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WorkSafe ACT has cracked down on Canberra childcare centres and has issued a series of improvement notices over “many concerning” work health and safety issues. The workplace compliance watchdog inspected nine childcare centres over the past two months and has issued 32 improvement notices. It is part of a WorkSafe ACT campaign to audit childcare centres. The campaign is expected to run until March. The issues ranged from firefighting equipment that had not been inspected and no safe system of work for staff immunisation. “When our inspectors visited these centres, they found many concerning work health and safety issues,” ACT work health and safety commissioner Jacqueline Agius said. “Some of these issues, included 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. “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.” Ms Agius said she hoped the inspections served as a reminder for childcare centres to take the time to check their work health and safety practices. “There is always time to prioritise work health and safety, because everyone deserves to work in a safe environment,” she said. For faster access to the latest Canberra news, download The Canberra Times app for iOS and Android.
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WorkSafe ACT has cracked down on Canberra childcare centres and has issued a series of improvement notices over “many concerning” work health and safety issues.
The workplace compliance watchdog inspected nine childcare centres over the past two months and has issued 32 improvement notices.
It is part of a WorkSafe ACT campaign to audit childcare centres. The campaign is expected to run until March.
The issues ranged from firefighting equipment that had not been inspected and no safe system of work for staff immunisation.
“When our inspectors visited these centres, they found many concerning work health and safety issues,” ACT work health and safety commissioner Jacqueline Agius said.
“Some of these issues, included 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.
“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.”
Ms Agius said she hoped the inspections served as a reminder for childcare centres to take the time to check their work health and safety practices.
“There is always time to prioritise work health and safety, because everyone deserves to work in a safe environment,” she said.
WorkSafe ACT commissioner Jacqueline Aguis. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
