Health and Safety Policy

The safety of children is paramount. Promoting a healthy and safe environment to learn in encourages high standards of hygiene and safety.

Risk assessment

• Risk assessments of the building and environment and activities will be undertaken regularly.
• See attached Risk assessment.

Gas and Electricity

• All electrical appliances to checked before each session.
• Check radiators are covered with safety cages.
• Ensure all plugs sockets are filled
• No trailing wares
• Heating equipment away from children
• Water temperature set at 1

Security

• Ensure door catch is on once children are in the session.
• A member of staff must receive children at the beginning of a session.
• All visitors sign a visitor’s book and are not left alone with children.
• Children are supervised at all times.

Outside area

• Before a session a member of staff will check outside area for dangerous or loose equipment, rubbish or faeces.
• All pools of water are drained or constantly supervised.
• All plants are checked for safety.

Fire safety

Fire drill procedures are displayed by cupboard door

• All doors are kept clear
• All staff are aware of fire drill procedure. See Fire and evacuation procedure.
• Records of fire drills are recorded in first aid book.
• Adequate fire control equipment is available
• Emergency warning system, continuums ringing on internal phone used for emergency help.

Outings and Transport

• All outings with children must have parental consent.
• Transport can only be used with appropriate car/travel insurance.
• Adult to child ratios should be 1 to 2
• Children’s contact details must be taken on outing as well as a mobile phone.
• First aid kit must be carried
• Spare cloths and water must be accessible

Insurance

• Orchard Nursery is covered by appropriate insurance and this certificate is displayed.

Hygiene

• All equipment kept clean and regularly sterilizes or washed.
• All premises kept clean and toilets to be checked during sessions.
• Children expected and shown how to wash and dry their hands and attend to personal hygiene.
• Good hygiene practised exercised by staff. Washing hands before and after preparing food, art activities or dealing with accidents.
• Always wash hands after using the toilet.
• Encourage use of tissues when coughing or sneezing.

Cleaning up body fluids spills

• All spills of body fluids, blood, faeces, nasal and eye discharges, salvia and vomit must be cleared up immediately.
• Wear disposable gloves
• Clean and disinfect any surfaces on which body fluids have been spilt.
• Discard fluid contaminated material in a plastic bag along with gloves.
• Mops used to clean up body fluids must be washed in bleach and dried, not in kitchen sink.
• Contaminated clothing must be washed above 60oC

Outbreaks of infection

• If the staff suspect that children are part of an outbreak of infection inform Consultant in Communicable Disease Control.

Animals

• Only allowed on to the premises if they do prevent a health risk

Sand pits

• Outside pits should be covered when not in use
• Inside sand changed or sterilized regularly, no sweeps from the floor to be put back in.

Food handling

• Responsible adults handling food must wash their hands and be aware of regulations relating to food hygiene.

Medicine

• Medicines are stored in original containers out of the reach of children. All medicines given recorded in this book.
• Medicines only administered to named child with parental written permission. Forms in medicine book. Training must be given if medicine administration is technical.

Female Staff

• Pregnant women working in the Nursery should be aware of the following diseases and try to avoid contact.

Chicken Pox, German measles, Slapped cheek disease.

First Aid

• The first aid box is regularly checked and re stocked.
• First aid box is kept in labelled cupboard
• Amanda has first aid training
• Any first aid given is recorded by staff and acknowledged in writing by parents.
• Written permission is obtained from parents on registration form to obtain medical assistance if need. Religious and cultural requests are noted on register.

Sick Child

• A guide is kept for parents to show incubation periods of diseases.
• If a child is sick or ill during a session parents will be requested to collect their child.
• If a child has been sick or had diarrhoea a period of at least 24 hours should elapse before they are sent to Nursery. They will be sent home if this is not adhered to.

Hot drinks

• These must be kept out of the reach of children at all times

Smoking

• They is a no smoking policy.

Reviewed September 2004

Rereview September 2006

Reviewed May 2006

To be reviewed may 2008