Risk assessment

Last reviewed: July 30 2024

Last updated: July 30 2024

Risk assessment is carried out to ensure the safety of children, staff, parents, and visitors. Individuals in the workplace are responsible for the health and safety of premises, equipment and working practices. We have a ‘corporate responsibility’ and ‘duty of care’ to those who work in and receive a service from our provision. Individuals are also responsible for ensuring their own and others safety. 

• 01.1a Generic risk assessment form is completed for each area of work, and the areas of the building that are identified in these procedures 

• 01.1b Access audit is completed to ensure inclusion and the health and safety of all visitors, staff, and children. The relevant procedure is modified if required to match the assessment.

Risk assessment means: Taking note of aspects of your workplace and activities that that could cause harm, either to yourself or to others, and deciding what needs to be done to prevent that harm, making sure this is adhered to and is updated when necessary. 

The law does not require that all risk be eliminated, but that ‘reasonable precaution’ is taken. This is important when balancing the need for children to take appropriate risks through physically challenging play. Children need opportunities to work out what is not safe and what to do when faced with a risk.

Daily safety sweeps and checks indoors and outdoors.

• Safety sweeps are conducted when setting up for the day or closing in the evening. Sometimes a safety sweep will identify a risk that requires a formal risk assessment on form. For example, if a window latch is stiff and an educator has to stand on a chair in order to reach it to ensure it has closed properly.

Health and safety risk assessments

Health and safety risk assessments inform procedures. Staff and parents should be involved in reviewing risk assessments and procedures, as they are the ones with first-hand knowledge as to whether the control measures are effective, and they can give an informed view to help update procedures accordingly.

The setting manager undertakes training and ensures staff have adequate training in health and safety matters. The setting manager ensures that checks/work to premises are carried out and records are kept.

• Gas safety by a Gas Safe registered gas/heating engineer.

• Electricity safety by a qualified electrician.

• Fire precautions to check that all fire-fighting equipment and alarms are in working order.

• Hot air heating systems/air conditioning systems cleaned and checked.

• Deep clean is carried out in kitchen.

The setting manager ensures that staff members carry out risk assessments that include relevant aspects of fire safety, food safety, in each of the following areas of the premises:

• Entrance and exits.

• Outdoor areas.

• Passageways, stairways and connecting areas.

• Group rooms.

• Sleep areas.

• Main kitchen.

• Milk kitchen (if applicable).

• Staff/parent’s room.

• Rooms used by others or for other purposes.

The setting manager ensures staff members carry out risk assessment for off-site activities, such as children’s outings (including use of public transport), including:

• forest school and beach school

• home visits

• other duties off-site such as attending meetings, banking etc

The setting manager ensures staff members carry out risk assessment for work practice including:

• changing babies, and the intimate care of young children and older children

• arrivals and departures

• preparation of milk and other food/drink for babies

• children with allergies and special dietary needs or preferences

• serving food in group rooms

• cooking activities with children

• supervising outdoor play and indoor/outdoor climbing equipment

• settling babies/young children to sleep

• assessment, use and storage of equipment for disabled children.

• visitors bringing equipment or animals for children’s learning experiences, for example fire engines.

• following any incidents involving threats against staff or volunteers

• following any accident or incident involving staff or children

The setting manager liaises with Crime Prevention Officers as appropriate to ensure security arrangements for premises and personnel are appropriate.