Arrangement

The head mistress invites experts to talk to our staff as well as to the children regarding cleanliness which starts in proper washing of their hands and the importance of brushing teeth after eating. The head mistress and the supervisor adds that the nursery routinely runs risk assessment exercises to maintain its high standards of best practice.

The head mistress with the help of the nurse establish a safety awareness among the staff to reduce the risks of untoward events in the course of a routine day at the nursery. The areas covered should range from stringent hygiene procedures to strict safety rules, such as sterilizing toys in the baby room on a daily basis or draining the paddling pool immediately after use.

The staff worked out an emergency procedure with the staff. An alarm was installed which goes off when the outer door opens. The door has a panel of security glass in it so we can check a visitor's identification.

We have an agreed evacuation procedure. At a special signal from me, one member of staff will raise the alarm while the others evacuate the children to a safe and secure part of the building from which, if necessary, there is another escape route.'

The following are health and safety Policies for the Nursery Daily building checks.

• The general safety of the building, indoors and outdoors, should be checked daily by a named senior member of the staff - the manger or deputy. This should include checking for storm damage such as fallen tiles and vandalism, for example, ground covered with broken glass, litter, cans, ring-pulls as well as animal faces.
• Check all entrances and exits are clear and in working order.
• Unlock all emergency exits, check security doors, garden fences, locks and bolts on doors and garden gates.
• Check that outdoor play equipment is safe.
• Check the garden for fungi and unwanted or dangerous plants.
• Check that emergency lighting is in working order, that light switches are safe and all areas are adequately lit.

Routine Checks

• All electrical and gas equipment to be maintained and subject to annual inspections. The service histories of appliances should be recorded in a log book.
• Faults and repairs to be logged. For example, if a toy is damaged or worn it should be labeled and removed until it can either be repaired or discarded.
• Strict hygiene standards should be set and maintained.

Staff Training

• All new staff should have the nursery's health and safety procedures clearly explained to them as part of the induction process and be given the written health and safety policies in their induction pack. This will include details of the nursery's hygiene regime.
• All new staff should be trained in the evacuation procedures in the event of a fire or other emergency.
• All members of staff should have first aid training and take refresher courses every three years. New staff to be sent on a course as soon as possible.
• All staff to be kept aware of signs of illness such as meningitis, hepatitis B, AIDS.
• All staff must know where to turn off the water and electricity supplies and must be trained to use all electrical equipment correctly and safely.
• Use regular staff meetings to focus on different health and safety issues such as assessing outside play equipment for use by different age groups, or personal health in terms of keeping up to date on tetanus vaccinations.

Outings

• All vehicles used to transport the children must be properly licensed, insured, inspected and maintained.
• If using a minibus, the driver must be trained and experienced in driving this size of vehicle.
• No children should ever be left alone in the vehicle.
• Adult to children ratios must take account of the age and ability of the children involved.
• Outings must be planned and checked beforehand for suitability, access and safety. This involves running a thorough risk assessment exercise and taking appropriate action. For example: amend the original plans, increase adult: children ratios, ensure the youngest children wear reins and so on.
• A travelling first aid kit must be taken on all outings in the care of a named member of staff.
• Parents helping on an outing must be properly briefed beforehand.
• Notify the parents beforehand if specialized clothing is needed, such as boots or swimming costumes.
• All parents will have to sign a consent form to allow staff to take their children off the premises.
• Fill in the outings log book correctly saying which staff (plus parents) took which children where, when and how, what checks were made beforehand, with a brief description of what happened, and a full note of any untoward incidents.
• In the event of an incident, the accident book must be completed and the manager must investigate to see what went wrong, why and how it could have been avoided. Any lessons learned should be shared with all the staff.