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What is the key Health and Safety legislation in the UK?
What are the Requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act? – HASAW is based on common sense and safe practice. It places the duty on employers to take responsibility for the health and safety of their employees at work “as far as is reasonably practicable”. “as far as is reasonably practicable”
What is the Health and Safety legislation in childcare settings UK?
Health and safety in nurseries is extremely important due to the particularly vulnerable nature of early years pupils. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 applies in a nursery setting just as it does in other workplaces. As such, all employers, managers or owners are legally required to make sure nursery children and staff are protected so far as “reasonably practicable” from the hazards of being and working in a nursery. The law does not expect all risk to be eliminated. However, employers must take “reasonable precautions” and train staff so that they are aware of their responsibilities. This means that risks must be assessed and reasonable steps taken to mitigate them.
The leadership team understands the nursery’s Health & Safety Policy and applies it practically to the real risks posed in the nursery setting.Key staff have clearly-established roles and responsibilities and understand their health and safety duties,Paperwork is kept to a minimum with the significant hazards identified, their risks adequately controlled, and precautions clearly documented where needed.
Significant health and safety issues in nurseries include a lack of pupil maturity/awareness, class size, limitation of space, layout, equipment, etc. Identify risks and keep your nursery compliant with this free guide. In this article, we discuss nine things you need to tick in your nursery risk assessment and the sorts of safety measures that should be applied in nursery settings.
Internal flooring is in good condition;Lighting is bright enough to ensure safe access to and egress from the site;Robust procedures are in place for spillages;There are no trailing electrical cables/leads;Walkways are kept clear;Gardens are regularly checked for the presence of harmful objects; andStorage areas, stock rooms and staff rooms are always left in a tidy state, with all items placed in safe positions on shelves or in lockers to avoid injury to people.
Your nursery health and safety policy should make people’s responsibilities clear. In regards to slips and trips for example, classroom staff should make sure premises are ready to be cleaned and not expect cleaners to tidy up after children. This means clearing all items/debris from the floor and stacking chairs at the end of the day.
There is an ‘elephant-foot’ step stool or stepladder available for use where necessaryAbove-ground-floor windows are secured to prevent falls?Window openers are provided for high-level windows?
Any activities carried out above floor level must be properly risk-assessed and supervised. Despite the financial pressures in education, it is still very important to maintain furniture and fittings. When assessing risk in your premises, check that you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions:
Are permanent fixtures in good condition and securely fastened?Is furniture in good repair and suitable for the size of the user, whether adult or small child?Is portable equipment, such as a TV set, stable on a suitable trolley?Where window restrictors are fitted to upper-floor windows, are they in good working order?Are hot surfaces of radiators, etc. protected where necessary to prevent the risk of burns to vulnerable young people?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you need to ensure that steps are taken, so far as reasonably practicable, to mitigate the risk. Additionally, equipment should be safe to use and clean – providers should be aware of the hygiene requirements.
Remember, manual handling tasks should be avoided wherever possible. Where it isn’t possible to avoid handling a load, suitable safety measures should be introduced to prevent and avoid injury. This doesn’t mean conducting a risk assessment every time someone carries something, such as handing out books, but it does mean ensuring adequate support is there if a heavy object needs moving.
This could be as simple as providing a trolley for transporting a television or having another member of staff assist when moving heavy equipment. Staff should also be trained in correct manual handling techniques and the potential risks to help ensure any tasks that involve b ending and lifting are properly planned and carried out with due care and attention to back and body posture. Inform and keep staff up-to-date with health and safety guidelines for early childhood centres, such as:
Implementing a no running policy indoors.Not allowing children to use equipment/apparatus without adult supervision.Teaching children safe methods for carrying equipment, such as scissors or chairs.Ensuring hot drinks are kept in cups with lids on to avoid spills.Never leaving groups of children unsupervised.
Answering ‘yes’ to these questions is a good indication that your nursery is compliant.
Are fixed electrical switches, plug sockets and cables in good repair?Are plug sockets that are within children’s reach covered?Has portable electrical equipment been visually checked and tested at suitable intervals to ensure its safe use? A sticker may show it has been tested.Has damaged electrical equipment been taken out of service/replaced?Are electric cables routed to prevent trips?
At least 363 school teachers have died of mesothelioma since 1980, and 249 of these deaths have occurred since 2001. These shocking statistics should not be ignored. If your premises contain asbestos, good safety measures in nurseries include:
Ensuring the location of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) and its condition in the classroom is provided and explained to staff; andObtaining guidance on securing pieces of work to walls/ceilings that may contain asbestos.
If there are fire exit doors in the classroom, are they unobstructed, unlocked and easy to open? In addition to this, nursery leaders need to be able to confirm that:
Fire-fighting equipment is in place.Fire evacuation procedures are clearly displayed.All staff are aware of the evacuation drill, including arrangements for any vulnerable adults.
It’s also important to test your fire safety procedures regularly to ensure they are fit for purpose. A classroom that is too hot or too cold can affect a child’s ability to learn. With that in mind, you should have safety measures in place in your nursery and be able to answer the following questions:
Do rooms have natural ventilation?Can reasonable temperatures be maintained?Are measures in place, including blinds, to protect from glare and heat from the sun?
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the safety measures needed in a nursery setting and you should identify any other hazards associated with your day-to-day activities, including any further action needed. Remember, simply referring to model assessments or other published schemes is insufficient; there must be evidence that these assessments have been consulted and adapted where necessary to suit your nursery.
- If you are able to demonstrate that you are assessing risk in these nine areas, then you are going some way to being health and safety compliant.
- Ultimately, sensible judgements are all that is generally required to achieve maximum benefits for children while ensuring they are not exposed to significant risks.
This is particularly important in early years settings, as children should be able to grow, develop and safely take appropriate risks. If in doubt, support from an experienced Health & Safety specialist is the best way to keep your nursery compliant and ensure you are taking all necessary steps to keep children and staff safe.
What are the 5 key aspects of health?
There are five main aspects of personal health: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual. In order to be considered “well,” it is imperative for none of these areas to be neglected. Roger Williams University Health and Wellness Educators (HAWES) want to inform you of ways to maximize your personal wellness.
What are the 4 aspects of health and define each aspect?
What Are the Four Aspects of Health? – The four aspects of health are physical, energetic, mental/emotional, and spiritual. These aspects range from the dense physical level to the subtle spiritual level. We have the ability to positively and constructively impact our health and well-being holistically by learning how to properly use our Life Energy and Will Power.
What is the OSHA equivalent in Netherlands?
Occupational safety and health authorities and Inspection authorities – On a national level Occupational Safety and Health is the responsibility of the Ministry of Social affairs and Employment (Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid) The ministry sets target rules that state the degree to which the health and safety of employees at work should be protected.
- Compliance to the rules and regulations is monitored by the Inspectorate SZW (Inspectie SZW),
- For some sectors or branches the Inspectorate SZW is working closely together with other national inspection authorities, for example for the transport sector the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate.
The Inspectorate SZW aims at achieving healthy and safe working conditions for all. The Inspectorate SZW is working according to a vision of an integrated and risk-oriented supervision. The inspection does not only focus on enforcement, but also has preventive tasks.
What is health and safety legislation in schools UK?
Responsibility for health and safety in schools – The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations require every employee to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons – pupils and visitors – who may be affected by their acts or omissions whilst at work.
In the independent sector, the proprietor, Board of Trustees, or equivalent is the employer For community and special schools, voluntary controlled, nursery and pupil referral units, the local authority is the employer In foundation, voluntary aided, free schools and academies, the governing body is the employer
Employers must take all reasonable measures to ensure that school premises and equipment on the premises are safe to use. They are responsible for determining and approving the health and safety policy, ensuring that resources are directed to implementing the policy and for complying with any directions given by the local council or other relevant authority concerning the health and safety of persons in school, or on school activities elsewhere.
- This will be through a risk assessment process.
- We can do all of this for you! Senior school managers involved in the day-to-day running of the school also have responsibility for the health and safety of staff and students.
- Head teachers have overall responsibility within the school, including day-to-day health and safety management and the implementation of the health and safety policy.
Where schools choose to become more autonomous, they should appoint a school health and safety lead officer, a school governor to champion this area and a health and safety committee. You can appoint us! While employers may delegate specific health and safety tasks to individuals or schools, they ultimately retain overall accountability and responsibility no matter who carries out the day-to-day tasks.
The terms Responsible Person and Duty Holder are commonly used in regulations. The former is the person – a named person at each school – or organisation that has clear responsibility for the maintenance or repair of the premises, usually through an explicit agreement such as a lease or contract, or the person who has control of the premises.
The Duty Holder means the employer and those in control of workplaces, who have duties under health and safety law. You must get help from a Competent Person to enable you to comply with the requirements of health and safety law. The HSE defines a competent person as “someone who has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities that allow them to assist you properly”.
What are the 7 core concepts of health?
ATHENA Environmental Health Resource: 7 Core Concepts of Environmental Health posters Classroom resource: This slideset includes a slide for each of the 7 Core Concepts of Environmental Health: Toxicity, Exposure, Dose/Response, Individual Susceptibility, Risks and Benefits, Environmental Justice, and Community Resources and Action. Slides can be printed (8×11″), laminated, and posted in the classroom for a visual of the over-arching concepts of the environmental health lessons.
What are the 5 main factors that contribute to good health and describe each?
A new year is here and many of us have goals for maintaining good health. So just what are the most important factors for establishing optimum health. Studies indicate that the following five factors make the biggest difference in overall health and wellness: 1) diet; 2) rest; 3) exercise; 4) posture; and 5) avoiding the use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
What are the 6 aspects of health?
LindenWELL follows the National Wellness Institute’s Model for Wellness – The National Wellness Institute promotes Six Dimensions of Wellness: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. Addressing all six dimensions of wellness in our lives builds a holistic sense of wellness and fulfillment. “Mindfully focusing on wellness in our lives builds resilience and enables us to thrive amidst life’s challenges.” NWI Developed by Dr.
What are the 9 aspects of health?
Why Nine? – Many of us think of wellness in terms of physical and mental health. At Rollins, holistic wellness has nine interconnected dimensions: physical, emotional, creative, environmental, financial, occupational, intellectual, social, and spiritual,
What are 3 aspects of overall health?
The aspects of health that are important to overall well-being are physical health, mental and emotional health, and social health.
What are 3 aspects of overall health?
The aspects of health that are important to overall well-being are physical health, mental and emotional health, and social health.
What is the most important aspect of safety?
1. Hazard Assessment. Perhaps the most critical element of workplace safety and an effective safety program is regular and honest safety audits to identify and correct workplace hazards.
