Nursery Fined After Baby Burned by Cleaning Bucket
A nursery in Aberdeen has been fined £7,500 after a 10-month-old boy was badly burned when a bucket of boiling water containing bleach tipped over him. The incident occurred at Little Dreams Nursery in the city's Bon Accord Street in November 2021.
Sheriff Harry Small told the court that the incident was "entirely preventable and avoidable" as he issued the fine. The nursery, which appeared before Aberdeen Sheriff Court, admitted failing to have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and a safe system of work for cleaning the premises.
The court heard that while the boy was in a room being cleaned, he was able to tip over a bucket that contained boiling water and bleach. Fiscal depute Lisa Duffus stated that one staff member boiled a kettle and emptied its contents into a bucket along with a cap of bleach. The child's clothes were then removed, and he was placed in a sink of water before being wrapped in clingfilm.
The child's parents took him to the accident and emergency department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he was treated for partial blistering to his leg and forearm.
The family, in a statement released through law firm Digby Brown, said they felt the fine was too low but wished to move on. They said they had waited five years for the nursery to admit responsibility, adding that "the severity of his injuries have not been acknowledged." The statement continued: "We trusted them to take care of him and for such an injury to happen to a 10-month-old baby is indefensible. In the months and years that followed, we had to watch our boy deal with the consequences of something that was never his fault. No parent should have to experience that, but we are thankful it hasn't had a more serious or longer-lasting impact."
Court Proceedings and Defence
Defence advocate Barry Smith KC said the first priority of a nursery was the safety and wellbeing of the children there. He added: "It is the utmost regret from all involved - from the director and all staff - that this accident occurred and injury was caused to a young child."
Smith's comments follow the nursery's guilty plea to a health and safety charge brought under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The court imposed a £7,500 fine and an additional victim surcharge.
The family described the incident as "indefensible" and said it had been made worse by the nursery's failure to properly treat the boy's injuries and get him prompt medical help. They noted, however, that they were thankful the injuries had not had a more serious or lasting effect.
The case has also drawn attention to the importance of robust risk assessments in childcare settings, particularly in the context of cleaning chemicals and hot water.