Safety and Suitability of Premises, Environment and Equipment. - “Helping every child achieve and enhance children’s development through the Awe and wonder of learning”.

Policy StatementIt is the policy of Little Ducklings Preschool to create a safe environment and to encourage ways of working which will ensure the safety of both children, employees and any other person that comes to Little Ducklings Preschool, in line with Health and Safety Legislation including hygiene requirements.

A current HSE Health and Safety poster is clearly visible on the wall, near the kitchen.

Miss Brooker and Mrs Parker are responsible for the general implementation of this policy and for record keeping with regard to any concern raised and how the concern was dealt with. All staff members are responsible to bringing any concerns with regards H&S to the attention of either Miss Brooker or Mrs Parker.

An audit of the premises is carried out annually, with records being kept in the Risk Assessment folder.

All members of staff are responsible for their own safety and the safety of children attending Little Ducklings Preschool. They have a responsibility to work in a way that ensures the Health and Safety of themselves and all other persons they come into contact with.

Staff undertake relevant training to support them with Health and Safety within the setting.

All new staff members receive Health and Safety information, as part of the induction process. This is carried out within the first 3 months of working at Little Ducklings Preschool.

Risk AssessmentsRisk Assessments are a continual part of Little Ducklings Preschool, ensuring children, parents, staff, volunteers and visitors are safe and that the environment remains suitable.

1.0 Health and Safety Policy

Risk assessments are carried out for all areas and activities at Little Ducklings Preschool.

These records are typed up and kept on site in the Risk Assessment folder, being accessible at any time.

Daily checks are carried out both inside and outside daily. Assessments are carried out on any new equipment, areas and outings, again, being

kept in the Risk Assessment folder. As a rule, Risk Assessments are carried out half termly, but if the need arises will be

more frequently. All staff members are involved in the Risk Assessment process.

InsuranceLittle Ducklings Preschool holds Public and Employer’s liability Insurance. The certificate can be found on the Documentation board, to the left as you walk in the main door.

FireThe safe evacuation of Little Ducklings Preschool is of paramount importance. Practice fire drills are carried out every 6/8 weeks and are recorded and kept in the

Fire Safety folder. Main school fire drills are carried out twice a year, with us joining in the drill. A written fire drill is on display on the main notice board, to the right, as you walk in

the main door. Exits are kept clear of obstructions. The main exits are kept locked by way of a bolt

that is easy to open. This prevents children escaping the building. Fire doors are kept shut at all times. Fire extinguishers and any other fire appliance are checked annually. All staff are made aware of where they are located. Any visitor at Little Ducklings Preschool are made aware as to whether or not a drill

is due to take place whilst they are on site. New staff take part in a fire drill, as part of their induction. Fire risk assessments are carried out.

All staff have regard to Fire and actions through their own staff handbook, handed out at the beginning of their contract.

Electrical Appliances All electrical appliances are checked annually through the school and kept on the

school system. Any electrical fault is reported to Miss Brooker. Electrical appliances are turned off at the wall when not in use. Electrical leads are placed so they do not trail causing a hazard. Liquid containers are not placed near electrical appliances. Sockets are covered when not in use.

All staff have regard to Fire and actions through their own staff handbook, handed out at the beginning of their contract.

Buildings and Equipment Any faults are reported to Miss Brooker who will investigate further. Equipment and resources are checked and cleaned regularly and recorded. All equipment and resources conform to the required legislative standard. Staff have regard to manual handling, through Staff handbooks and our Manual

Handling policy.

General Tidiness Little Ducklings Preschool is kept tidy, reducing the risk of accidents. Hot drinks are kept in the kitchen. Storage areas are kept tidy with equipment stored appropriately. Steps are provided for items stored on high shelving.

Car ParkingAs there is no parking facilities at Little Ducklings Preschool, we ask parents to park on the main road in a safe manner. We work in Partnership with North Thoresby Primary Academy on keeping children and parents safe during pick up and drop off times.

HygieneAll staff are expected to maintain standards of cleanliness.

Little Ducklings Preschool will ensure that: Paper towels and soap are provided for hand washing. Hands are washed after using the toilet, before handling food, after handling a

variety of different resources and after handling animals. Hand sanitizers are also available.

Toilets are checked 3 times a day, ensuring high standard of hygiene and safety. These checks are recorded and kept in the Nappy changing folder.

Disposable gloves and aprons are available to be worn when coming into contact with bodily fluids.

Children take themselves to the toilet, with adults being to hand if needed. A toilet seat with steps, potty and hand basin step are provided for the children to use.

Tissues are available and are disposed of in the correct manner after hands are washed.

Antibacterial spray is used to clean surfaces for food preparation and after use.

Storage of cleaning materials Any potentially dangerous substance is kept out of reach of children, locked in the

cupboard, which is in the main classroom. Screw tops are tightly closed. Cleaning materials are stored according to their instructions and are kept in the

original container. All cleaning products are written down in the COSHH folder, with Risk Assessments

carried out on all products.

Smoking Little Ducklings Preschool operates a strict No Smoking policy, including the outdoor

area. Staff members are NOT permitted to smoke during the opening hours of Little

Ducklings Preschool – 08:00 – 18:00. Failure to follow this policy will result in disciplinary action.

It is illegal to sell cigarettes to children under the age of 18. It is illegal for children under the age of 18 to smoke in public.

Alcohol / other substance There is a strictly NO ALCOHOL or any other substances allowed at Little Ducklings

Preschool. It is illegal for children under the age of 18 to buy alcohol and drink in public. Staff and volunteers and NOT PERMITTED TO WORK if they are under the influence

of alcohol or any other substance that may affect their ability to care for children at Little Ducklings Preschool. Failure to abide by this will result in disciplinary action. This includes both prescribed and non-prescribed medication.

Where an employee is taking strong medication that may affect their ability to care for children, this should be disclosed to the manager, medical advice sought and a medication form completed. Staff will only be able to work with children whilst taking strong medication if medical advice confirms that the medication taken is unlikely to impair their ability to look after children. Staff medication is locked away in the cupboard in the main classroom and kept out of reach of children at all times.

Little Ducklings Preschool will not tolerate on the premises any parent / carer under the influence of alcohol or any other substance. Any parent appearing to be under the influence will be refused admission and Little Ducklings Preschool will determine if it is appropriate and safe for the child to leave with them. Please see our Safeguarding section on what to do should we feel the child(ren) be put at risk if they left with the adult.

Solvents Solvents are not permitted on the premises of Little Ducklings Preschool. It is illegal to sell solvents to any child under the age of 18. Glues etc. that are used at Little Ducklings Preschool are safe for children to use and

the children are supervised at all times when using them. Any solvents brought to Little Ducklings Preschool will be removed from them and

the parent / carer informed.

Animals Little Ducklings Preschool will ensure that any pet brought into the setting is free

from disease and are safe for the children. Children always wash their hands before and after contact with animals. Risk Assessments are always carried out on any animal, prior to children coming

into contact with them.

Where a child attending Little Ducklings Preschool has an allergy, the particular animal that the child is allergic to will be deemed as an unsuitable pet to visit Little Ducklings Preschool.

Supervision of children Children are supervised in accordance to the EYFS statutory guidance pg 18, 3.30-

3.34. Children at Little Ducklings Preschool are supervised at all times. Headcounts are carried out throughout the day, with particular headcounts being

carried out when we have been outside in the park or doing other outdoor activities. Intruders should not be able to access Little Ducklings Preschool grounds. In the

event of an intruder finding a way through the security gate, a member of staff will ask him/her to leave, with all other members of staff ensuring the children inside are safe. If the person(s) involved refuses to leave, the children will be moved to safety.

Special care is taken when children are using apparatus. All equipment is checked to ensure it is safe and secure to use.

Children are taught how to use equipment in a safe manner.

Arrival and departure times are recorded of each child, with parent’s signatures. Staff countersign the times.

Records are made in INK. Parents are informed of any major outing and a consent form is signed by the

parent prior to them starting at Little Ducklings Preschool. This consent allows us parental permission to take children into the village on walks or out into the wider community.

Sun Care

Children attending Little Ducklings Preschool are not allowed out into exposed sunlight unless they are correctly protected.

Sun cream is only applied to children that have written consent. Sun cream is kept in its original container. Children with allergies bring their own

sun cream in label it with the child’s name. Sun hats are provided to all children that are exposed to the suns rays. Appropriate

clothing is worn to protect children from the sun. We try to keep exposure of the sun to a minimum between the hours of 12 noon

and 3pm.

Accidents and Sickness

All staff hold current Paediatric 1st Aid and 1 member of staff holds Emergency 1st Aid At Work.

There are adequate 1st Aid kits on site. 1st Aid Kits are checked regularly, with equipment being replaced. Mrs Parker is responsible for keeping the kits stocked. Medication on site is stored appropriately, in accordance to its instructions and

names must be clearly written, as from the dispensary. Please refer to our Health section for further information of Accidents, 1st Aid and

Medication.

Food All children are supervised whilst eating at snack times and at lunch times. No members of staff are allowed to prepare any meals if they have any infectious /

contagious illness or skin condition. Staff involved in food handling comply to regulations regarding food safety and

hygiene. Food Hygiene certificates are obtained from all staff members that carry out food

handling. Food hygiene is an integral part of the induction process and continuous guidance

will be provided. Raw and cooked foods will be prepared in line with the guidelines. Fresh fruit and vegetables are washed thoroughly before being used. Utensils are kept clean at all times. Drinking beakers are washed in hot soapy water daily and soaked in Milton every

half term. Cracked or chipped items are disposed of immediately. Food is kept accordingly, with any opened food stored in airtight containers, clearly

labelled. Kitchen worktops, microwaves, fridges, freezer etc is cleaned daily, as part of the

daily routine and logged. Fridge / freezer temperature is recorded 3 times a day. Packed lunches, provided by parents, are stored safely, with information given to

parents about healthy lunch boxes. Uneaten food, belonging to children, is returned home to the parent, so they can

judge what their child(ren) is eating. Little Ducklings Preschool is registered and undergoes regular checks / inspections

from the Environmental Health Department. Our last inspections gave us a ***** (5) star rating.

In the event of food poisoning, affecting 2 or more children that have been looked after at Little Ducklings Preschool, we will inform the Environmental Health Department and Ofsted, within 14 days of the event happening.

This policy runs in conjunction with the Staff’s Citation Law Employee Handbook – Health and Safety section at the back.

This policy was adopted and adapted at Little Ducklings Preschool

Held on 11th February 2016

Date to be reviewed 11th February 2017

Signed on behalf of Little Ducklings NABrookerRole of Signatory Owner / Manager