Chapter 8 Safety Management 2012 Cengage Learning All

Chapter 8 Safety Management © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Unintentional Injury Facts • Unintentional injuries are the primary cause of death among children under 14 years of age. (Table 8 -1). • Each year, more than 200, 000 children under 14 yrs. are treated in U. S. emergency departments for playgroundrelated injuries. © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Unintentional Injury Facts • Approximately 68% of deaths due to injury -related causes occur among children and adolescents aged 5 -19 years © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Unintentional Injury • Young children are at especially high risk for unintentional injury due to their: – Limited understanding of cause and effect – Immature motor skills – Inexperience – Exuberance © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Risk Management • Requires continuous awareness and implementation of safety practices. • Requires that adults be aware of their own well-being and circumstances that might make them less effective in monitoring children’s safety. • Requires adults to be positive role models. © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Risk Management (continued) Effective risk management is based on four principles: #1). Advanced planning and thoughtful selection of toys, play equipment, and activities - Is based on knowledge of children’s age, interests, and developmental abilities. © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Developmental Risks • In what way do children’s developmental characteristics influence the type of injuries they are likely to sustain? • What are some of the potential sources of risk for: – – Infants Mobile toddlers Preschoolers School-age children © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Risk Management (continued) • #1 Advanced planning and thoughtful selection of toys, play equipment, and activities (continued) – Learning experiences and activities: • Must be planned from beginning to end and supervised closely • Should take into account children’s interests and developmental skills • Should be designed to promote learning (and reduce misuse) © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Risk Management (continued) • #2). Establishing and consistently enforcing rules - Rules are based on knowledge of children’s age, interests, and developmental abilities - Adults’ supervisory skills and the number of children in a group must also be taken into consideration - Rules must be appropriate for a given activity © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Risk Management (continued) • #3 Providing quality supervision - In group settings, the majority of unintentional injuries occur during outdoor play - The amount of supervision required depends on the type of activity and children’s developmental abilities and limitations - Teachers should know first aid and be familiar with a program’s emergency policies and procedures. © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Risk Management (continued) • #4 Safety education - Should be ongoing. - Should take advantage of formal and spontaneous learning opportunities. - Should gradually help children develop self-protection skills. © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Safety and Toys • How to select toys and play equipment – Not all manufacturer’s age recommendations are appropriate. Know your children’s abilities and limitations. – Consider construction (non-toxic) and safety features (Table 8 -6) – Avoid toys with small parts (choking hazard), sharp edges, projectiles, loud noises, and long strings or cords (strangulation hazard). © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Safety and Toys (continued) – Avoid toys and activities that may be too challenging or too far below children’s skill level. – Avoid Be alert to product recalls and recommendations (www. cpsc. org) © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Additional Safety Considerations • Only provide art materials that pose no safety risks • Take special precautions to ensure that field trips are safe for children. – Thoughtful planning, emergency preparations, and notification procedures must be addressed. © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Additional Safety Considerations • Establish feeding and care guidelines for classroom pets – Make sure children have no allergies to animals – Children and adults should always wash their hands after handling any animal. © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.