Kindercare Water‑Slide Chemical Burns: More Than a Detergent Mix‑Up
This story uncovers how a chemical‑burn incident at a Kindercare centre was not just a one‑off mistake but the result of systemic failures in safety, oversight, and regulation.
See how both WorkSafe and the Ministry of Education allowed these risks to go unchecked, and what it means for children’s safety in ECE.
The Problems Included:
1. Unsafe chemical storage: Industrial sanitiser was stored under the kitchen sink next to general dishwashing liquid, in similar‑looking containers with similar labels.
2. Poor activity planning: Staff began the activity without enough detergent, leading to trips back to the centre (where a teacher collected a container they believed was dishwashing liquid) and to the dairy (where the centre manager went to buy more).
3. No RAMS was completed: The water‑slide activity was known about the day before and parents were informed so children would bring clothing for wet play, yet the centre did not complete a risk assessment of the activity.
4. Use of unlicensed outdoor space: The centre routinely used a grass section outside the gate as an outdoor activity area, despite it not being licensed or approved.
5. No one questioned the container of industrial sanitiser: When the chemical was taken from the kitchen, and again when it was poured onto the slide, no staff member or the manager involved in the activity noticed or challenged the container.
6. Long‑term regulatory lack of oversight: The Ministry of Education had not conducted a full compliance assessment of the Kindercare centre since 2011.
