Christchurch Childcare Company Admits Safety Failures After Children Suffer Burns

Key Takeaways

• Seven people, including five children, suffered chemical burns at a Kindercare facility in Woolston, New Zealand
• The incident occurred when a chemical intended for use in the kitchen steriliser was mistaken for dishwashing liquid and poured onto a slip and slide
• Kindercare has admitted to failing on safety and has promised to carry out a full investigation
• WorkSafe has also opened an investigation into the incident
• A safety expert has called for a systemic investigation and for the entire childcare industry to review their safety systems

Introduction to the Incident
Emergency services were called to Kindercare in Woolston on Friday afternoon after an incident in which a chemical intended for use in the kitchen steriliser was mistaken for dishwashing liquid and poured onto a slip and slide. The incident resulted in seven people, including five children, being hospitalised with chemical burns. Fortunately, all of those affected were discharged from Christchurch Hospital by late Saturday morning. The incident has raised concerns about the safety procedures in place at the facility and has prompted an investigation by both Kindercare and WorkSafe.

Response to the Incident
In response to the incident, Kindercare’s chief executive and regional manager flew to Christchurch on Friday night to investigate the matter. The company has admitted that it failed to uphold its core value of safety and has promised to carry out a full investigation into the incident. The investigation will aim to determine how the chemical was taken from its storage area and used in a play activity. The chemical involved is commonly used in many of Kindercare’s centres and is normally kept in a kitchen cupboard or laundry, plumbed directly into the centre’s steriliser. The fact that it was misidentified and used in a play activity has raised serious concerns about the safety procedures in place at the facility.

Investigation and Aftermath
The incident has been described by Fire and Emergency Woolston senior station officer John Herriot as a "bit of fun for the kids" that went wrong. The teachers had set up a waterslide as a fun activity for the children, but at some point, the chemical was misidentified and used on the slip and slide, causing irritation and blistering to the children’s skin. In total, 40 patients were assessed after the incident, and five children and two employees were taken to hospital. The centre was put into lockdown, and 18 units responded to the incident, including nine ambulances, three rapid response units, five operations managers, and one Major Incident Support Team vehicle. St John national operations manager Chris Harrison said that the patients had suffered chemical burns and blisters, and that parents were "pretty upset but pragmatic about the situation".

Call for a Systemic Investigation
A safety expert has called for a systemic investigation into the incident, saying that the internal investigation must be thorough and examine all aspects of the facility’s safety procedures. New Zealand Institute of Safety Management president Karl Berendt told RNZ that the cleaning product used was fairly common and had a caustic nature. He said that the fact children were injured was a prompt for the entire childcare industry to review their safety systems and ensure that they are in place and working as they should. Berendt said that "someone’s obviously dropped the ball" and that the incident was a wake-up call for all childcare centres to take a good hard look at their safety procedures.

Conclusion and Recommendations
The incident at Kindercare in Woolston is a serious reminder of the importance of safety procedures in childcare facilities. The fact that a chemical was misidentified and used in a play activity, resulting in chemical burns to seven people, including five children, is a clear indication that something went wrong. Kindercare’s admission of failure on safety and their promise to carry out a full investigation is a step in the right direction. However, it is also important for the entire childcare industry to take a hard look at their safety systems and ensure that they are in place and working as they should. This incident should serve as a wake-up call for all childcare centres to review their safety procedures and ensure that they are providing a safe environment for children.