ECE teachers need preventive education to avoid health hazard
The teachers of our youngest children are facing a constant but avoidable health hazard that does not get the national
attention it deserves, health experts say.
A report just released by the ChildForum national organisation highlights that working with very young children in early
childhood education presents a high risk of injury to staff.
Nurses and people working in the aged-care sector have been aware for many years about back and other injuries related
to moving furniture and handling patients. They have been taught how to reduce risks and avoid injury unlike educators
of young children in early childhood centres and homes.
Occupational therapists Melissa Caskie and Nadia Tu'itahi say the problem in early childhood education is the constant
and frequent bending over, picking up, and lifting equipment and children, on and off changing tables, cots, and
playground equipment.
“Much of the day for most early childcare teachers is spent doing manual handling of some kind.
“Our reaction to the just released ‘Staff Safety in Early Childhood Education Workplaces’ report by ChildForum is that
it is in line with ACC statistics around musculoskeletal injuries for the early childhood sector.”
It appears that injury prevention is not a focus in most early childhood workplaces, and this is why the report shows an
increase in the percentage of early childhood staff reporting injury.
To keep themselves safe and children safe, it is important to know how to move their body and watch for hazards when
there are lots of things happening around them.
“Let’s face it: if your back gives out as you are lifting a child out of a cot using improper lifting and moving
techniques, you are putting yourself and that child at risk of unnecessary injury.
“It is clear to us that the focus needs to be on injury prevention (this is what ACC always promotes), and it must be
addressed before it becomes a problem,” says Ms Caskie.
What is worrying and disturbing is how early childhood staff are coping while working with children when they are not
valued or supported while also being over-worked and stressed.
Over the years, our observation has been that when employees have been provided with education on how to improve their
work practices, it greatly improves their frame of mind. They feel valued, and feel part of a team. Additionally, there
is a financial benefit to the employer (decrease in absenteeism and injuries, and therefore no need to call relievers or
pay sick days off work). ACC reports show people can be off work for up to 60 days, costing a company anywhere between
$4-7,000. Good health and safety is great for business too.
Ms Caskie and Ms Tu'itahi have talked with a large range of early childhood professionals and have also researched
overseas to develop a training solution that will assist early childhood employers in meeting their obligations under
the Health and Safety at Work Act and enable staff to learn practices to keep themselves safe when manual handling.
“We contacted a number of ECE centres in Australia and asked them about their manual handling training. All centres
advised that it was compulsory for their staff to do manual handling training, as it was their legislative
responsibility as an employer to ensure their staff were being safe in the work environment.
“Some centres did online training, some did a mix of online and in-person training.
The UK also provides manual handling to ECE staff. But manual handling training in early childcare in NZ is virtually
non-existent.
We want to change this and from today Edusafe's accessible online training to all early childcare workers and teachers
will be available,” says Ms Tu’itahi
Further Information:
1. Worksafe New Zealand has defined manual handling as: "Any activity requiring a person to lift, lower, push, pull,
carry, throw, move, restrain, hold or otherwise handle any animate, or inanimate object."
2. Now, more than ever, training staff on safe manual handling techniques are of utmost importance for all organisations
with the new Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 legislation now in effect.
3. The early childhood national organisation report referred to in this press release is available from ChildForum
(www.childforum.com)
ENDS …