Policy Overview #

At our nurseries, the well-being and safety of all children in our care is our top priority. We have established a number of guidelines and procedures to ensure that our facilities, equipment, and staff meet the highest standards of health and safety.

Who is this policy aimed at? #

This policy applies to all Visitors to any site of The Norfolk Childcare Company LTD Including parents and careers, employees, Volunteers, students, temporary staff, or anyone working for or on behalf of The Norfolk Childcare Company LTD.

Health and Safety  #

The Norfolk Childcare Company will ensure the health, safety and welfare of all staff, children, visitors and other individuals who attend, work at or visit the premises. 

The Norfolk Childcare Compan will at all times comply with The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and their associated Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance will be complied with at all times. 

The following steps will be followed:  

• Create an environment that is safe and without risk to health.  
• Prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health.  
• Use, maintain and store equipment safely.  
• Ensure that all staff are competent in the work in which they are engaged. 

The manager (Setting Manager, Deputy Manager and Room Leads) shall be responsible for the day to day implementation, management and monitoring of the health and safety policy. The manager will report any matter of concern regarding the health and safety policy to The Norfolk Childcare Company Head Office.

A Health and Safety Officer will be made jointly responsible with the manager for the health and safety and risk assessment, as set out in this and other policies. 

A Health and Safety Poster shall be displayed in the nursery and staff must be made fully aware of their health and safety responsibilities.

Risk Assessment  #

The Norfolk Childcare Company shall conduct a risk assessment and review it regularly, at least once a year or more frequently where the need arises. The risk assessment is to identify high, medium, and low risks to adults and children. 

The risk assessment will identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis. The Norfolk Childcare Company shall maintain a record of these particular aspects and when and by whom they have been checked. We will determine the regularity of these checks according to their assessment of the significance of individual risks. 

All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that hazards to children both indoors and outdoors are kept to a minimum. The risk assessment should cover anything with which a child may come into contact. 

Role of Health and Safety Officer #

The Health and Safety Officer, and/or the manager are responsible for:  

• Carrying out regular safety checks and accurately logging reports  
• Taking any action required as a result of a health and safety inspection is taken as rapidly as possible  
• Distributing information received on health and safety matters to all members of staff (including volunteers/students)  
• Adequately training staff to fulfil their role within the Health and Safety policy  
• Ensuring that there are adequate First Aid arrangements including a qualified first aider/s 

The car park may have an ANPR recognition CCTV, There may be an IP based doorbell upon entry to the nursery and additional CCTV cameras both internally and externally around the nursery. 

Role of Staff  #

All Staff and any volunteers are responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Health and Safety policy are adhered to at all times. As such, they are required to:  

• Have regard for any health and safety guidance issued by the manager or the designated member of staff, and act upon it whenever appropriate  
• Take reasonable care for their own health and safety as well as that of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work  
• Take all reasonable care to see that the equipment and premises that are used by children, and the activities that are carried out on the premises, are safe  
• Report any accidents, incidents or dangerous occurrences that have led to, or may in the future be likely to lead to, injury or damage, and assist in the investigation of any such events  
• Undergo relevant health and safety training when instructed to do so by the manager  
• Inform parent/carers of safety issues For example, through discussion, leaflets, brochures, newsletters, notice boards etc  
• Increase children’s awareness of safety issues. 

For example through discussion, planned activities, routines etc Both the manager and Health and Safety Officer are responsible for assessing risks to health and safety arising out of The Norfolk Childcare Company activities and introducing suitable steps to eliminate or control any such risk identified. 

The Norfolk Childcare Company holds ultimate responsibility and liability for ensuring that The Norfolk Childcare Company operates in a safe and hazard free manner. The manager and health and safety officer is responsible for ensuring that staff both understand and accept their responsibilities in relation to health and safety procedures. 

The Norfolk Childcare Company will ensure that adequate arrangements exist for the following:  

• Monitoring of the effectiveness of the health and safety policy and authorising any necessary revisions to its provisions  
• Provision of adequate resources, including financial, as is necessary to meet the nursery’s health and safety responsibilities  
• Provision of adequate health and safety training for all staff. Ensuring that all accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences are adequately reported and recorded (including informing the Health and Safety Executive, and Ofsted, where appropriate)  
• Investigate any reported accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences  
• Review all reported accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences, and the manager’sresponse, to enable corrective measures to be implemented 

Insurance  #

The Norfolk Childcare Company has insurance cover appropriate to the duties under Employer’s Liability Insurance. 

Liability  #

The Norfolk Childcare Company has a duty to ensure that both children and any visitors are kept reasonably safe. 

Standard Health and Safety Guidance  #

The Norfolk Childcare Company shall comply with the following requirements as a minimum:  

• The rooms used in the nursery should be free of excessively stacked chairs and tables (or anything on shelves) which can be pulled over by young children  
• Ensure that any trailing flex is made safe 
• Check for everyday hazards on the floor. Young children will put small items in their mouths, e.g. drawing pins, used staples, safety pins, pen lids etc  
• Ensure that windows at the children’s height have safety locks. Otherwise ensure that children do not have access to them  
• Ensure that the room is well ventilated, warm, draught free and cleaned each evening  
• Hot water taps must be made inaccessible to children. If necessary use a bowl of water and paper towels at the child’s height  
• Where only adult toilets are provided then a non-slip child step will be required with adult supervision  
• Toilet area are frequently checked for cleanliness and separate cloths provided to clean seats, handles etc   
• Cleaning equipment must be kept out of the reach of children  
• General waste bins must be emptied daily and have a secure lid on them  
• Have separate washing up bowls for hands, dishes etc must be provided  Disposable gloves, aprons and baby wipes are provided  
• Potties are washed after each use and sprayed with an antiseptic spray, or use a portable potty where the bag can be thrown away after each use. This needs to be disposed of in the nappy bin.  
• The parent/carer should provide spare clothes when accidents occur  
• All spillages are cleaned up immediately  
• Hot drinks is not be taken into areas where children are based  
• All fire doors and exits remain free of toys and clutter  
• All gas and electric appliances and fittings conform to safety requirements 

Sleeping Children  #

The Norfolk Childcare Company will ensure that sleeping children are safe and keep a record of checks for sleeping babies. The Norfolk Childcare Company finds it appropriate for the Fire Safety Officer to inspect the sleeping area regularly. 

Staff will supervise sleeping children at all times and adhere to Health and Safety Regulations. 

Supervision  #

Children are not left unsupervised at any time during activity sessions. In the event of staff shortages, available space will be restricted to ensure that children are adequately supervised. The manager will allocate responsibility to individual members of staff for observing and supervising the main entrance and exit points at the beginning and end of the session. 

Additional health and safety for babies 

The Norfolk Childcare Company ensures that:  

• Any soiled nappies are immediately placed in a bag and disposed of in a separate lidded bin. Gloves are always worn when dealing with bodily fluids  
• Changing mats need to be as close as possible to hand-washing facilities. 
• Torn mats must be promptly thrown away  
• There is a space for babies to play away from mobile children   
• Toys and equipment are checked for safety daily  
• Sleeping babies are constantly supervised     
• Children are placed on their back to sleep unless directed otherwise by the parent/carer 
• Feeds provided by the parent/carer are kept in correct storage conditions 
• Bottles are clearly labelled with the child’s name. 
• The amount taken by the baby is noted the parent/carer, together with toileting routine that day

Policy Commencement and Review #

Date Commencement	Review Terms	Signed By
11/05/2022	Yearly	Jonathan Tricks, Operations Director