Revised | Originally Published: September 29, 2022 @ 10:00 am

A Hazard is a danger that is not easily seen or predicted. For example, razor-sharp teeth and switchblade claws are hazards to preschoolers who have never interacted with a kitten or have never been warned to watch out for the pointy parts. One second, they are blissfully stroking fuzzy ears, and the next minute, they’re nursing multiple scratches and puncture wounds. Kids don’t see them coming until it is too late.

They Come In Three Flavors

Hazards can be divided into three categories. They can be objects (claws and teeth), situations (unsupervised preschooler Beckie trying to make a kitten snuggle), or behaviors (a kitten’s natural inclination to scratch and nip playfully and when irritated)–or combinations of the three. One job of adults working with young children is to be on the lookout for likely hazards and act to mitigate their possible harm.

The Murky Line

The total elimination of all hazards in an early learning setting is, of course, not possible. It’s also not advisable. Learning to assess and navigate the hazards life throws in your path is an important skill; the only way to develop that skill is through real-world experience. Kids need hands-on opportunities to assess situations and decide how to proceed for themselves. How high can I comfortably climb that tree before I don’t want to go any higher? Can I stand before the class, tell them about my trip to the water park, and show everyone my new hat? Not having an abundance of such opportunities in childhood is itself, a hazard.

We must do all we can to eliminate what we’ll call Capital H Hazards that could cause extreme harm in early learning settings. (That’s why we have fire drills, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and fire inspections. It’s also why we do staff background checks.) In most cases, kids are not able to see these things coming.

However, we must balance that with creating play environments that allow kids to take developmentally appropriate risks while reducing the potential for severe harm. We’ll call these small h hazards. For example, climbing structures with clear fall zones and resilient surfaces should be provided.

The problem is that no universal agreement exists on which hazards get a H and which ones get a h. There’s plenty of murky area between capital and lowercase hazards. When is a child old enough to use scissors, use a hot glue gun, cross a street without holding an adult’s hand, or stay home without a babysitter?

Mitigation Strategies

One way to make that line less murky is to use mitigation strategies to reduce potential harm. Mitigation strategies are used to reduce potential harm by eliminating hazards or making them easier to see and predict. These strategies can be used individually or in combination. Let’s look at them–sticking with those potentially harmful kittens in the examples.

Awareness

The first strategy is to make children aware of objects, situations, or behaviors that could cause harm. “Hey, they look cute and cuddly, but kittens have sharp teeth and claws and sometimes like to play with them. Be cautious, you might get bit or scratched.” A simple warning can raise awareness of a potential hazard.

Elimination

Another strategy is to remove the hazard from the environment. “No Kittens Allowed.” This dramatically reduces the number of bites and scratches but also reduces all kitten-based learning opportunities. In some situations, elimination is overkill. In others (child predators
and uncontrolled fire, for example) it is an ideal strategy.

Substitution

This strategy involves replacing materials, equipment, or activities with less hazardous options. Replacing a classroom visit from a feisty kitten with a visit from a calm adult cat that’s spent lots of time with children, for example. Another example would be redirecting children who need to bite away from biting their peers and toward biting objects from a handy “stuff-that-is-safe-to-bite” tote.

Physical Controls

This fourth option involves using equipment to reduce potential harm. Wearing long sleeves–and maybe gloves–when handling kittens, for example. Bike helmets are another example. As are hats and sunscreen in sunny locations and boots and mittens in cold ones. One more example–doorway gates to keep adventurous toddlers from adventuring into spaces that may be dangerous.

Administrative Controls

Finally, administrative controls that guide how jobs are performed can help reduce the harm of potential hazards. Program policies and procedures that require all visiting kittens to have their shots and be in good health, for example. Thoughtful and healthy policies and procedures can do a lot to reduce hazards.

Hazard Wrap-Up

Adults in early learning settings must work hard to mitigate potential harm while maintaining an environment that supports developmentally appropriate risk-taking. The five mitigation strategies outlined above can be useful in this effort.

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