WorkSafe has concluded its investigation into a chemical burns incident at Kindercare Woolston and will not take further enforcement action.
Industrial sanitiser was mistakenly applied instead of detergent on a water slide in December 2025, causing chemical burns and blisters to five children and two adults. St John assessed 40 patients on the day and the centre was placed in lockdown.
WorkSafe's investigation determined the sanitiser use resulted from human error rather than deliberate or reckless action, though the regulator found Kindercare's existing controls were inadequate to prevent the error. The agency declined to publicly release its investigation report, stating it would need to be requested under the Official Information Act.
Kindercare complied with an earlier improvement notice to review sanitiser-related risks. The company has since implemented changes across its centres including more secure storage of hazardous products, updated staff training, and stronger procedures for activities involving chemicals.