Health Safety Policy

Our Policies

Health Safety Policy

Version: 2

Reviewed on:05/05/2021

Reviewed by: Charlotte Linsell

Next Review: 05/05/2022

Alt Prov takes maintenance of health and safety extremely seriously and aims to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all staff, children and visitors at all times.

The staff are responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Health and Safety Policy are always adhered to by:

• Taking reasonable care for their own health and safety as well as other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.
• Reporting any accidents, incidents or dangerous occurrences that have led to, or may in the future be likely
• to lead to injury or damage.
• Undergo relevant Health and Safety training when instructed to do so by the Managers.
• Maintaining an environment that is safe and without risk to health.
•  Accessing training as required

Premises Safety Policies & Procedures

On- site premises

• When running, the Provision has exclusive use of the buildings during the provision’s hours children are dropped off and collected by a staff member and when dismissing children are collected by their allocated adult.
• Weather dependent children will have access to the playgrounds which will be secured by a locked gate.  Children are always supervised.
• The Provision’s premises are safe, secure and adequately spacious for play and for children to interact freely.
• The Management is responsible for ensuring that the s premises is clean, well lit, adequately ventilated and maintained at an appropriate temperature.
• The Provision’s premises comply with all the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and all the other relevant regulations and guidance.
• No child will be left unsupervised in any area.
• There is an Emergency phone lines installed in the buildings for emergency outgoing calls and incoming calls as well as the provision’s mobile.
• All chemicals are stored in an appropriate way in the cleaning cupboard and are never kept where children have access. COSHH regulations must also be observed.

 

Off -site visits 

Risk Assessment

 This policy for visits and Offsite activities is based on a risk assessment approach. Risk assessments should be completed for all types of activity, programme or area of work, focusing on the significant hazards and associated risks arising from  Working with pupils, both individually and in a group  The environment  The activity Risk assessments must be reviewed and amended as necessary in the light of previous experience and the circumstances that pertain to each particular trip. For hazardous activities a key control will be the employment of currently qualified or competent staff. Page 4 of 9 The management of health, safety and welfare for each individual visit should be based on a formal and sufficiently comprehensive risk assessment. Risk assessments must, by law be carried out by a ‘competent’ person; i.e. someone with sufficient skills knowledge and experience of the activity being assessed to make a sound judgement. Student ratios In normal circumstances at least one teacher should accompany every 5 children 

Management of Safeguarding

The Designated safeguarding leads (DSL) for the Alt Prov are Ryan White and Brian Murphy.  The DSL should undergo training to ensure they can carry out the role with this training being updated every two years.  Alongside this training regular CPD should be carried out via safeguard lead meetings, meeting with other DSLs and using other media to ensure they are aware of any recent safeguarding developments.

 

The DSL is responsible for ensuring that all staff undertake safeguard training including prevent and FGM training, aswell as ensuring internal training is provided ( see the Staff Training Plan ).

Any external providers of courses should be quality assured and appropriate for the level of training required. 

The Management holds ultimate responsibility and liability for ensuring the setting operates in a safe and hazard free manner. 

The Management will ensure adequate arrangements exist for the following:

• Ensuring that staff understand and accept their responsibilities in relation to Health and Safety
• Procedures and information received on Health and Safety matters are distributed to all the staff
• members.
• Providing adequate Health and Safety training for all staff.
• Providing adequate resources, including financial, if necessary, to meet the Health and Safety responsibilities.
• Ensuring that all accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences are reported and recorded
• (including the Health and Safety Executive – The Reporting of Injuries, Diseased and Dangerous

Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) and Ofsted) where appropriate.

Site Security

• The entrances to the setting  buildings will be kept locked to the outside
• Visitors will be greeted on arrival and asked to sign the visitor section of the daily registration form.  ID

will be asked for where appropriate.

• Visitors to the Provision will not be unsupervised with the children at any time.
• The Management (in consultation with Staff and Parent / Carers) will regularly review security

procedures.

Daily Risk Assessments/checks 

Daily safety observation checks are carried out at the beginning of the sessions to ensure that the setting is safe and free from any possible dangers and that the facilities are maintained in a suitable state of repair and decoration. Any action required as a result of a Health and Safety Inspection is taken as quickly as possible with our staff or the schools. An investigation would be carried out but staff and possible other agencies in the event of any serious accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences.

Fire Drills & Procedures

The Alt Prov have a risk assessment posted on the appropriate notice boards in all participating venues and fire drills will be conducted on a regular basis.  In the event of a fire, children should be collected from the fire assembly point. All staff are aware of the location of all fire exits, the fire assembly point and where fire safety equipment is stored. Children will be made aware of the fire safety procedures and exits during their settling in period and on regular occasions from then on with regular practice fire drills.

Fire doors and fire exits are clearly marked and never locked whilst the buildings are in use and are kept clear from any obstructions. The doors are easily opened from the inside and the fire procedures and assembly points will be risk assessed and amended if appropriate.

In the event of a fire

A member of staff will raise the alarm immediately and the emergency services will be called at the earliest possible opportunity. 

All children will immediately be escorted out of the building to either of the assembly points depending on the location of the fire. The register and phone will be taken, and all children and staff accounted for.  If any persons are missing from the register, the emergency services will be informed immediately.

All staff have the responsibility to keep your child safe, however The Manager on duty that day will be the designated Fire Safety Officer and will check the premises of the Provision as safety permits

Broadmoor Alarm Policy

In the event of a Broadmoor Hospital alert or similar emergency, the buildings will be secured, and the registers checked to ensure that all children and staff are accounted for. Parents will be notified, and the provision will operate as normal until the children are collected by their parents/carers or nominated persons.

Should the police request that the provision be closed then the parents/carers will be contacted by telephone to make arrangements to collect their children immediately.

Child Supervision

Children are supervised appropriately within sight or sound according to the level of risk involved during play and activities along with the ages and number of children involved in each activity. We always adhere to the child to adult ratio appropriate to the provision

Safe Equipment

Alt Prov will ensure that all furniture, toys and equipment are kept clean, well maintained and in good working order with BSEN Safety Standards or the Toys (Safety) Regulations (1995) where applicable. All electrical electronics and equipment are subject to PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) via the school.

Equipment will be properly maintained and inspected in accordance to manufacturer’s instructions.

Detection of any broken equipment or toys will be taken out of use and disposed of.  Flammable equipment will be stored in a safe location away from sources of heat and / or naked flames.

A staff member will check all equipment prior to use and any equipment that is identified as faulty will be disposed of carefully.  The Management should make regular reviews of toys and equipment and replacements should be purchased. The children will be consulted as to equipment purchased.  An inventory should be kept, and updated as necessary, of all non-consumable items.

Closing the Provision at Short Notice/ In an Emergency

In very exceptional circumstances, the Provision may need to be closed at very short notice due to an unexpected event, such as:

• Serious weather conditions (combined with heating failure)
• Burst water pipes
• Dangerous structural damage
• Fire or bomb scare / explosion
• Serious accident or illness
• Chemical contamination
• Staff/Children Ratio unmet
• Broadmoor alarm

In such circumstances, the Managers and staff will ensure that all steps are taken to keep both the children and themselves safe.  All staff and children will assemble at the pre-arranged areas, where a register will be taken. Steps will then be taken to inform parents / carers and the registered person and take the necessary actions in relation to the cause of the closure.  All children will be supervised until they are safely collected. If, after every attempt, parents / carers cannot be contacted, the provision will follow its uncollected child procedure

If the registration is affected it is necessary to inform Ofsted of a closure.

Please Note: If we have to close the provision due to anything out of our control i.e. the weather, session’s fees will be non-refundable.

Sun Protection

• In hot weather Parent / Carers will need to provide sunscreen for their children.  A supply of sun protection will be kept at the Provision for emergency use.
• The provision will not accept responsibility for any allergic reaction as a result of using the cream supplied by the provision as it will be the parent’s responsibility to provide a specific cream where allergies are expected.
• When deemed necessary, staff may apply sunscreen to children who cannot do so themselves.
• Children will also be encouraged to wear a hat when playing outside.
• Staff will encourage the children to drink plenty of water. 
• Staff will ensure that shady areas out of the sun are also available whilst playing outside and may need
• to limit the time outside.

Hygiene

The Managers and all staff will be vigilant to any potential threats to good hygiene in the provision.  A general clean environment will always be maintained. Toilets are cleaned daily by the school/premise’s cleaners; however, the provisions staff monitors their cleanliness throughout the session. The First Aiders will observe the highest standards of personal hygiene and wear non latex disposable gloves when administering any treatment to children.

Kitchen Hygiene

Staff will be particularly careful to observe high standards of hygiene.

The following steps will be taken:

• Staff trained in Food Hygiene
• Jewellery is restricted to a plain wedding band (no stoned rings, bracelets, watches, earring’s)
• Waste disposed of safely and bins kept covered
• Food storage facilities will be regularly and thoroughly cleaned
• Kitchen equipment thoroughly cleaned after use

Additionally, staff will be aware of the provisions set out in the Food and Drink Policy when handling, preparing, cooking and serving food and drink..

• All food will be used in order of its expiry date and will be subject to stock rotation.
• All food that has been opened will be labelled with the appropriate “use by” dates.
• Frozen food will be labelled when frozen and then re-labelled again with the date it was defrosted
• Daily temperature readings will be taken with a kitchen probe of the freezer & the fridge to make sure that the freezer temperature is between -18-22 degrees and the fridge temperature is between 0-5, however no higher than 8 degrees. If either appliance is reading higher than the recommended temperatures above, then the management are informed and corrective actions will be taken..
• A daily kitchen checklist is completed and posted in the kitchen to ensure the highest standard of food safety and preparation.
• All work surfaces are washed first with hot soapy water then sprayed with anti-bacterial spray before and after each meal or snack is prepared.

Personal Hygiene

In all circumstances, staff will adhere to and ensure that children carry out the same routines

• Washing hands before snack and handling food
• Washing hands after using the toilet
• Washing hands prior to first aid and covering cuts and abrasions as appropriate

 

 

Dealing with Spillages

Spillages of substances likely to result in the spread of infections will be dealt with rapidly and carefully.  Blood, vomit, urine and faeces will be immediately cleaned up by the school site controller. The Managers and staff are committed to taking all practicable steps to prevent and control the spread of infectious germs, and to uphold high standards of personal hygiene in order to minimise the risk of catching or spreading infections.

Insurance

The Children Act 1989 and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, place a number of legal responsibilities on the provision, therefore The ALt Prov have insurance cover appropriate to its duties, including Employer’s Liability Insurance.  Responsibility in most cases rest with the provision, but staff will take care both for themselves and other people who may be affected by their act or omissions at work.  If the provision is held responsible for any incident, public liability insurance will cover compensation.

The provisions are covered with the appropriate Business Insurance for the setting and on the provision vehicles.

Smoking

 

The ALt Prov always maintains a strict no smoking policy including E-cigarette’s and vaporing. If any child is found in possession of any of these on the premises, they will be confiscated, and their parent / carer informed.

Alcohol

Staff, volunteers or children who arrive at the Alt Prov clearly under the influence of alcohol will be asked to leave immediately and disciplinary procedures will follow. If a child is found in possession of alcohol, their parents / carers will be informed immediately. If a member of staff has good reason to suspect that a parent / carer is under the influence of alcohol when they collect their child, to the extent that the safety of the child is threatened, they have a duty to inform the Managers. The Managers will then be responsible for deciding the appropriate course of action, ensuring that the safety and protection of the child always remains paramount .

All possible efforts are made to ensure that children are not allowed to travel in a vehicle driven by someone who is clearly over the legal alcohol limit and the police will be called if any staff believe a drink driving offense has been committed.

Drugs

Staff, volunteers or children who arrive at the ALt Prov clearly under the influence of drugs will be asked to leave immediately and disciplinary procedures implemented. If a child is found in possession of illegal drugs at the provision, their parents / carers will be informed immediately. If staff are found in possession of illegal drugs, serious disciplinary action will follow. In cases where staff are taking prescribed drugs that may affect their ability to function effectively at work, the Manager must be informed as early as possible and a risk assessment will be completed.

Child Intimate Care

Alt Prov and its staff members are not permitted to undertake intimate care of children who attend the setting, therefore all children are required to be toilet trained. However, if a child should have a rare toilet accident while at the provision they will be supported and encouraged to do as much for themselves as possible and will be given wipes.  The child’s welfare and dignity is of paramount importance.  Staff involved will undertake their duties in a professional manner at all times and the child’s privacy will be respected. If the child is unable to clean themselves up, the parents/carers may be contacted to come and do this or collect their child. The provision does not have washing facilities for such accidents however we do hold a limited supply of spare clothing.

Environmental Policy

Alt Prov is committed to promoting environmentally friendly practice to help reduce pollution, emissions & waste.

Staff will be made aware on how to reduce the use of raw materials, supplies and energy through the staff induction process and continued participation. Awareness will be raised with the children through discussion, projects and routine systems within the provision.

• Scrap paper & junk will be re-used for craft activities where safe and appropriate. In other cases, these will be recycled appropriately
• Recycling bins and bags are easily accessible to the children and staff to enable recycling
• Lights will be switched off when not in use.
• Water will not be wasted
• During snack and lunch times, children will be made aware of what can and cannot be recycled from
• their food. Also, they will be encouraged to leave or waste as little food as possible. 
• Electrical equipment is switched off when not in use