HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY
Statement of intent
At Nelmes Pre-School we believe that the health and safety of children is of paramount importance. We aim to ensure our setting is a safe and healthy place for children, parents, staff and volunteers.
Our Named person who has overall responsibility for Health & Safety is Cheryl Kelly. However, in our setting this may be shared between all staff.
We aim to make children, parents and staff aware of health and safety issues and to minimise the hazards and risks to enable the children to thrive in a healthy and safe environment.
Risk assessment
Our risk assessment process includes:
• checking for hazards and risks indoors and outside, and in our activities and procedures. Our assessment covers adults and children;
• deciding which areas need attention; and
• developing an action plan that specifies the action required, the timescales for action, the person responsible for the action and any funding required.
We maintain lists of health and safety issues, which are checked:
• daily before the session begins;
• weekly; and
• termly – when a full risk assessment is carried out.
Insurance cover
We have public liability insurance and employers’ liability insurance. The certificate for public liability insurance is displayed on our notice board in the main corridor.
• Health and safety issues are explained to the parents of new children so that they understand the part played by these issues in the daily life of the setting.
• As necessary, health and safety training is included in the annual training plans of staff, and health and safety is discussed regularly at staff meetings.
• We have a no smoking policy.
• Children are made aware of health and safety issues through discussions, planned activities and routines.
Children’s safety
• We ensure all staff employed have been checked for criminal records by an enhanced disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau.
• Adults do not normally supervise children on their own.
• All children are supervised by adults at all times.
• Whenever children are on the premises at least two adults must be present.
Security
• Systems are in place for the safe arrival and departure of children. The times of the children’s arrivals and departures are recorded.
• The arrival and departure times of adults – staff, volunteers and visitors – are recorded.
• Our systems prevent unauthorised access to our premises.
• Our systems prevent children from leaving our premises unnoticed.
Windows
• Windows are protected from accidental breakage or vandalism from people outside the building.
• Windows above the ground floor are secured so that children cannot climb through them.
Doors
• We take precautions to prevent children’s fingers from being trapped in doors.
Floors
• All surfaces are checked daily to ensure they are clean and not uneven or damaged.
Kitchen
• Children do not have unsupervised access to the kitchen.
• All surfaces are clean and non-porous.
• There are separate facilities for hand-washing and for washing up.
• Cleaning materials and other dangerous materials are stored out of children’s reach.
• When children take part in cooking activities, they:
• are supervised at all times;
• are kept away from hot surfaces and hot water; and
• do not have unsupervised access to electrical equipment.
Electrical/gas equipment
• All electrical/gas equipment conforms to safety requirements and is checked regularly by the Church Syndod.
• Our boiler/electrical switchgear/meter cupboard is not accessible to the children.
• Fires, heaters, electric sockets, wires and leads are properly guarded and the children are taught not to touch them.
• Storage heaters are checked daily to make sure they are not covered.
• There are sufficient sockets to prevent overloading.
• The temperature of hot water is controlled to prevent scalds.
• Lighting and ventilation is adequate in all areas including storage areas.
Storage
• All resources and materials from which children select are stored safely.
• All equipment and resources are stored or stacked safely to prevent them accidentally falling or collapsing.
Outdoor area
• Our outdoor area is securely fenced and padlocked when in use by the pre-school.
• Our outdoor area is checked for safety and cleared of rubbish before it is used.
• Adults and children are alerted to the dangers of poisonous plants, herbicides and pesticides.
• All outdoor activities are supervised at all times.
Hygiene
• We regularly seek information from the Environmental Health Department and the Health Authority to ensure that we keep up to date with the latest recommendations.
• In light of COVID19 our Hygiene and cleaning procedures are much more stringent. Staff have been provided with face masks and have access to PPE should they require it. Hand sanitiser has been provided to every staff member and children’s hands are sanitised on arrival in setting. After registration all children are taken to the toilet to soap wash their hands. They are once again sanitised before snack time and are soap washed before the end of the session. (This process applied to all children regardless of whether they do a half day or whole day).
• Our daily routines encourage the children to learn about personal hygiene.
• We have a daily cleaning routine for the setting which include the hall, kitchen, rest area, toilets and nappy changing area.
• We have a rota for cleaning resources and equipment, dressing-up clothes and furnishings.
• The toilet area has a high standard of hygiene including hand washing and drying facilities,
• We implement good hygiene practices by:
• cleaning tables between activities;
• checking toilets regularly;
• wearing protective clothing – such as aprons and disposable gloves – as appropriate;
• providing clean clothes for the children if they require;
• providing tissues and wipes.
• All soiled/wet nappies taken off promises by parent on collection of child.
Activities
• Before purchase or loan, equipment and resources are checked to ensure that they are safe for the ages and stages of the children currently attending the setting.
• The layout of play equipment allows adults and children to move safely and freely between activities.
• All equipment is regularly checked for cleanliness and safety and any dangerous items are repaired or discarded.
• All materials – including paint and glue – are non-toxic.
• Sand is clean and suitable for children’s play.
• Physical play is constantly supervised.
• Children are taught to handle and store tools safely.
• Children learn about health, safety and personal hygiene through the activities we provide and the routines we follow.
Food and drink
• Staff who prepare and handle food receive appropriate Food & Hygiene training and understand – and comply with – food safety and hygiene regulations.
• All food and drink is stored appropriately.
• Adults do not carry hot drinks through the play area(s) and do not place hot drinks within reach of children.
• Snacks are appropriately supervised and children do not walk about with food and drinks.
• Fresh drinking water is available to the children at all times.
• We operate systems to ensure that children do not have access to food/drinks to which they are allergic.
First aid and medication
All members of staff are first aid trained or working towards a certificate. The first aid qualification includes first aid training for infants and young children.
Our first aid kit:
• complies with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981;
• is regularly checked by a designated member of staff and re-stocked as necessary;
• is easily accessible to adults; and
• is kept out of the reach of children.
At the time of admission to the setting, parents’ written permission for emergency medical advice or treatment is sought. Parents sign and date their written approval.
Parents sign a consent form at registration allowing staff to take their child to the nearest Accident and Emergency unit to be examined, treated or admitted as necessary on the understanding that parents have been informed and are on their way to the hospital.
Our accident book:
• is kept safely and accessibly;
• all staff and volunteers know where it is kept and how to complete it; and
• is reviewed at least half termly to identify any potential or actual hazards.
Ofsted is notified of any injury requiring treatment by a general practitioner or hospital doctor, or the death of a child or adult.
When there is any injury requiring general practitioner or hospital treatment to a child, parent, volunteer or visitor or where there is a death of a child or adult on the premises, we make a report to the Health and Safety Executive using the format for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences.
Dealing with incidents
We meet our legal requirements for the safety of our employees by complying with RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). We report to the Health and Safety Executive:
• any accident to a member of staff requiring treatment by a general practitioner or hospital; and
• any dangerous occurrences. This may be an event that causes injury or fatalities or an event that does not cause an accident but could have done, such as a gas leak.
• Any dangerous occurrence is recorded in our Incident Book. See below.
Information for reporting the incident to Health and Safety Officer is detailed in the Pre-school Learning Alliance’s publication, Accident Record.
Our Incident Book
• We keep an incident book for recording incidents including those that that are reportable to the Health and Safety Executive as above.
• These incidents include:
• break in, burglary, theft of personal or the setting’s property;
• fire, flood, gas leak or electrical failure;
• attack on member of staff or parent on the premises or near by;
• any racist incident involving a staff or family on the centre’s premises;
• death of a child, and
• a terrorist attack, or threat of one.
• In the incident book we record the date and time of the incident, nature of the event, who was affected, what was done about it – or if it was reported to the police, and if so a crime number. Any follow up, or insurance claim made, should also be recorded.
• In the unlikely even of a terrorist attack we follow the advice of the emergency services with regard to evacuation, medical aid and contacting children’s families. Our standard Fire Safety Policy will be followed and staff will take charge of their key children. The incident is recorded when the threat is averted.
• The incident book is not for recording issues of concern involving a child. This is recorded in the child’s own file.
Administration of medication
• If a child is admitted with a life threatening illness, medication will be administerd provided child has an up to date care plan provided by the Health Visitor/GP and all staff are suitably trained.
Sickness
Our policy for the exclusion of ill or infectious children is discussed with parents. This includes procedures for contacting parents – or other authorised adults – if a child becomes ill while in the setting.
• We do not provide care for children who are unwell, have a temperature, or sickness and diarrhoea, or who have an infectious disease. Any sickness and diarrhoa systems, children should be kept off for 48 hours until systems disappear.
• Children with headlice are not excluded, but must be treated to remedy the condition.
• Parents are notified if there is a case of headlice in the setting.
• Parents are notified if there is an infectious disease, such as chicken pox.
• HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) may affect children or families attending the setting. Staff may or may not be informed about it.
• Children or families are not excluded because of HIV.
• Good hygiene practice concerning the clearing of any spilled bodily fluids is carried out at all times, all soiled clothes/nappies are returned to parents at the end of the session, as we do not have facility to dispose of them.
• Ofsted is notified of any infectious diseases that a qualified medical person considers notifiable.
Safety of adults
• Adults are provided with guidance about the safe storage, movement, lifting and erection of large pieces of equipment.
• All warning signs are clear and in appropriate languages..
Records
In accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage, we keep records of:
Adults
• names and addresses of all staff on the premises, including temporary staff who work with the children or who have substantial access to them;
• name and address of the owner.
• all records relating to the staff’s employment with the setting, including application forms, references, results of checks undertaken etc.
Children
• names, addresses and telephone numbers of parents and adults authorised to collect children from setting;
• the names, addresses and telephone numbers of emergency contacts in case of children’s illness or accident;
• the allergies, dietary requirements and illnesses of individual children;
• the times of attendance of children, staff, volunteers and visitors;
• accidents and medicine administration records;
• administration of medication, emergency treatment; and
In addition, the following procedures and documentation in relation to health and safety are in place:
Early Years Foundation Stage Standard 6: Safety
• Risk assessment.
• Record of visitors.
• Fire safety procedures.
• Fire safety records and certificates.
Early Years Foundation Stage Standard 7: Health
• Administration of medication.
• Prior parental consent to administer medicine.
• Record of the administration of medicines.
• Prior parental consent for emergency treatment.
• Accident record.
• Sick children.
• No smoking.
COVID19 Health & Safety
At Nelmes Pre-School we are closely monitoring the COVID19 situation carefully and reviewing all updates and information daily received from Government, the Local Authority and Department of Education.
Hygiene
Our focus in Pre-School school with all staff and children remains on hygiene, as this is proven to be the most effective way of limiting the spread of germs.
Washing hands with soap and water, for 20 seconds (the same amount of time it takes to sing ‘happy birthday’ twice) remains one of the most important ways of reducing the chance of infection.
Using tissues when coughing and/or sneezing is also essential. PHE have been advising of the importance of correct coughing and sneezing etiquette with the ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ campaign.
We continue to promote healthy hygiene in Pre-School and thank you for your support to ensure the same good practice at home.
Cleaning of Environment
The Pre-School will be cleaned a various times during the day to ensure risk of contamination and maintain levels of hygiene.
Safeguarding
We take our safeguarding responsibilities towards every child in our care very seriously. As such, our approach to the current situation, particularly with regard to trips, events and activities is proactive, measured and careful. Our risk assessments are dynamic and reflect the challenges of the current situation, recognising that changes may have to be made swiftly.
We continue to closely monitor Government advice in these ever-changing circumstances and are committed to maintaining the best care and education for all children at Nelmes Pre-School whilst balancing this with a robust approach to safeguarding the health and welfare of our community and beyond.
For the latest information on COVID19 Stay at Home Guidance please refer to the website below:
