WorkSafe ACT have become involved after a child fell five metres from equipment at a play centre in Canberra over the Easter long weekend.
The child suffered minor injuries, however, the centre remains open with a prohibition notice on the equipment involved.
Work Health and Safety Commissioner Jacqueline Agius expressed shock at this incident and offered her sympathy to the child and the family.
The commissioner told ABC Radio Canberra on Wednesday morning that WorkSafe ACT had been involved in several incidents across Canberra in the past 12 months.
She said incidents included a child who had fallen and broken a leg, while another had become stuck in netting and broken a foot.
"The safety of children must be of the utmost importance for operators of these facilities. There are duties owed to children at these workplaces, the same duties that are owed to workers," she said.
"It is very distressing to know that a child was not kept safe from a significant fall. I wish a speedy recovery to the child and my best wishes to their family.
"Unfortunately, these incidents are more common than the ACT community realises and can cause much more severe injuries to children than in this case.
"We urge parents and carers to closely inspect these centres and supervise their children and notify us where risks to workers or children are not being taken seriously enough."
WorkSafe ACT is aware that some businesses ask parents or carers to sign a waiver that states the parent or carer is responsible for the supervision and safety of the child using the centre; under the WHS laws this is not correct.
Ms Agius urged parents and carers not to assume that play centres are safe just because they are in a business environment.
"Like any workplace, operators of children's play centres must fulfil their WHS obligations. Falls from height, even if they have not resulted in injury, are notifiable incidents and must be reported to WorkSafe ACT," she said.
Businesses have a duty to ensure that workers and others at the workplace are not exposed to risks to their health and safety, this includes children at the premises.
They must also report all incidents such as falls from heights to WorkSafe ACT, even if they do not result in injury and ensure that they provide their workers with adequate training, instruction and supervision and have sufficient and current first aid training and a current working with vulnerable people card.
