Health and Safety
in Childcare
We receive many questions relating to
health and safety within the childcare industry, often in relation to
OFSTED being so stringent on risk assessments and the new regulations
that are coming into effect, I am aware it can seem as if their health
and safety is over complicated and we often hear of childcare settings
closing because of the burden related to safety. With that in mind I
am going to discuss below the easiest way to ensure that safety is adhered
to without making it over complicated.
Follow these simple steps to make health
and safety simple in your childcare setting:
- Training.
- Ensure that you and your staff
are properly trained in health and safety and first aid http://www.rbhealthandsafety.
co.uk/eydc08.html . Child careers should attend a 12 hour Paediatric first aid course that meets the criteria set down by OFSTED.
- It is a good idea to give your responsible health and safety person some formal health and safety training such as the CIEH level 3 Award in health and safety or IOSH Working or Managing Safely.
- Ensure that you keep records of staff training and when their certificates run out, keep on top of this and it will be an easy task rather than a chore.
- Lastly consider additional training requirements for your particular risks (i.e. manual handling, COSHH etc).
- Policy
If you employ more than 4 people you
are required by law to have a health and safety policy http://www.rbhealthandsafety.
This document identifies 3 areas:
- Statement of intent (1 page detailing your commitment to health and safety and what your key areas are).
- Organisation (how you organise for health and safety i.e. who is responsible for what)
- Arrangements (what your arrangements are for specific areas of health and safety such as training, inspections, coshh, work equipment)
Even if you employ less than 5 people
you still need a policy although it does not have to be written down,
and you should ensure your policy is reviewed annually or when there
is a significant change in the work or workplace.
- Risk Assessments.
These are what scare most people away,
they are not as difficult as you may think and more often than not they
are easily completed using a common sense approach, I suggest you follow
the HSE guidance on 5 steps to risk assessment http://www.rbhealthandsafety.
Attending a training course is always
a good idea before carrying assessments out and there are a number of
opportunities for you to get training in risk assessments (often from
your local authority early years department). Use your early year's
department for as much training as you can get, it is often funded or
free and saves you money and stops you wasting your valuable time.
- Inspection.
Carry out regular safety inspections
at your premises and link these into your policy, this is often done
using a tick sheet style form.
5) More Details
We believe we are the only company to have developed a health and safety package specifically for childcare settings of all types. Currently being trailed with East Sussex County Council as a pilot scheme, childcare settings are offered a health and safety package including:
- Policy
- Risk Assessments
- Consultancy support
This package ensures all the above are
implemented correctly with minimal time and effort from the setting
and are at an affordable price.
If you feel that this
package would suit you or your business please contact your local early
years department and ask them to telephone 0845 257 1489
for more details or email richard@rbhealthandsafety.co.
