Health and Safety

Requirement:

EYFS 2024 > Introduction > 2

EYFS 2024 > A quality workforce focused on learning, development and health & safety > 1.19

EYFS 2024 > Training & skills > 3.26

EYFS 2024 > Safety & suitability of premises, environment & equipment > 3.62; 3.63

EYFS 2024 > Safety of premises > 3.64

EYFS 2024 > Outdoor access > 3.68

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

The health and safety of your child is very important to us. Our processes and procedures ensure that your child is educated in safe environment.

Procedure (how we put the policy into practice)

In our nursery, we use “dynamic risk assessment” as our primary method to make our nursery safe for our children and adults who visit us. Our team work within a framework or risk where they accurately identify, assess, and control nursery hazards as they arise.

Unlike a formal risk assessment (which we also do where needed), dynamic risk assessments are carried out in real-time during nursery activities, and often while a hazardous situation is developing or could very easily develop.

Once a year, an external H&S Auditor visits the nursery to check on our processess and equipment. The recommendations are then implemented which then makes the nursery even safer.

This audit process has enabled us to receive the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards (Silver) in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Examples of our processes are:

• All toys will be checked and cleaned regularly to ensure they are safe for your child to use. Any broken or hazardous toys will be removed immediately. Children will only be offered toys and resources that are suitable for their age/stage of development
• We do a visual risk assessment of the premises every morning before the children arrive to ensure that it is a safe environment for minded children
• All equipment will be checked and cleaned regularly
• Car seats are checked regularly to ensure they are correctly fitted. We will never use a second-hand car seat as we do not know its history
• All vehicles used for nursery purposes are regularly serviced and have a valid MOT certificate. Vehicles are insured for business use
• We use safety equipment appropriate for the children in our care, i.e. stair gates, cupboard locks etc. These are checked regularly
• The front door is kept locked to prevent the children opening the door to strangers
• We have procedures in place in the event of a fire (see evacuation procedure policy)
• The kitchen is cleaned and maintained to a high standard, following hygiene guidelines on the storing of food, keeping the fridge at the correct temperature etc.
• We ensure that the children do not have access to any waste, the bins are emptied daily, and any used nappies are double wrapped and placed in the outdoor rubbish bin
• We do not permit smoking anywhere on the premises (see smoking policy)
• We follow strict hygiene guidelines to prevent contamination
• We have strict child protection guidelines in place (see child protection policy)
• We discourage the children from keeping ‘secrets’
• We keep emergency contact details with us at all times should we need to contact the parents
• We will work with you to teach the children about safety issues like crossing the road and stranger danger
• We will work with you to teach the children about making healthy food choices and physical exercise
• Sleeping children will be regularly monitored

If you have any concerns regarding the health and safety of your child, please discuss them with a member of staff.

Review date: 31 December 2024