Canberra childcare centres found breaching work health and safety protocols

Nine childcare centres were found to have breached work health and safety protocols in November and December, local news source citynews.com.au has reported. 

A number of issues were identified including firefighting equipment not being inspected, electrical equipment which had not been regularly checked and tagged, no safe system of work for staff immunisation (for vaccine preventable diseases), and no dangerous substances register, ACT work health and safety commissioner, Jacqueline Agius said.

As a result of the issues, inspectors issued 32 improvement notices for the breaches, which Ms Agius termed ‘concerning’.  

“If these risks aren’t managed properly, there’s the potential for serious injury, not only for staff but others, including children or visitors to these centres” she told citynews.com.au.

Ms Agius reminded services that there is “always time to prioritise work health and safety”, encouraging services to use the holiday period, where attendances are typically lower, to ensure their work health and safety practices are in order, and make necessary improvements. 

WorkSafe ACT will continue to audit childcare centres until March, she said.

To access the original coverage of this story, see here.