Springe auf Hauptinhalt Springe auf Hauptmenü Springe auf SiteSearch

Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz in vorschulischen Kindertageseinrichtungen

Aim: Improvement of occupational health and safety standards with the emphasis on protection from infectious diseases, protection of working mothers, ergonomics, noise, psychological stress.

Methods: Inspection of 557 nursery schools in Bavaria (about 9 % of all Bavarian nursery schools) by medical occupational health officers in 2008/2009 and assessment of deficiencies by means of checklists. Investigation of psychological stress by personal questionnaires (n = 2890) and determination of the Work Ability Index (n = 1459).

Results: Considerable deficiencies were found in 83 % of the nursery schools. In 37 % room acoustics had been improved by constructional measures. In 34 % ergonomic chairs were in use. Risk assessments according to the German regulations on the protection of workers from biological hazards (Biostoffverordnung) had been carried out in 24 %. Psychological stress had been considered in 8 %. Preventive medical check-ups had been carried out in 54 %. The evaluation of the questionnaires showed that more than one third of the nursery nurses had work-related psychological or physical disorders. Noise and too large groups of children were the problems most commonly reported. When asked what would improve their situation most, the nursery nurses suggested reduction of the noise level, provision of suitable chairs in the group rooms, improved possibilities for further training and transparency of decision-making.

Conclusions: The results of this investigation indicate that the following measures should have priority: 1) improvement of ergonomics, especially provision of ergonomic chairs (and further measures for avoiding back problems); 2) adherence to DIN 18041 in newly built nursery schools, later on in older schools as well; 3) inclusion of the topic ”psychological stress” in the risk assessment with appropriate consequences and measures; 4) reliable organisation of regular times for preparation and post-processing work and of stand-in staff for vacations or sick leave; 5) improvement of education and training (for example extra-occupational training at vocational schools [Berufsfachschulen]); 6) better involvement of occupational physicians and safety experts; 7) improvement of protection from infectious diseases; 8) better adherence to the regulations of maternity protection.