Why_Its_Important_to_Have_Policies_and_Risk_Assessments,_for_Health,_Safety_and_Hygiene_of_the_Setting

Why its important to have policies and risk assessments, for health, safety and hygiene of the setting Policies and risk assessments for health, safety and hygiene in a setting is paramount. As a pre- school assistant I have responsibility for the safety of children on a daily basis and parents put their trust in the setting, and those that work within, to look after their children. Under the EYFS framework we have to ensure we meet the expected welfare requirements and also to follow health and safety legislation and regulations that protect children and adults in the setting. The 2 main acts of legislation linked to health and safety are the Health and Safety Work Act 1974 and the Children Act 1989. Under the Health and Safety Act 1974 settings with 5 or more employees must have a health and safety policy. A health and safety policy dictates how the setting will ensure health and safety is carried out. The key points being nominated person for health and safety, risk assessments, staff training, the environment, arrival and collection, fire and emergency procedures, security, windows, doors, general safety inside and out, activities, food and drink, accident book. National Standard 6 = Safety National Standard 7 = Health Risk assessments Administration of medicines Fire safety procedures Accidents and reporting Fire safety records and certificates Sick children Outing procedures No smoking Staff must familiarise themselves with the health and safety policy as it is a legal requirement that procedures are followed. As mentioned above risk assessment must be conducted. Risk assessments will vary from setting to setting, depending whether it is a permanent one or not. If not there must be a conscious risk assessment prior to each session after the setting has been used by someone else. Risk assessment means thinking about what could cause harm and then what can be done to minimise it. For example scissors would be regarded as a hazard as they can cause harm to a child, so if we were doing an activity that required cutting with scissors, to minimize the risk we would ensure close supervision with an adult. Policies for hygiene are also extremely important. Young children are more susceptible to being ill as their immune system is still growing. Children often put things in their mouths and can pick their nose therefore increasing the risk of infections spreading. Staff are also at risk from infection so will need to follow strict hygiene procedures in order to protect themselves. For example to minimise risk when changing nappies and dealing with bodily fluids, gloves and aprons must be worn. They must then be placed in bag, disposed of in the correct bin and hands washed. When followed correctly policies also protect staff in the event of a negligence claim being made against them. . Policies also need to show how the setting reflects being an anti-discriminatory and inclusive practise. Oftsed when carrying out their inspection will review the policies in place, so this is a further importance to these features. . So in summary policies and risk assessments benefit children, the parents, the staff and the existence of the setting, by providing a written description of how things should happen.