Risk Assessments All You Need To Know

▤ Summary

All early years workers have a duty of care towards the children they look after to prevent accidents and injuries so read on to make sure your planning is robust in this area. It is usually the responsibility of the owner or the Health and Safety Officer to ensure that all risk assessments are completed, and that effective procedures and protocols are set up using the information collected. There will be times that you will have to cross the road or travel on public transport for example, which have their own risks, but planning the route carefully, using a zebra or pelican crossing, having enough staff to supervise the children, and wearing high-viz jackets will minimise these risks. Since there are an infinite number of things that could happen every day in any setting, identifying all of them would be impossible and there is always the potential for a freak accident that no one could foresee. Below is a list of common situations where risk assessments should be undertaken in early years settings: • None Access to the centre such as staff access and security • None Children and parents arriving and leaving the setting • None Children needing to use the toilet and/or personal care routines • None The storage, administration and recording of any medication • None All aspects of outdoor playgrounds and play areas such as gardens, sand pits or ponds/water • None Safety features such as fire alarms/extinguishers/gates and fences • None Additional needs of any babies of children with SEND • None Excursions outside the setting including going for a walk or on a visit/trip • None Playing with different materials such as mud, water, sand, art materials • None Pregnant members of staff or those with additional needs • None Home visits and personal safety with parents or visitors • None Using chemicals such as cleaning routines • None Maintenance of all sites and equipment Each setting may have additional specific areas that need risk assessments, (e.g. Forest School, swimming/paddling pool etc.,) but the above list is a good start.

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