Health and Safety

Statement of intent:

We believe that the health and safety of children is of paramount importance.

Risk Assessment:

Our risk assessment process includes:

• Continuous checking for hazards and risks indoors and outside, and in our activities and procedures.
• Developing a working plan stating any action required, the timescales, the person responsible and any funding required.
• We have public liability insurance and employers’ liability insurance.

Manual Handling:

• In-house training will be given to staff to show them the correct procedures for lifting objects.
•  If a member of staff is any doubt regarding the weight of an object or the correct way to lift it they must obtain help.
• Large or heavy objects will not be lifted or moved whilst children are present.

Raising Awareness:                        

• Training for staff includes a clear explanation of health and safety issues so that all staff are able to adhere to our policy and understand their shared responsibility.
• We have a designated Health and Safety Officer who will attend the relevant training and keep up to date with changes and how they affect the pre-school. Changes and training are then fed back to the staff team during team meetings or on training days including all members of staff receiving a copy of all relevant information.

No smoking policy:

• Smoking is strictly forbidden within the pre-school including the outside play area. 

Kitchen:

• Children do not have unsupervised access to the kitchen.
• Cleaning materials and other dangerous materials are stored out of the children’s reach in the kitchen or disabled toilet.
• When children are taking part in cooking activities, they will be supervised at all times and will be kept away from hot surfaces, hot water and electrical equipment.

Electrical/gas equipment:

• All electrical/gas equipment conforms to safety requirements and is checked regularly (yearly with all school electrical equipment).
• Fires, heaters, electrical sockets, wires and manager are properly guarded and the children are taught not to touch them.
• Lighting and ventilation is adequate in all areas including storage areas.
• Our boiler/electrical switchgear/meter cupboard and kitchen is not accessible to children.

Storage:

• All resources and materials which children select are stored safely to prevent them accidentally falling or collapsing.

Hygiene:

• Our daily routines encourage children to learn about personal hygiene.
• All equipment and resources are cleaned regularly.
• We provide nappy changing facilities, if a child requires a nappy changed please speak to the pre-school manager if visiting.

Food Hygiene:

Personal Hygiene      

• Long hair to be tied back
• Wash and dry hands thoroughly and put on disposable gloves.

Cloths Clean

• Dish
• Surface
• T-Towels

Preparation

• Food preparation surfaces to be wiped down with anti-bacterial spray.
• Do not touch other surfaces, skin or hair during food preparation.
• Food is fresh, stored at correct temperatures and in date.
• Food is not subject to contamination by pests, rodents or mould.
• Children’s food allergies checked.
• Use correct colour coded chopping boards for type of food.
• Wash fruit in cold running water including those with non-edible skins.

Closing checks

• Unused food is put away correctly.
• Leftover food and past sell-by-date food discarded .
• Dishes, cups, plates etc to be washed in hot soapy water/Dishwasher.
• Plastic cups to be stored singly, upturned on tray.
• All utensils etc are clean and stored appropriately
• Rubbish removed/bin cleaned
• Work surface clean and wiped down with anti-bacterial spray.
• Dirty cloths removed for washing and replaced.
• Floors clean.

Activities:

• Equipment and resources are checked to ensure that they are safe for the ages and stages of the children.
• The layout of the equipment allows adults and children to move safely and freely between activities.
• All materials – including paint and glue – are non-toxic.
• Sand is clean and suitable for children’s play.
• Physical play is constantly supervised.
• Children learn about health and safety through the activities undertaken and the routines followed.

Fire Safety:

• Fire doors are clearly marked, never obstructed and easily opened from inside.
• Smoke detectors/alarms and fire fighting equipment conform to BSEN standards and are checked yearly.
• Our emergency evacuation procedures are approved by a Fire Safety Officer, are practised regularly and are displayed on the main notice board.
• We have half termly fire drills.

First Aid and Medication:

• At least one member of staff with a current first aid certificate (relevant to infants and children) is on the premises at any one time.
• Our first aid kit complies with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
• Ofsted and the local office of the Health and Safety Executive are notified of any injury requiring treatment by a General Practitioner or hospital, or the death of a child or adult.
• Children’s prescribed drugs are stored in their original containers clearly labelled, inaccessible to children and only administrated by an authorised, trained member of staff when prior written permission has been received from the parent (through means of a medical permission form)

Accidents, injury and incidents

• We hold Accident/Incident and Previous Injury forms.
• Our forms are kept safely and accessibly, and are reviewed regularly to identify any potential or actual hazards.
• The accident/incident form is used when a child has been hurt or injured.  The previous injury form gives details of any injury or marking on or to the child that did not occur at pre-school and was already visible. 

Records:

In accordance with the National Standards for Day Care, we keep records of:

• The names, addresses and telephone numbers of emergency contacts for every person at the setting including children staff, volunteers and students
• Allergies, dietary and illnesses of individual children
• Accidents and incidents