300 307877 or Worksafe.
Reference:
Clark, Lyndsie "WorkSafe Launches WA Childcare Inspection Program", The Sector - Early Education News, Views and Reviews, 24 October 2018
