5 Health and Safety Things Every ECE Teaching Team Should Think About
When people think about health and safety in Early Childhood Education, they often think about playground checks, sleep monitoring, and keeping tamariki safe.
But health and safety isn't just about children—it's about the adults caring for them too.
As teachers, we spend hours lifting children, sitting on tiny furniture, managing challenging situations, and moving quickly between activities. Over time, these everyday tasks can take a toll on our bodies and wellbeing.
Here are five practical health and safety considerations every ECE teaching team should discuss.
1. Are There Enough Adult-Sized Chairs?
It sounds simple, but it's one of the most common issues I see.
Many teachers spend large portions of the day sitting on child-sized furniture, perching on tiny seats, or sitting on the floor. While this might seem like part of the job, it can contribute to back pain, hip discomfort, and musculoskeletal strain over time.
Ask yourself:
Do teachers have access to adult-sized seating throughout the centre?
Are staff encouraged to use them?
Is furniture supporting good posture and comfort?
Looking after your team starts with giving them suitable equipment to do their jobs safely.
2. How Often Are Teachers Lifting Children?
Lifting is often so routine in ECE that we stop noticing it.
Whether it's helping a child into a cot, supporting a toddler onto a changing table, or comforting a tired preschooler, these movements add up throughout the day.
Consider:
Are there opportunities to encourage children to climb independently where appropriate?
Are changing areas set up to minimise awkward lifting?
Have staff discussed safe lifting techniques?
Reducing unnecessary lifting can significantly lower the risk of injury.
3. Is Teacher Wellbeing Part of Your Health and Safety Conversations?
Stress and fatigue are workplace health and safety risks.
Many teaching teams are juggling increasing administrative demands, staffing challenges, and the emotional demands of caring for children and families.
Questions worth asking include:
Do staff feel comfortable raising concerns?
Are workloads realistic?
Are breaks actually being taken?
How is the team coping during busy periods?
A healthy team is better equipped to provide quality care and education.
4. Are Near Misses Being Talked About?
Not every incident results in an injury.
Sometimes a teacher trips over a toy but catches themselves. Sometimes a shelf becomes unstable before anyone is hurt. Sometimes a process nearly fails.
These near misses provide valuable learning opportunities.
Creating a culture where staff feel comfortable discussing "almost incidents" can help prevent future injuries and improve safety throughout the centre.
5. Does Your Health and Safety System Work in Real Life?
The best health and safety systems aren't necessarily the biggest.
Policies and procedures are important, but they need to reflect what actually happens in your centre.
Ask your teaching team:
Are our processes practical?
Do staff understand them?
Are they helping or creating extra barriers?
If something goes wrong, would our systems support us?
Health and safety should make people's jobs easier and safer—not become another box to tick.
My Final Thoughts
Good health and safety in ECE isn't about creating more paperwork.
It's about noticing the everyday things that impact teachers' wellbeing and making practical improvements that support both staff and tamariki.
Sometimes that starts with something as simple as an adult-sized chair.
When we look after our teaching teams, we're ultimately creating safer, healthier environments for everyone in our centres.