Hazards and outings

HS12 Hazard and risk management

Criteria

Equipment, premises and facilities are checked on every day of operation for hazards to children. Accident/incident records are analysed to identify hazards and appropriate action is taken. Hazards to the safety of children are eliminated, isolated or minimised.

Consideration of hazards must include but is not limited to:

• cleaning agents, medicines, poisons and other hazardous materials
• electrical sockets and appliances (particularly heaters)
• hazards present in kitchen or laundry facilities
• vandalism, dangerous objects, and foreign materials (for example broken glass, animal droppings)
• the condition and placement of learning, play and other equipment
• windows and other areas of glass
• poisonous plants; and
• bodies of water.

Documentation required

A documented risk management system.

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.

Amended May 2016.

Guidance

A key aspect of promoting the health and safety of everyone at the service is hazard and risk management.

A hazard is a situation or thing that has the potential to cause death, injury or illness to a person.

Risk is the likelihood that death, injury or illness might occur when a person is exposed to a hazard. Risks must be managed by taking action to eliminate them, and if that is not reasonably practicable, minimizing or isolating them. Eliminating a hazard will also eliminate any risks associated with that hazard.

It is important that the service assesses and understands the hazards and risks that are relevant to its own unique situation. To start this assessment, see below for a sample list of potential hazards.

Safety and suitability of surfaces, furniture, equipment and materials both indoors and outdoors are also covered under criterion PF5 Safe furniture and equipment which covers purchasing and installing playground equipment and surfacing.

PF5 Safe furniture and equipment

Areas which are primarily for adults such as the office are sometimes used for additional storage. Care should be taken to ensure that by doing this, no-one is exposed to the possibility of injury from tripping or falling over poorly stacked or stored items or resources.

Hazards and risks must also be managed on any excursion when children leave the service. See HS17 for more guidance.

HS17 Excursions

In order to meet this criterion services can use a daily check sheet. Any hazards found should be documented and eliminated, isolated or minimised.

Supervision

Supervision is an essential component of hazard and risk management in a service. Supervision must be active and focused.

The type of supervision required depends on the layout of the premises, activities being undertaken, equipment being used, the ratio of adults to children, and the number, ages and needs of children.

Direct, close and constant supervision by teachers, educators and kaiako will be required if an activity includes an element of risk. For example, climbing, cooking, using ropes, cords or tools of any kind or activities near water.

Ensuring children do not have unsupervised access to hazardous equipment such as ropes, cords and tools is a key aspect of supervision. Access to any hazardous equipment must be closely monitored.

Teachers, educators and kaiako should guide children on how to use equipment appropriately and safely.

Knowing children’s interests and abilities will assist teachers, educators and kaiako to anticipate children’s play. Anticipating what children might do next will help teachers, educators and kaiako support children if challenges or difficulties arise and intervene if there is potential danger. To ensure risk is minimised or eliminated, teachers, educators and kaiako should guide children’s behaviour and approach to play when necessary.

If an activity poses a risk, teachers, educators and kaiako will use their professional judgement to ensure that the right kind of supervision can be provided. If close supervision cannot be provided for an activity which requires it, then teachers, educators and kaiako should encourage children to modify their activity or defer it until the appropriate level of supervision can be provided.

Teachers, educators and kaiako should have regular conversations about how play is supervised in their own setting.

Health & Safety at Work Act 2015

Services must comply with the standards set in the licensing criteria as well as the requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) and its regulations. Additional guidance about the HSWA is available for early learning services.

Documentation guidance

Your hazard and risk management system is likely to be made up of 3 main processes:

1. Documented daily hazard checks – inside and out
2. Documented playground safety checks
3. Regular risk review – your risk register should be updated whenever new information comes available and reviewed on an annual basis.

Keep the hazard and risk checklists for the current year and the preceding year.

Below are some additional sources of information for support around risk management:

• WorkSafe information on risks in ECE services.

  What risk looks like in early childhood education – WorkSafe

• WorkSafe bulletin on managing strangulation hazards on play equipment.

  Managing strangulation hazards on play equipment – WorkSafe

• Tips for parents and caregivers on child safety (including hot water safety).

  Safekids Aotearoa – Starship

• Information about safety around plants in ECE services and which plants to avoid.

  Poisonous plants – Manaaki Whenua | Landcare Research

• Information on keeping children safe in the sun.

  SunSmart

Things to consider

Consider a sequential approach to hazard and risk management. For example:

1. Identify hazards and risks.
2. Assess the likelihood and impact of identified risks.
3. Respond to hazard or risk – what will be done, when, by whom?
4. Monitor and review hazard and risk management system and practices.

Issues to consider in developing a hazard and risk identification and management system to ensure hazards are assessed and addressed in an ongoing way are:

• How hazards and risks will be identified
• How are hazard and risk identification processes and practices reviewed and updated?
• If a hazard is identified, how it will be eliminated, isolated or minimised? When will it be done? Who is responsible for this?
• What opportunity is there for educators, teachers and kaiako to contribute to hazard and risk management systems, processes and practice?
• How will visitors to the service be informed about identified hazards?
• How is the maintenance of premises and equipment documented, managed and budgeted for?
• How are maintenance issues communicated to the person responsible or governance committee for any repairs or replacement?
• How are the service's hazard and risk management checklists reviewed and used to inform the service's management and practice, for example supervision, maintenance, repairs?

HS13 Hot water taps

Criteria

§ The temperature of warm water delivered from any taps that children can access independently is no higher than 40°C, and comfortable for children at the centre to use.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to uphold the safety of children by removing the risk of hot water scalding and to ensure that water is kept at a comfortable temperature to encourage hygienic handwashing practices.

Guidance

If the centre’s hot water supply is produced by a continuous flow gas hot water system, Regional Public Health recommends it should be set to deliver water between 37°C and 40°C wherever children have access.

In cases where water is stored, a tempering valve can be installed. Refer to criterion PF24 Tempering valve. The water temperature of child accessible taps needs to be checked on every day of operation before children use the tap(s).

PF24 Tempering valve

HS14 Hot water cylinder temperature

Criteria

§ Water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to uphold the safety of children by ensuring that stored hot water does not support legionella and cryptosporidiosis bacterial growth.

Guidance

For water stored in a hot water cylinder, the cylinder’s thermostat must be set to at least 60°C, to prevent legionella bacteria from growing in the pipes.

Once the thermostat has been adjusted to the required temperature, it can be locked to prevent accidental or unauthorised re-adjustment. Refer to PF24 Tempering valve.

PF24 Tempering valve

Guidance for criterion PF16 Kitchen facilities provides information about domestic and commercial dishwashers. If your centre is considering installing a dishwasher you need to consult your local district health board public health unit for advice about dishwashers and hot water requirements for ECE centres. Guidance is also provided for centres that do not have a dishwasher and wash dishes by hand.

PF16 Kitchen facilities

HS15 Noise levels

Criteria

§ All practicable steps are taken to ensure that noise levels do not unduly interfere with normal speech and/or communication or cause any child attending distress or harm.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to uphold the health and wellbeing of children by ensuring that steps are taken, when necessary, to manage high noise levels in day-to-day operation (as in the case of ongoing construction next to the service).

Guidance

Good planning and design will often prevent noise level concerns.

Indoor

Noise levels can be reduced indoors by good acoustic design and materials.

Establish expectations with children about what is an acceptable level of noise inside. Early childhood education and care centres with high numbers of enrolled children may wish to have a noise level monitoring device.

It is useful to create some smaller group activity spaces using partitions or shelving and visual dividers with floor coverings to create quiet activity zones away from main foot traffic routes and noise generating activities such as music areas.

If early childhood education and care centres have any concerns about noise levels inside a centre, they are able to contact the local regional public health officer for advice.

The World Health Organization (1999) has recommended maximum noise exposures in early childhood education and care centre environments.

More information about noise is available in the licensing criteria guidance: PF12 Lighting, ventilation, heating and acoustic materials.

PF12 Lighting, ventilation, heating and acoustic materials

Outdoor

Exposure to excess environmental noise in the outdoor space can be reduced by:

• good site selection
• location and design of playgrounds on site
• acoustic fencing and plantings.

If early childhood education and care centres have any concerns about noise levels, they are able to contact the local regional public health officer for advice.

The World Health Organization (1999) has recommended maximum noise exposures in early childhood education and care centre environments.

Beware of environmental noise from outside the service such as roadworks or construction nearby and try to ensure that the negative effect is reduced where possible.

If possible, staff should attempt to ascertain the length of time the noise might occur and if appropriate make contingency plans as to:

• How the risks to children and adults will be mitigated.
• How this information will be communicated to parents.
• When it might be appropriate to temporarily relocate the centre.

Contact your regional Ministry of Education office to determine what steps would need to be taken in exceptional circumstances such as these.

HS16 Animals

Criteria

§ Safe and hygienic handling practices are implemented with regard to any animals at the service. All animals are able to be restrained.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to ensure that animals at the service do not pose a health and safety risk to children.

Guidance

ECE centres will need to ensure that children and adults who handle animals practice thorough handwashing procedures afterwards.

If an ECE centre has pets they need to be appropriately housed and restrained at all times and children supervised when interacting with them. Make sure their habitats are cleaned and maintained as required depending on the needs of the animal(s).

Centres will need to ensure that animals, including those brought to the centre, can be properly restrained at all times. This could include a procedure outlining:

• Where dogs brought at pick-up and drop-off should be tied (not immediately at the gate where children are passing).
• What happens with visiting animals (such as pet days or farm animals).
• What happens if a sight impaired family member of a child has a guide dog.

More information is available in the publication Caring for animals: a guide for teachers, early childhood educators and students.

Caring for animals in the classroom – New Zealand Curriculum – Tāhūrangi

HS17 Excursions

Criteria

Whenever children leave the premises on an excursion:

• assessment and management of risk is undertaken, and adult:child ratios are determined accordingly. Ratios are not less than the required adult:child ratio
• the first aid requirements in criterion HS25 are met in relation to those children and any children remaining at the premises
• parents have given prior written approval to their child's participation and of the proposed ratio for:
  • regular excursions at the time of enrolment and
  • special excursions prior to the excursion taking place; and
• there are communication systems in place so that people know where the children are, and adults can communicate with others as necessary.

HS25 First aid qualifications

When children leave the premises on a regular or special excursion, the excursion must be approved by the person responsible.

Documentation required

A record of excursions that includes:

• the names of adults and children involved
• the time and date of the excursion
• the location and method of travel
• assessment and management of risk
• adult:child ratios
• evidence of parental permission and approval of adult:child ratios for regular excursions
• evidence of parental permission and approval of adult:child ratios for special excursions; and
• the signature of the person responsible giving approval for the excursion to take place.

Rationale/intent

The criterion is underpinned by the understanding that excursions outside the licensed premises are a valuable aspect of the service’s curriculum. The inherent risks involved in outings and excursions from the licensed premises must be managed to uphold the safety and wellbeing of children.

Amended September 2022.

Guidance

The responsibility for the assessment of risk lies with the service, and parents should also take responsibility by giving their written approval to the excursion and the proposed ratios.

See also the Guidance for HS12 Hazard and risk management.

HS12 Hazard and risk management

Risk assessment

For regular excursions, the risk assessment can be a new plan or an update of a previous assessment, so any new risks are identified. This should be made available for parents to sight at the time of enrolment.

A special excursion requires a specific risk assessment and development of a management plan prior to the excursion because the environment and circumstances in which these occur will be different each time.

If children are left at the centre during an excursion, the teaching staff to children ratios must be met and there must be a first aid qualified staff member at the centre.

Documentation guidance

Permission for special excursions needs to be sought for each excursion.

Written approval for regular excursions may be obtained via a signature on the enrolment form, provided the information also informs parents of the planned adult:child ratio.

Full records of both regular and special excursions should be kept for the current year plus 1 additional year.

To assist in planning and documenting your excursions, some sample documents are provided below. These can be altered to suit your centre’s needs.

Things to consider

If no one remains at the centre during the excursion, consider leaving a written notice at the centre that is visible to visitors providing information on:

• the location of the excursion
• the predicted return time, and
• a contact name and phone number.

Things to take

The following are useful things to take on an excursion:

• A list of all children plus their emergency contact details in case of any accident of emergency. Include any siblings. Use this to take periodic roll checks.
• First aid kit. Consider carrying some bags in case of travel sickness, and some portable instant icepacks.
• Personal medication for any of the centre’s children – inhalers, EpiPens and so on. Also take any personal medication needed for adults and teachers.
• Cellphone – with numbers for the bus or transport company, numbers for the destination or venue and a contact number for someone connected with the service who is not going on the excursions.
• Sun protection. Rain wear if needed.
• Books or other items to entertain children if there are any delays.
• Drinking water for all children and adults
• Spare clothing.

Ratios

• Remember that the same ratios on the excursion must be met for all ages of children as you are required to do at the centre. However, given the inherent risks involved in taking children out of the centre, consideration should be given to increasing ratios.
• These ratios need to include all the children on the excursion – that is, include all the siblings not just enrolled children.
• If possible, aim for at least 1 member of the teaching staff to be excluded from the ratio calculation. This leaves them free to manage and coordinate during any unforeseen event, or to deal with routine items such as collecting tickets, managing storage of back packs and so on.
• Consider the travel arrangements and hazards identified on the way to and at the destination when determining adult:child ratios.
• Consider whether ratios need to be improved if any part of the excursion is in the vicinity of an unprotected source of water.

Transport considerations

As a general rule, public transport generally offers less risk than using private vehicles. If private vehicles are used, consider the following:

• All drivers must have a current full New Zealand driver’s licence, and how this will be checked.
• Each vehicle must be registered and have a current warrant of fitness, and how this will be checked.
• As safe practice, have 2 adults accompanying the children travelling in a private vehicle. The exception to this would be where a parent was transporting only their own children.
• All private vehicles must have the appropriate safety restraints for adults and children in accordance with the NZ Transport Agency regulations. See the factsheet on the NZ Transport Agency website for more details.

Child restraints factsheet – NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi

Supporting volunteers/parent helpers

As parent helpers are a key part of adult:child ratio they are critical to the success of the supervision and health and safety on an excursion. Take some time to think through what they need to know about expectations of them, and how to communicate this to them. Consider the following:

• Parent helpers need to actively supervise the children in their care. This means being close enough to keep them safe at all times. They should not let any child leave their group.
• Parent’s own behaviour should not put any children at risk – for example, leaving the group for a coffee, popping into a shop and so on.
• If a parent has a health condition which might compromise their ability to supervise throughout the excursion, ask them to let you know.
• Make sure each parent knows which children they are responsible for. Give them a list of names.
• Make sure they are aware of the itinerary, timetable and general logistics of the excursion.
• Parents need to stay with the main centre group at all times – unless some part of the activity is on a rotating basis. If they need to leave the group for some reason, make sure they know to notify a staff member first.
• Parents need to accept that there is no place for smoking, alcohol or other illegal drugs on any excursion.
• Parents need to agree to follow all the requests and expectations of the teaching team.
• Describe the positive behaviour policies of the centre – explain to parents how they are expected to manage children. Be clear about when they should seek immediate help from a staff member.
• Be clear about what is acceptable in terms of taking photographs of children on the excursion.
• Make sure parents know about the arrangements for toileting, food/drink, looking after children’s belonging, who has the first aid kit, the number of the emergency cell phone and what will happen in any emergency. (That is, adults should not take groups away from the main group unless this is planned and organised.)

HS18 Travel by motor vehicle

Criteria

If children travel in a motor vehicle while in the care of the service:

• each child is restrained as required by Land Transport legislation
• required adult:child ratios are maintained; and
• the written permission of a parent of the child is obtained before the travel begins (unless the child is travelling with their parent).

Documentation required

Evidence of parental permission for any travel by motor vehicle. In most cases, this requirement will be met by the excursion records required for criterion HS17 (above). However, services that provide transport for children to and/or from the service must also gain written permission from a parent upon enrolment.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to uphold the safety of children while travelling in motor vehicles. Linking the restraint of children to licensing requirements allows Ministry of Education to put a regulatory intervention in place for non-compliance, as opposed to fines given by Police.

Guidance

If there are not sufficient child restraints or cars/vans available for any excursion, then other transport options need to be considered.

Ensuring children are properly restrained according to traffic law while travelling in a car is a bare minimum requirement.

Taxis and shuttles have different legislative requirements for child restraints. Ensure children travelling in taxis are restrained as if they were in a private car or van.

If travelling by bus where children are not restrained ensure there is adequate supervision.

If a centre is looking at transporting children to and from the centre, the accountability for regular transport (outside enrolled and licensed hours) is to be agreed between parents and the ECE centres concerned.

ECE centres should employ "best practices" and have procedures in place that focus on health and safety, such as

• Who the adults will be – including any qualifications (teaching, first aid), if they have been police vetted/safety checked
• Appropriate adult:child ratios
• Supervision arrangements
• Alternative arrangements if parents are not at home when children are dropped home
• Sign-in procedures
• Parental permission upon enrolment.

More information is available on the NZ Transport Agency website.

Seatbelts – NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi

Things to consider

Other things to consider when arranging travel in motor vehicles include:

• All drivers must have a current full New Zealand driver’s licence, and how this will be checked.
• Each vehicle must be registered and have a current warrant of fitness, and how this will be checked.
• As safe practice, have two adults accompanying the children travelling in a private vehicle. The exception to this would be where a parent was transporting only their own children.
• All private vehicles must have the appropriate safety restraints for adults and children in accordance with the NZ Transport Agency regulations. For more details, see the factsheet on the NZ Transport Agency website

Child restraints factsheet – NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi

Find out more information on transporting children to and from ECE services and kōhanga reo.

Transport