B1 Maintaining Health and Safety

What is a hazard?

Anything that has the potential to cause harm.

What is a risk

The likelihood that harm will be caused by a hazard.

What is a control measure?

A measure/action taken to minimise or remove the risk posed by a hazard e.g. safety gates, cupboard locks

What is a risk assessment

A systematic approach taken to identify hazards, analyse their risk and implement measures to mitigate and control this risk.

What is an example of a hazard, risk and control measure?

• Hazard - Fungus growing on the nursery lawn

• Risk - Children may eat the fungus and be poisoned

• Control measure - The garden is checked daily for new growth of mushrooms and toadstools and these are removed

What is it important for early years professionals to remember?

They should remember that though it is important to take appropriate steps to eliminate and minimise risks, not all risks can be eliminated, they can only be reduced. Children should be allowed to take some risks to help them grow, develop and to learn what is safe and what is not.

What scale can be used to assess the severity of the risks?

• High: The risk is severe, major injury (broken bones/severe cuts) or death could occur

• Medium: Risk is likely to occur, injuries such as cuts and sprains are likely. Disease is also likely and may require hospital treatment

• Low: Accidents and injury are unlikely. Minor injuries such as bruises and grazes may occur

What are the steps of risk assessment?

1. Identify hazards - e.g. hot drinks, broken toys

2. Determine who might be at risk - i.e. children, staff, parents

3. Evaluate risks and decide on control measures - how serious? how likely? decide on safety measures

4. Record findings & act - document risks, measures taken, and share with staff

5. Monitor & review - update after incidents, changes in environment, or regularly

What is the role of early years professionals?

• Always supervise children (there may be additional needs e.g. autism, adhd, down syndrome, non verbal)

• Keep accurate registers of attendance/fire drills

• Role model safe behaviour - e.g. crossing roads, tidying toys

• Observation: regular checks indoors and outdoors to identify hazards

• Child:Adult ratios - e.g. under 2yrs = 1:3, 2yrs = 1:5, 3+ yrs = 1:13

• Provide safe environments where mistakes are part of learning

Why is it important to keep an accurate register?

• Safeguarding a child protection

• Legal and regulatory compliance

• Health and safety tracking e.g. medical information, allergy alerts

• Funding and administration

• Prepared for emergency - fires

Why is it important to observe individual children?

• It helps you understand a child’s stage of development and also how they play with objects

• In case they show signs of becoming unwell or tired as their behaviour changes

How do you report hazards?

• Record and inform manager/Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

• Follow policies for outings e.g. head counts, risk assessments for trips

What is an example of hazards indoor, outdoors and on outings?

• Indoors - eating toxic play resources (sand, slime, play doh)

• Outdoors - sunburnt, insect bites

• Outings - strangers, traffic, road

What is a balanced approach to risk management?

Protecting children from serious or unnecessary harm while allowing them to take appropriate risks that support learning, independence and development (P.I.L.E.S).

Why/How should practitioners consider a child’s rights and views when managing risks?

• Enables them to engage in ‘risky’ play with reasonable controls

• Listen to their views about the risks they want to take (article 12 - respect children may views, feelings and wishes)

How should practitioners support children with additional needs?

It’s important to not be too restrictive when keeping them safe, otherwise their opportunities to learn and explore will be limited, which can provide a barrier to inclusion and equality.

• Give additional time

• Adapt the environment

What skills can be developed from children taking risks?

• Resilience helps children deal with future challenges as well as develop curiosity without fear of failure

• Confidence will increase from succeeding in challenges from taking risks

• Exposure to new opportunities in a supervise environment allows a child to know it is OK to ‘have a go’

What happens if children aren’t exposed to new risks?

Their fears may turn into phobias.

What is a record?

Statutory requirements, the EYFS in the UK list a range of required documentation listed by the EYFS in the UK, including risk assessment, accident and incident logs, medication records, staff DBS suitability checks and fire drill logs.

What are types of records?

• Risk assessments - regularly updated and shared with staff

• Accident records - time, place, details of injury, treatment given, signed by staff/parent

• Infection outbreak logs - track illness, notify parents and public health team

What should be done with serious incidents or accidents?

They should be reported to Ofsted within 14 days of the incident.

What does Ofsted define as notifiable serious accidents and injuries?

• Resuscitation

• Admittance to a hospital for more than 24 hours

• Any broken bone or fracture

• Dislocation of a major joint (e.g. shoulder, hip, knee or elbow)

• Any loss of consciousness

• Severe breathing difficulties, including asphyxia

• Loss of sight, whether temporary or permanent

• Any penetrating injury to the eye, or chemical/hot metal burns to the eye

• Hypothermia or a heat induced illness

• Any injury resulting from an electric shock

• Medical treatment required after inhaling, ingesting, or absorbing a harmful substance

What actions may Ofsted take following the report of serious accidents or injuries? How does this process keep children safe and promote their welfare?

1. Assess the situation

2. Contact the setting

3. Contact other agencies e.g. police or local council

4. Take regulatory action: If practice is deemed inadequate or the provider failed to manage the incident properly, Ofsted may carry out an unannounced inspection, a regulatory visit or begin enforcement action (may close down setting)

What can early years setting do in an outbreak of infection (e.g. covid)?

• Enhanced hygiene - hand sanitiser, face masks, washing hands (20 secs w/ warm water), cleaning the environment

• Isolation and Exclusion - social distancing, lockdown, isolate if someone in family has infection

• Modifying activities - no close/touching activities

• Communication and reporting - communicate to parents if children or family has illness, daycare has to communicate to families of outbreak