Health and safety procedures

Risk assessment

Risk assessment is carried out to ensure the safety of children, staff, parents, carers, and visitors. Individuals in the workplace are responsible for the health and safety of premises, equipment and working practices. We have a ‘corporate responsibility’ and ‘duty of care’ to those who work in, and receive a service from our provision. Individuals are also responsible for ensuring their own and others safety.

• Generic risk assessment form is completed for each area of work, and the areas of the building that are identified in these procedures.
• Access audit is completed to ensure inclusion and the health and safety of all visitors, staff, and children. The relevant procedure is modified if required to match the assessment.

Risk assessment means: Taking note of aspects of your workplace and activities that that could cause harm, either to yourself or to others, and deciding what needs to be done to prevent that harm, making sure this is adhered to and is updated when necessary.

The law does not require that all risk be eliminated, but that ‘reasonable precaution’ is taken. This is important when balancing the need for children to take appropriate risks through physically challenging play. Children need opportunities to work out what is not safe and what to do when faced with a risk.

Daily safety sweeps and checks indoors and outdoors.

• Safety sweeps are conducted before children arrive when setting up for the day or closing in the evening. Sometimes a safety sweep will identify a risk that requires a formal risk assessment on a form. For example, cleanliness of the main hall or broken furniture

• Health and safety risk assessments

Health and safety risk assessments inform procedures. Staff should be involved in reviewing risk assessments and procedures, as they are the ones with first-hand knowledge as to whether the control measures are effective, and they can give an informed view to help update procedures accordingly.

The H&S officer undertakes training and ensures staff have adequate training in health and safety matters. The setting manager ensures that checks/work to premises are carried out and records are kept.

All health and safety checks regarding Gas Safe, Electricity, Fire Alarms, Fire extinguishers, Heating engineering is the responsibility of Fair Oak Parish Council. The council is also responsible for the cleaning of the main hall, main toilets, kitchen and other public areas within the building.

The H&S office ensures that staff members carry out risk assessments that include relevant aspects of fire safety, food safety, in each of the following areas of the premises:

• Entrance and exits.
• Outdoor area(s)
• Main hall
• Small room (Woodlands only)
• Any other rooms used within the building (Village only)

The H&S manager ensures staff members carry out risk assessment for off-site activities, such as walks to the woods, local library, local park etc.

H&S officer Woodlands – Sarah Carline

H&S officer Village – Louise Mould