Common Hazards | North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit

From common household products to indoor and outdoor plants, there are many different hazardous substances that a child may come in contact with in a child care setting.

Children are at a greater risk than adults from exposure to hazardous substances, because their bodies are not fully developed, they breathe more air relative to body size and they have more hand-to-mouth contact.

Examples of common hazardous substances that may be found in child care settings include:

Rubbing alcohol
Cleaning products
Paint and varnish remover
Arts and crafts supplies
Mercury in seafood
Dust
Poisonous plants
Pharmaceuticals

Tips to consider

Read the label on any chemical products and follow the instructions for handling, storage and use

Do not mix chemical products such as bleach and ammonia as this can create toxic fumes

Ensure the cap of any chemical product is on tightly after each use

Keep chemical products in their original containers

Keep chemical products in a locked cupboard or in a location inaccessible to children

Consider teaching children, of appropriate age, about the warning symbols found on chemical containers and to avoid such hazardous chemicals

Notify parents/legal guardians if a hazardous chemical will be used in the centre

For arts and crafts activities use paints labelled “safe for children’s use”. Do not let children use copper enamel, powdered clay and paint, ceramic glaze, and solder for stained glass (may contain cadmium or lead). View Health Canada’s Information for Art Class Teachers: Chemical Safety for more information.

Want more information about poison control and safety for common hazardous substances?

Visit Ontario Poison Centre’s webpage on Common Poisons – Household Hazards A-Z.

Children can encounter poisonous plants from indoor house plants or through their activities in parks, gardens, and outdoor play areas. Ingestion of plant parts and contact with the skin are common routes of exposure for children. Inspect outside play areas for poisonous plants and wild mushrooms before children go outdoors.

Tips to consider:

Plants that are known to be poisonous should be removed from the child care setting

Remove and properly discard all wild mushrooms before children go outdoors

Teach children at an early age about the dangers of certain plants and how to recognize these plants

Do not allow children to taste or eat the nectar from flowers, as it can be poisonous

Ontario Poison Centre Resources

Common Poisonous Mushrooms

Common Poisonous Plants

Repellents Containing Deet

On children under 6 months of age, insect repellents containing DEET should not be used.

On children aged 6 months to 2 years, use insect repellent containing up to 10% DEET. Do not apply the product more than once a day.

On children between 2 and 12 years of age, use insect repellent containing up to 10% DEET. The product can be applied up to 3 times per day.

Health Canada recommends the following if you are considering using an insect repellent containing DEET:

Use only insect repellents that are approved in Canada for human use. Look for the Pest Control Product (PCP) registration number on the product label.

Use according to the manufacturer’s directions on the label.

Check for sensitivity before use by applying the product to a small area of skin on the arm, then wait 24 hours to see if a reaction occurs. If a reaction occurs, stop using the product immediately, wash the area with soap and water, and seek medical assistance.

Avoid breathing mist of the spray. Always apply in a well-ventilated area.

Store DEET out of reach of children.

Use caution when using repellents containing DEET on children, it can cause toxic effects.

Do not apply DEET directly to a child’s skin. Apply to your own hands and then put it on the child.

Depending on the concentration of DEET in a product, it can be effective for approximately 3 to 6 hours. Avoid prolonged or excessive use of DEET. Use sparingly to cover exposed skin and clothing. Do not apply to skin covered by clothing.

Do not apply repellents to hands or face of young children.

Do not let children apply repellents themselves.

As with chemical exposure in general, pregnant women should try to avoid exposures to repellents when possible.

Wash all treated skin and clothing with soap and water after returning indoors.

Never use repellents over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.

Do not use repellents near food.

Alternatives to Deet

As an alternative to products containing DEET, registered repellents containing P-menthane-3,8-diol as the active ingredient can be used by people over three years of age. Follow the product directions.

Registered products containing soybean oil may also be used to prevent bites (except by individuals with allergies to soy).

Note: Vitamin B, skin moisturizer or sunscreen combined with insect repellent, ultrasonic devices, incense, and lavender have not been shown to be effective in preventing mosquito bites and as a result are not approved by Health Canada as repellents.

If children are playing outside, it is possible that a used condom or sharp may be found.

Teach children never to touch condoms or sharps that they find and teach them to report the situation to a child care staff immediately.

If you handle a sharp or condom properly, you can reduce the health risk or chance of injury.

Safe Sharps Handling and Disposal

Safe Disposal of Used Condoms

Wear disposable gloves and use tongs to pick up the condom.

Put used condom in a plastic bag.

Put the bag into a garbage can that children cannot access. Do not put it into a recycling bin.

Remove and dispose of disposable gloves in a lined garbage can.

Wash your hands with soap and water.

Protocol For Needle Stick Injury to A Child

Do not panic. The risk of serious infection is low.

Allow the pricked area or wound to bleed freely; do not squeeze it.

Wash the area with soap and water immediately.

Do not use bleach or alcohol as they will irritate the wound.

Contact the child’s parents/guardians and advise of the incident.

Take the child to the nearest hospital emergency department as soon as possible.

Protocol For Needle Stick Injury to Staff

Do not panic. The risk of serious infection is low.

Allow the pricked area or wound to bleed freely; do not squeeze it.

Wash the area with soap and water immediately.

Do not use bleach or alcohol as they will irritate the wound.

Report to your supervisor immediately. If you cannot do this, leave a message for your supervisor.

Go to the nearest hospital emergency department as soon as possible.

For follow-up counselling, see your health care provider or occupational health services department.

A safe and stimulating place to play, run, imagine, and enjoy the outdoors is a great atmosphere for children to be in. Because of this, outdoor play areas are very prevalent in child care settings. Even with all the great things outdoor play areas have to offer, there are still a lot of safety concerns and dangers that playgrounds can present for children.

All outdoor sandboxes must be covered when they are not being used. The lid must be fitted to exclude animals, but to allow air circulation.

Outdoor play areas must be inspected by staff before allowing children access to the area. Sand should be inspected daily by staff for feces, glass, rocks, or other contaminants.

Sand in sandboxes and loose materials in the play areas should be free of organic material and animal feces. The contaminated material must be placed in a garbage bag for disposal in an approved landfill site.

Playground equipment should be free of protruding nails, screws, or sharp edges, and must meet CSA standards.

Supports for playground equipment should be secured to the ground and concrete should be buried under a suitable surface.

Moreover, the Ministry of Community and Social Services requires certain standards for outdoor play areas. As a result, all playgrounds and outdoor play areas must be certified for use according to the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. The Ministry of Community and Social Services ensures that this occurs.

What is a suitable outdoor play area?

It is in an area that is easy for child care staff to supervise children.

It is away from high traffic areas.

It has good drainage for rainwater.

It is free of debris, structures in disrepair, and broken or worn equipment.

It is enclosed by a fence that is at least 1.2 meters (four feet) high that has a gate that cannot be opened by a young child.

It has a protective surface such as uncompacted pea-gravel, rubber, sand/pea-gravel mix, or mulching where play equipment, such as a jungle gym, is located.