There are a number of important aspects that need to be taken into account within a setting working with young children. Any setting should have clear policies and procedures set in place surrounding health and safety. All of the rooms and the equipment that is used by the children should have regular health and safety checks to make sure that there is no risk of harm and that they are safe to use. There are checks that should be done by law, including the checks on electrical equipment, which must be checked every year to ensure its safety. The designated officer is in charge of making sure that all required health and safety checks are carried out.
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 is a law that provides protection for the self and others in the workplace. It is the duty of every employer to make sure their employees are aware of Legislation by providing training and instruction. This is implemented in our school by carrying our regular risk assessments and ensuring that all staff are trained on all aspects of health and safety. The school must have up to date posters and that we ensure that there is an effective way of reporting hazards to the appropriate person. Policies ensure guidelines to protect pupils, staff, parents, visitors and contractors when on the school premises, this includes how risks can be controlled and who is responsible for this.
Natalie Ettrick CYP 3.4 – Support children and young people’s health and safety 1.1 There are a number of factors to think about when you are planning for a healthy and safe environment or an activity with children and young people. You must remember everyone is an individual and may have particular needs. If you have a clear understanding of the following then it will become second nature to include safety in your planning. • Every child is an individual – with different needs depending on their age and abilities. You must think about this when planning activities, for example when they involve physical play, or if more consideration must be given to the needs of a child who has just become mobile than to an older child, when planning room layouts.
Staff must attend training and always follow policies and procedures to ensure good practice. We support the teacher in delivering safety education to pupils through PSHE. (Task taken from Level 2) It is important that you understand the lines of responsibility and reporting for health and safety in your setting. This includes your
Understand how to plan and provide environments and services that support children and young peoples health and safety. 1.1 Describe the factors to take into account when planning healthy and safe indoor and outdoor activities. When planning and providing environments we need to be aware of how to take into account the health and safety requirements of pupils when setting up learning activities, before starting any learning activity, myself and other staff always make sure that the environment is free from any hazards and that children will be able to work safely. I work in a setting of 5-6 year old children. Clothing- Weather must be taking in account when our activities are outdoor, children must wear coats, hats etc.
CYP 3.4 Support children and young people’s health and safety. 1 1.1 Describe the factors to take into account when planning healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments and services. When planning healthy and safe environments you need to take into account the age, individual needs and abilities of the children and young people involved in the activity. You also need to be aware of any risks to individuals when planning the activity i.e. pregnancy or sensory impairments (loss or degradation of sight/hearing etc).
MU 2.4 Contribute to children and young people’s health and safety A/C 1.1 The health and safety policy of the work setting are: • To work towards preventing any occupational injuries and ill health to all staff and pupils • To make sure that no unacceptable risk is caused on the premises as a result of an activity • To always manage and encourage awareness of health and safety to all employees for their work and the environment of their work • To make sure that all people working within the setting are aware of the standards of the health and safety policy and work towards them • To look at and review the achievement of the health and safety objectives and to make any positive changes where they are needed to make sure they are met • To fully co-operate in the appointment of safety representatives and to provide the facilities and assistance which they need A/C 1.2 The lines of responsibility and reporting for health and safety in the workplace are; • Use safe methods of working • Use health and safety procedures and rules properly including in P.E and sport • Instruct others working with you in safe working practices • Inspect areas of work often and notify the person in charge of any concerns • Immediately take the correct action where it is necessary A/C 1.3 Risk assessment is a way of noticing and recording dangers and making suggestions to how they can be reduced. This is managed in the work setting by the manager. They will take out a risk assessment survey of the premises, method of work and all activities annually or more frequently if necessary. The survey will show any dangers and will identify the actions or risk control measures to be used to prevent them. The results of all risk assessment surveys will be reported to the health and safety sub-committee of the governing body.
Unit Four Task one E1 & D1: explain how strategies to establish and maintain healthy, safe and secure environments in early years settings are supported by legislation Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations 1995 All employers have legal responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Employers must meet certain rules to make sure everyone in that place of work is safe. It also means employees have to be careful that there are no risks of injury to anyone. In a childcare setting the Health and Safety Act states “buildings should be in good condition and designed with the safety of users in mind, buildings and surroundings should be clean and safe and equipment must be safely used and stored.” As practitoners, everyone in the childcare setting must know what their health and safety policies in their settings are. This act helps maintain healthy, safe and secure environments as it safeguards both the children and the adults working with them, this is done as the employers and employees have to ensure the workplace is safe and appropriate information such as training and supervision should be made available.
* Security – Is the outside environment safe, children/YP’s may wander off ,are there enough adults supervising, is the area safe for an activity. * Appropriate clothing – The children/YP’s may need different types of clothing for an activity, for example sun hats for summer, wellie’s for gardening. 2. Explain how health and safety is monitored and maintained and how people in the work setting are made aware of the risks and hazards and encouraged to work safely All members of staff, including new staff, agency staff must be made aware of the contents of the workplace
As with all children and young people the activity they are participating in needs to be in a safe environment and all staff are responsible and accountable to ensure this. 2.In my place of work all staff are responsible for health and safety if for example we see a cracked or broken plug it is our duty to report it to our manager or an appropriate person and make sure it is not used until properly