Risk Assessment Policy
Staff involvement
This policy was drawn up in consultation with the Head Teacher of Taynuilt Primary School and staff members of Taynuilt Pre 5 Unit.
Rationale
The health, safety and welfare of all our children are of paramount importance to all the adults who work in our Pre 5 Unit. Our children and adults have the right to protection regardless of age, gender, race, culture, background or disability. They have the right to be safe in our setting.
Aims
Our aims are:
- To provide a safe environment for our staff and children to learn and play in.
- To provide a high standard of performance in ensuring the Health and Safety of children, parents, staff and other adults using these premises.
- To reduce accident and sickness absence rates.
- To develop a positive/proactive attitude to Health and Safety.
- To ensure the involvement and co-operation of all adults and children in achieving the aims of this policy statement.
- To establish what actions the Pre 5 Unit can do to ensure the children and staff remain safe and reduce any possible danger risks.
Procedures
Comprehensive Risk Assessments are carried out within the playroom, outdoors and on any visits/outings. Staff will assess the risks and will indicate measures to prevent or reduce them.The risk assessment should be based on the following considerations:
- What are the hazards?
- Who might be affected by them, persons at risk?
- Potential risks
- What safety and control measures are needed to reduce risks to an acceptable level?
- What steps will be taken in an emergency?
Staff will also:
- Complete a daily risk assessment covering all the safety checks in the establishment.
- Ensure premises are maintained in a safe, secure and comfortable condition.
- Ensure equipment and systems of work are safe and without significant risk.
- Ensure checks are made of the area and equipment in the indoor and outdoor environment.
- Ensure that there is suitable and sufficient information, instruction training and supervision to meet Health and Safety requirements.
- Ensure that new equipment/systems are checked for safety.
- Ensure systems for reporting accidents and incidents with a risk to health are in place.
- Ensure that the accident/fire procedure folder is kept up-to-date and that fire procedures/drills are undertaken each month.
- Record trends of sickness in staff, pupils and take appropriate action.
- Ensure procedures are in place to deal with any foreseeable emergency situations.
- Produce risk assessments for the premises and activities undertaken on the premises that constitute a potential risk.
- Ensure that any new work routines/use of other premises/transport are considered for inclusion in risk assessment.
- Ensure that risk assessments are shown to all new staff/helpers as part of the induction process.
Monitoring and Review
It is the responsibility of the Head Teacher along with the Pre 5 staff to monitor, evaluate and review the above arrangements and effectiveness of this policy and adjust them according to need.
