Health and Safety Policy
The safety of young children is of paramount importance. In order to ensure the safety of both children and adults, Ducklings will ensure safety by making sure:
Environment
· safety checks on premises, both outdoors and indoors, will be made before every session
· outdoor space will be secure
· equipment will be checked regulary and any dangerous items repaired or discarded
· the layout and space ratios will allow children and adults to move safely and freely between activities
· There will be adequate systems and equipment for the detection and control of fire
· Fire doors will never be obstructed and fire exits will be easily identified
· Fire drills are practiced regulary, at least once every half term and recorded
· All dangerous materials, including medicines and cleaning materials will be stored out of reach of children
· Electric points, wires and leads will be adequately guarded
· Any equipment that needs assembling will be erected with care and checked regulary
· Equipment offered to children will be developmentally appropriate, recognising that materials suitable for an older child may pose a risk to a younger one
Supervision
· all children will be supervised by adults at all times and will be within sight of an adult
· children may only leave Ducklings with authorised adults
· whenever children are on the premises at least two adults will be present
· systems are in place to ensure that no child can leave the premises unattended
· all visitors must sign in and out on our visitor record
Adult Safety
· all adults in Ducklings, both staff and visitors, will be aware of and respect the settings safety policy
· if adults need to reach up for stored equipment, they will be provided with something safe to stand on
Management
· A record is available for the reporting of accidents and incidents
· regular safety monitoring will include checking of the accident record as a basis for risk assessment
· all adults, including parents and carers, will be aware of the systems in place for childrens arrivals and departures and an adult will be at the door during this period
· a register of both adults and children will be completed as people arrive and leave so a complete record of all those present is available in the event of an emergency
· no hot drinks are allowed whilst session is running
· smoking is not allowed in or around our setting
· a correctly stocked first aid box is available at all times
· staff are aware of the procedure for using the fire extinguishers
Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is carried out and reviewed annually. Any findings of the risk assessment will be communicated to all persons affected. The need for a detailed risk assessment must be considered after any recorded accidents or incidents. Any incident that causes or could potentially have caused serious injury must be risk assessed immediately.
