Health and Safety

Health and Safety

All employees, whether paid or voluntary, have a responsibility for Health and Safety including the safety of others that may be affected by their acts or omissions. As such, they should familiarise themselves with the Health and Safety Policy of the provision and the safe practices appropriate to their place of work.

Health & Safety includes

• Infection control and Hygiene
• Risk Assessments
• Food Safety
• Administration & Storage of medicines
• RIDDOR
• COSHH
• Fire Safety 
• Manual Handling

Food Safety

"Where children are provider with meals, snacks and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced and nutritious.  Before a child is admitted to the setting the provider must also obtain information about any special dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies that the child has, and any special health requirements.  Fresh drinking water must be available and accessible to children at all times. Providers must record and act on information from parents and careers about a child's dietary needs."

(Statutory framework for the early years foundations stage, 2021, page 33)

Administration & Storage of medicines

"The provider must promote the good health, including the oral health, of children attending the setting.  They must have a procedure, discussed with parents and/or cares, for responding to children who are ill or infectious, take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection, and take appropriate action if children are ill" .

(Statutory framework for the early years foundations stage, 2021, page 32)

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)

Your Responsibilities Under RIDDOR.

You should report any of the following that happens to a member of the public, including a parent or child, or an employee on your premises:

• A death or major injury, which includes a fracture (but not of fingers, thumbs or toes), an amputation, dislocation, permanent or temporary loss of sight, and an injury from an electric shock
• A reportable disease
• A dangerous occurrence, which didn’t but could have resulted in a reportable injury
• An injury resulting in hospital admission

Further details can be found on the Health and Safety Executive’s website.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/RIDDOR/

Remember! You are also required to report such incidents, as well as various other events, to Ofsted.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)

COSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health. The regulations require employers to:

• Assess the risks to health and safety
• Decide what precautions are needed to prevent ill health
• Prevent or control exposure
• Make sure that the control measures are used and maintained

• Monitor exposure and carry out health surveillance if appropriate

• Ensure that all employees are properly informed, trained and supervised.

Chemicals used in your setting for cleaning, washing, or as part of your practice may be hazardous or cause illness if not used correctly. To comply with these regulations keep a list of all hazardous or potentially hazardous substances that are used in the provision. This could include glue, shaving foam, soap, cleaning materials etc.

In addition to chemicals, all body fluids are to be treated as substances hazardous to health and should be carefully dealt with using protective gloves and materials that can be safely disposed of. All practitioners using chemicals or products should be given advice on their correct use where necessary.

Consider observing the following

• All substances, which are included on the COSHH list should be stored safely .

• Avoid inhalation, ingestion and skin contact of all chemical substances as they may cause irritation and use according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• Always wear the appropriate protective clothing e.g. gloves etc. provided
• Products must never be mixed as this could give rise to hazardous by-products
• Those using the substance must be familiar with the First Aid procedures to be used in the event of an accident.

COSHH Sheets are available for all products, free of charge and are supplied by the manufacturer on request or can be downloaded from the internet.

For further information visit the COSHH website of the Health and Safety Executive.