Health and Safety

1. Health and Safety Child Care Centers and Family Day Care Homes

2. Program Issues • Environmental Health • Food Safety • Environmental Safety

3. Environmental Safety

4. Guidelines Regulating Childcare and Family Day Care Settings • 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 • http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/NC/northcarolina.htm

5. Environmental Safety Create child centered environment

6. Kitchen Safety

7. General Kitchen Safety • Establish kitchen safety rules • Establish safety rules for appliances and equipment • Teach dangers and “not to’s”

8. General Kitchen Safety (continued) • Teach children dangers: • Appliances • Cords • Knives

9. 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

10. General Kitchen Safety (continued) • Use only rubber-backed or non-skid rugs • Mop only when children are away from center or in another room

11. Utensil and Equipment Practices • Turn pot handles toward back of stove and counter • Use back burners on stove top whenever possible • Turn burners off immediately after use

12. Utensil and Equipment Practices (continued) • 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

13. Utensil and Equipment Practices (continued) • Use non-breakable dishes and eating utensils • Teach older children knife safety

14. Utensil and Equipment Practices (continued) • 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

15. Meal Time

16. Eating Practices • Teach and expect children to sit during meal time • Keep highchairs away from stove and work counters • Stay with children during mealtime

17. Eating Practices (continued) • Buckle children in highchairs with highchair restraint • Securely latch highchair tray • Take precautions not to pinch hands and fingers in highchair

18. Play and Nap Time Areas

19. Play and Nap Time Areas • Keep all areas clean, orderly and free of potential hazards

20. 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.

21. General Safety Activity • View each room from a child’s vantage point • Get down on the floor and look around the room

22. General Safety Activity • What looks interesting under the furnishings? • What are at the various eye levels of the children under your care? • What can items might look attractive to the children?

23. Leading causes of death • Falls • Poisoning • Fires and Burns • Choking • Drowning

24. Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls

25. Slips, Trips and Falls • Keep floors free of things that can be tripped over or slipped on • Keep stairs in good shape • Eliminate throw rugs

26. Slips, Trips and Falls • Make certain you can see where you are going when carrying big loads • Keep the area well lighted

27. Poison Prevention

28. Poison Proof Your Facility • Potential dangers exist in all rooms • Look through your facility for poisonous products

29. Why are Children at Risk? • Crawl and play on floors and lawns • Put things in their mouths • From foods • Accidental poisoning

30. Remember children’s bodies are small… A little bit of some chemicals can cause big problems

31. What products are dangerous for children? • Batteries • Pesticides • Automotive products • Cleaners • Paints and solvents

32. Medicine Mouthwash Makeup First Aid Supplies Deodorant Perfumes Furniture Polish Liquor Plants Bleach Cigarettes Other Dangerous Products You May Not Think of Include:

33. Household products are hazardous if….. they can cause harm when not used properly

34. How Are Products Harmful? • Toxic/poisonous (cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, injury, death) • Corrosive (burn skin and eyes) • Flammable (can be set on fire)

35. Protecting Children from Hazardous Products How To’s . . . • Use hazardous products safely • Store hazardous products carefully • Dispose of hazardous products properly

36. Use Safely • Read the label • Look for the signal words (caution, warning, flammable, harmful, danger, poison) • Follow directions and special instructions

37. 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

38. Store Safely • Store in original container • Close tightly after use • Store 150 ft from well or water pump • Keep away from heat, sparks, or fire • Store in locked or secure place out of reach of children

39. Dispose of Safely • Dispose of hazardous products according to label directions • Dispose of hazardous product containers in a way such that children can’t get to them

40. Dispose of safely continued • Give away • Take to community hazardous waste collection point • Never dump or burn • Recycle

41. Keep this number near the phone : Carolinas Poison Center 1-800-222-1222

42. Hazard Hound can Help You Keep Children Safe

43. Teach Children . . . Not to touch products with “Paws Off” stickers

44. Label all potentially dangerous products with the “Paws Off” Stickers

45. Reducing Children’s Risk How To’s • Strategies for eliminating pests • Strategies for reducing exposure to hazardous products

46. Pest Control Strategies

47. Broken, loose or torn screens Gaps or holes in home Dirty floors, counters and dishes Spilled foods Storing garbage where pests can reach Roof or plumbing leaks Storing food in containers without lids Why Do You Have Pests?

48. Keeping Pests Out • 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.

49. Fire and Burns

50. Fires • 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