Designated Health and safety Officers are: Mrs Heather Quinell.

Statement of intent

Northern Pre-School believes that the health and safety of children is of paramount importance. We make our Pre-School a safe and healthy place for children, parents, staff and volunteers.

Aim

Our provision is a suitable, clean, and safe place for children to be cared for, where they can grow and learn. We meet all statutory requirements for promoting health and hygiene and fulfil the criteria for meeting the relevant Early Years Foundation Stage Safeguarding and Welfare requirements.

Objectives

We promote health through:

• ensuring emergency and first aid treatment is given where necessary
• ensuring that medicine necessary to maintain health is given correctly and in accordance with legal requirements
• identifying allergies and preventing contact with the allergenic substance
• promoting health through taking necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection and taking appropriate action when children are ill
• promoting healthy lifestyle choices through diet and exercise
• supporting parents right to choose complementary therapies
• pandemic flu planning or illness outbreak management as per DfE and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance
• We recognise that we all have a responsibility and duty of care towards those who work in and receive a service from our provision. Individual staff and service users also have responsibility for ensuring their own safety as well as that of others. Adherence to policies and procedures and risk assessments is the key means through which this is achieved.
• Insurance is in place (including public liability) and an up-to-date certificate is always displayed.
• Risk assessments are carried out where it is helpful to do so to ensure the safety of children, staff, parents, and visitors. Legislation requires all these individuals in the given workplace are responsible for the health and safety of the premises, equipment and working practices.
• Smoking and vaping are not allowed on the premises, both indoors and outdoors.
• Staff must not be under the influence of alcohol or any other substance which may affect their ability to care for children. If staff are taking medication that they believe may impair them, they must seek further medical advise and only work direct with the children if that advice is that the medication is unlikely to impair their ability to look after the children. The setting manager must be informed.
• Alcohol must not be brought onto the premises for consumption.
• Risk assessments are monitored and reviewed by those responsible for health and safety.

Awareness raising

• Our induction training for staff and volunteers includes a clear explanation of health and safety issues so that all adults are able to adhere to our policy and understand their responsibility for health and safety. The induction training covers matters of employee well-being, including storage of potentially dangerous substances.
• As necessary, health and safety training are included in the annual training plans of staff and health and safety is discussed at staff meetings.

Children’s safety

• Only persons who have been checked for criminal records by an enhanced disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau and are registered with Ofsted as child carers have unsupervised access to the children, including helping them with toileting.
• 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 are present.

Security

• Systems are in place to record the arrival and departure of children
• The arrival and departure of staff, volunteers and visitors are recorded.
• Our systems prevent unauthorised access to our premises
• Our systems prevent children from leaving our premises unnoticed
• The personal possessions of staff and volunteers are securely stored during pre-school sessions.

Windows, Doors and Floors

• Windows above the ground are secure so that children cannot climb through them.
• We take precautions to prevent children’s fingers from being trapped in doors
• 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 on cooking activities that are supervised at all times, are kept away from hot surfaces and do not have unsupervised access to electrical equipment.

Electrical/gas equipment

• All electrical equipment conforms to safety requirements and is checked regularly.
• Our boiler/ electrical cupboard is not accessible to the children
• Fires, heaters, electrical sockets, wires and leads are properly guarded.
• The temperature of hot water is controlled to prevent scalding.
• Lighting and ventilation is adequate in all areas including storage.

Storage

• All resources and materials which 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
• Our outdoor area is checked for safety and cleared of rubbish before used.
• Our outdoor sand pit is covered when not in use
• 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
• Our Daily routine encourages the children to learn about personal hygiene.
• We have daily cleaning routines for the preschool.
• We have a schedule 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 and the disposal of nappies.
• We implement good hygiene practices by;
  • Cleaning tables
  • Checking toilets regularly
  • Wearing protective clothing were appropriate
  • Providing tissues and wipes.

Equipment

• • Before purchasing, equipment and resources they are checked to ensure that they are safe for the ages and stages of the children currently attending the pre-school.
• • 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 who sleep are checked regularly
• • 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 training and understand and comply with -food safely and hygiene regulations.
• All food and drink are stored appropriately
• Adults do not carry hot drinks through the play areas and do not place hot drinks within reach of children
• Snack and meal times 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 and drink to which they are allergic.

Outings and Visits

• We have agreed procedures for the safe conduct of outing
• A risk assessment is carried out before an outing takes place
• Parents always sign a consent form before major outings
• Our adult to child ratio is high, normally one adult to two children
• The children are appropriately supervised to ensure no child gets lost and that there is no unauthorised access to children
• Records are kept of the vehicles used to transport children, with named drivers and appropriate insurance cover.
• For those children remaining at pe-school, the adult to child ratio conforms to the requirements of the National Standards for Day-Care.

Animals

• Animals visiting the pre-school are free from disease, safe to be with the children and do not pose a health risk.
• After being with the animals, the children wash their hands.

Fire Safety

• Fire doors are clearly marked, never obstructed and easily opened from the inside.
• Smoke detectors/alarms and fire fighting appliances conform to BSEN standards, and fitted in appropriate high-risk areas of the building and are checked as specified by the manufacturer.
• Our emergency evacuation procedures are approved by the Fire Safety Officer and are:
• Clearly displayed in the premises
• Explained to new members of staff, volunteers and parents and practised regularly at least once every half-term.
• Records are kept of fire drills and fire safety equipment.

First Aid and Medication

All staff have a current first aid training 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 restocked as necessary
• Is easily accessible to adults and is kept out of reach of children.

At the time of admission to the pre-school, parents’ permission for emergency medical advice or treatment is sought. Parents sign to agree to this in the admissions form when joining pre-school.

Our Accident Book

• Is kept safely and accessibly
• All staff know where it is kept and how to complete it
• It 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, or the death of a child or adult.

Any injury requiring General Practitioner or hospital treatment to a child, parent, volunteer or visitor is reported to the local office of the Health and Safety Executive.

WE meet our legal requirements for the safety of our employees by complying with RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation) We report to the Health and Safety Executive:

• Any accident to a member of staff requiring treatment by a General Practitioner or hospital
• Any dangerous occurrence (i.e. an event which does not cause and accident but could have done)

Children’s prescribed drugs are stored in their original containers, are clearly labelled and are inaccessible to the children.

Parents give written permission for the administration of medication. The administration is recorded accurately and parents sign the record book to acknowledge the administration of a medicine.

If the administration of prescribed medication requires medical knowledge, individual training is provided for the relevant member of staff by a health professional.

Sickness

Our policy for the exclusion of ill or infectious children is discussed with parents. This includes procedures for contacting parents – or another authorised adult – if a child becomes ill at pre-school.

HPT (Health Protection Team) is notified of any infectious disease which a qualified medical person considers notifiable.

Guidance is sort from the UK Health Security Agency – HPECS guidance: Exclusion table on infections and exclusion periods when a child is ill.

Northern Pre-school reserves the right to exclude a child if they feel they are too unwell to attend preschool or for infection control.

If a child has had a sickness and diarrhoea bug then that child is excluded for a period of 48 hour from the last bout of either sickness or diarrhoea.

Legal references

Medicines Act (1968)
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations (2002)
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
Food Information Regulations 2014
Further guidance
Accident Record (Alliance Publication)

This Policy was adopted by Northern Pre-school Committee