Nursery Safety Checklist
When planning your nursery the most important feature above everything is safety. Here is a simple checklist to ensure your nursery is safe for baby.
Cot Safety
Ensure your cot meets Australian safety standards -
bars should be 50-95mm apart. Any larger and they can trap limbs or baby’s head causing injury.
- Cot should measure 600mm from the base of the mattress to the top rail.
- The cot mattress should fit snugly with no more than 25mm gap between the mattress and the side of the cot.
- If the cot has wheels it should have wheel locks activated
- Also check the cot for small holes or spaces between 5mm and 12mm as these could trap baby fingers or toes.
- Cot side should have an opening mechanism that can only be used by an adult.
Cots should be placed in a safe position in the room -
- Place cot away from windows, doors, power points, curtains heaters and other appliances. Ensure there are no curtain cords within reach of the cot. Curtain cords have a high rate of strangulation and are one of the biggest hazards in the nursery.
The general rule for cot placement is baby should not be able to reach anything from the cot or use any surface to help them climb out and place cot against a flat wall.
- Do not hang pictures or shelves above the cot where they could fall and hurt baby. Do not place cot near heaters.
Cot decor safety is very important -
- Do not place blankets, bumpers or pillows in cot while baby is sleeping. One mattress protector and a very fitted sheet is all that is needed. Dress baby appropriately or use an approved baby sleeping bag baby does not need a pillow and will be safer and more comfortable without one.
-Choose your mobile carefully. Choose a mobile with short string or cord to avoid strangulation risk, ensure the mobile is secure and will not fall into cot and check mobile for small parts that can be chewed or broken off causing a choking hazard.
- Do not place toys or any items in the cot.
- Do not use mosquito netting over the cot, this can be a suffocation or strangulation risk.
- Do not use electric blankets or hot water bottles in the cot.
Tip: Cots look beautiful with bumpers, blankets and toys however they are not safe when baby is sleeping. Keep a drawer free to place these items in at night when baby goes to bed and spend a few minutes in the morning making the cot up again. It only takes a few minutes and is much safer for your baby!
General Nursery Safety
Ensure all breakable or small items are placed on higher shelves out of reach of baby.
All bookshelves should be braced against the wall to stop baby from pulling them over
All curtain cords should be out of reach of baby and wound tightly on a hook to avoid strangulation risk.
Use power point protectors in all unused power points.
Ensure all pictures and shelves are secure.
Use latches or other safety devices in drawers and cupboards so baby can’t access them or jam fingers.
Ensure toy boxes have air holes in case baby climbs inside and slow closing lids to avoid fingers being trapped.
All creams and lotions should be kept on a high shelf to avoid baby ingesting them.
Change tables should have side rails or anti-roll protection and baby should not be left on a change table unattended under any circumstances.
Thousands of children every year are admitted to hospital for treatment because of unsafe nurseries. These injuries include items falling on them, falling from change tables and cots, strangulation from low hanging cords, choking on small items etc.
Nursery safety is one of the most important part of planning your new baby’s arrival, it is never to early to start and safety is never too over the top.
Cot Safety
Ensure your cot meets Australian safety standards -
bars should be 50-95mm apart. Any larger and they can trap limbs or baby’s head causing injury.- Cot should measure 600mm from the base of the mattress to the top rail.
- The cot mattress should fit snugly with no more than 25mm gap between the mattress and the side of the cot.
- If the cot has wheels it should have wheel locks activated
- Also check the cot for small holes or spaces between 5mm and 12mm as these could trap baby fingers or toes.
- Cot side should have an opening mechanism that can only be used by an adult.
Cots should be placed in a safe position in the room -- Place cot away from windows, doors, power points, curtains heaters and other appliances. Ensure there are no curtain cords within reach of the cot. Curtain cords have a high rate of strangulation and are one of the biggest hazards in the nursery.
The general rule for cot placement is baby should not be able to reach anything from the cot or use any surface to help them climb out and place cot against a flat wall.
- Do not hang pictures or shelves above the cot where they could fall and hurt baby. Do not place cot near heaters.
Cot decor safety is very important -
- Do not place blankets, bumpers or pillows in cot while baby is sleeping. One mattress protector and a very fitted sheet is all that is needed. Dress baby appropriately or use an approved baby sleeping bag baby does not need a pillow and will be safer and more comfortable without one.
-Choose your mobile carefully. Choose a mobile with short string or cord to avoid strangulation risk, ensure the mobile is secure and will not fall into cot and check mobile for small parts that can be chewed or broken off causing a choking hazard.
- Do not place toys or any items in the cot.
- Do not use mosquito netting over the cot, this can be a suffocation or strangulation risk.
- Do not use electric blankets or hot water bottles in the cot.
Tip: Cots look beautiful with bumpers, blankets and toys however they are not safe when baby is sleeping. Keep a drawer free to place these items in at night when baby goes to bed and spend a few minutes in the morning making the cot up again. It only takes a few minutes and is much safer for your baby!
General Nursery Safety
Ensure all breakable or small items are placed on higher shelves out of reach of baby.
All bookshelves should be braced against the wall to stop baby from pulling them over
All curtain cords should be out of reach of baby and wound tightly on a hook to avoid strangulation risk.
Use power point protectors in all unused power points.
Ensure all pictures and shelves are secure.
Use latches or other safety devices in drawers and cupboards so baby can’t access them or jam fingers.
Ensure toy boxes have air holes in case baby climbs inside and slow closing lids to avoid fingers being trapped.
All creams and lotions should be kept on a high shelf to avoid baby ingesting them.
Change tables should have side rails or anti-roll protection and baby should not be left on a change table unattended under any circumstances.
Thousands of children every year are admitted to hospital for treatment because of unsafe nurseries. These injuries include items falling on them, falling from change tables and cots, strangulation from low hanging cords, choking on small items etc.
Nursery safety is one of the most important part of planning your new baby’s arrival, it is never to early to start and safety is never too over the top.
