Health and safety procedures
Notifiable incident, non- child protection
Staff respond swiftly, appropriately and effectively in the case of an incident within the setting. Notifiable incidents in this procedure are those not involving child protection.
A ‘notifiable’ incident’ could include:
- fire or suspected arson
- electric or Gas fault
- burst pipe, severe leak or flooding
- severe weather that has caused an incident or damage to property
- break-in with vandalism or theft
- staff, parent or visitor mugged or assaulted on site or in vicinity on the way to or from the setting
- outbreak of a notifiable disease
- staff or parent threatened/assaulted on the premises by a parent or visitor
- accidents due to any other faults (that are reportable under RIDDOR)
- lost child
- any event or information that becomes known, that may have implications for the setting or the wider organisation in the future use
The designated health and safety officer:
§ has all emergency services numbers immediately to hand
§ has a list of contacts for maintenance and repair through the landlords
§ ensure that members of staff know what to do in an emergency
§ risk assess the situation and decides, with the owners/trustees if the premises are safe to receive children before any children are arrive or to offer a limited service
Emergency evacuation
In most instances, children will not be evacuated from the premises unless there is an immediate risk or unless they are advised to do so by the emergency services.
§ There is an emergency evacuation procedure in place which is unique to the setting and based upon risk assessment in line with others using the building.
· Emergency evacuation procedures are practised regularly and are reviewed according to risk assessment (as above).
· Staff evacuate children to a pre-designated area (as per the fire drill), unless advised by the emergency services that the designated area is not suitable at that time.
· Once evacuated, nobody enters the premises, until the emergency services say so.
· Members of staff will act upon the advice of the emergency services at all times.
We blow a whistle to indicate a fire drill/risk. Staff will collect children and head towards the fire exit, while one member of staff clears all toilets and kitchen. The manger will stand by the fire exit and count children and staff out . we will have the register and phone with contact details of families. Staff will lead children to the top gate by church entrance. The manager will close fire doors behind her. If main fire door is unsafe we will use either the back entrance or the garden door and out through the garden gate.
Emergency Closure
The circumstances under which the setting may be closed due to an incident include:
• The owners/trustees make the decision to close – thereby withdrawing the service.
• A third party makes the decision to close for example:
- a school, where the setting is on a school site
- the children’s centre (if on a children’s centre site)
- the emergency services
• A parent makes the decision for their child not to attend.
- If a parent makes the decision for their child not to attend due to a critical incident, the child’s fees are due as normal.
- Further consideration of individual incidences must be done in consultation with the owners/trustees/directors.
Recording and reporting
§ On discovery of the notifiable incident, the member of staff reports to the appropriate emergency service, fire, police, ambulance, if those services are needed.
§ The member of staff ensures that the setting manager and/or deputy are informed (if not on the premises at the time) and that the trustees are informed.
§ The setting manager completes and sends an incident record to the trustees, who, according to the severity of the incident notifies Ofsted or RIDDOR.
§ If the incident indicates that a crime may have been committed, all staff witness to the incident should make a written statement.
§ Staff do not discuss the incident with the press.
RIDDOR reportable events include:
• Specified injuries at work
• Fatal accidents to staff, children and visitors (parents).
• Accidents resulting in the incapacitation of staff for more than seven days.
• Injuries to members of the public, including parents’ and children, where they are taken to hospital.
• Dangerous ‘specified’ occurrences, where no-one is injured but they could have been. (these are usually industrial incidents).
This may include:
- a member of staff injures back at work through lifting and is off for two weeks
- a parent slips on a wet floor near the water tray and is taken to hospital
- a child falls from a climbing frame and is taken to hospital
- the ceiling collapses
- an outbreak of Legionella
The setting manager informs the trustees and completes an accident and/or incident record; witness statements are taken as previously detailed.
• If the incident is RIDDOR reportable, the setting manager telephones HSE Contact Centre on 0345 300 9923 or reports online at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm
· RIDDOR Reportable events require reporting to RIDDOR within 15 days of the event occurring.
The local authority investigates all reported injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences. They will decide if there has been a breach in health and safety regulations and will decide what measures will be taken.
The owners trustees review how the situation was managed, as above, to ensure that investigations were rigorous and that policies and procedures were followed.
If an insurance claim is likely:
· incidents such as fire, theft or flood are notified to the insurance provider immediately
• the setting does not admit liability
• if broken or faulty equipment is involved, it must not be repaired, destroyed or disposed of, in case it is needed during the investigation
• if communication from a solicitor is received on behalf of the injured party, this is sent directly to the insurance provider; the setting manager will then write to the solicitor to confirm that the letter has been passed on
• the incident is not discussed with any outside persons, or other parents, no matter what questions they may ask about their own child’s safety in relation to the incident, as it is regarded as confidential under the Data Protection Act.