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All early years practitioners including early years apprentices and students must ensure that children are kept healthy and safe; creating a safe and healthy environment for all children, staff, parents and visitors. There are a number of pieces of legislation and guidelines designed to support early years and childcare settings in doing this. In this blog, Twinkl Private Early Years summarises some of these legislations and guidelines and provides examples of how they are implemented in early years and childcare settings.

Childcare Act 2006

The Childcare Act 2006 states that the health and safety of children is to be promoted by implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework. For example, ensuring that there are paediatric first aid trained early years practitioners on site at all times and completing risk assessments.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework 2023

The Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework sets out how all early years and childcare settings ensure that children are kept healthy and safe. Section 3 of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework 'The safeguarding and welfare requirements' outlines how early years settings and practitioners should keep children healthy and safe. For example, adhering to staff:child ratios and recording accidents and incidents.

Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate resources to ensure that employees receive immediate medical attention while they are at work. In addition, the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework states that at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid qualification should be present in the early years and childcare setting and on outings at all times. Paediatric first aid training must be renewed every 3 years and early years settings must ensure there is a first aid box accessible at all times.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 exists to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all. An early years and childcare setting is no exception. Everyone working in an early years and childcare setting is responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all; ensuring that children and staff remain protected from any hazards of working or being in a nursery. For example, reporting any health and safety concerns and following health and safety policies and procedures.

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) outlines how to adequately control the exposure to materials in the workplace that cause ill health. In an early years and childcare setting this could involve correctly using and storing cleaning products and what to do if they are ingested. This could also apply to medications. For example, all early years practitioners should have training on how to use chemicals in the workplace and medicines should be stored safely in a cupboard that is locked and out of reach from children.

The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006

The Food Hygiene Regulations (2006) states that all businesses serving food including early years and childcare settings need to make sure that their activities are carried out hygienically. Early years and childcare settings must make sure that there is an area which is adequately equipped to provide healthy meals, snacks and drinks for children. For example, all early years practitioners involved in preparing and handling food must receive training in food hygiene and storing food safely at the correct temperature.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (amended 2002)

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (amended 2002) sets out clear measures for dealing with risks from manual handling, including avoiding manual handling at all, assessing manual handling that cannot be avoided and how to reduce the risk of injury. In early years and childcare settings risk assessments need to be carried out for particular pieces of equipment for example play apparatus and knowing the correct technique for lifting babies and young children safely.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 provides a framework for regulating fire safety in all non-domestic premises including early years and childcare settings. For example, having appropriate fire detection and control equipment such as fire extinguishers, a fire blanket in the kitchen, fire exit doors and having regular fire drills.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 requires employers to report and keep records of work-related accidents which cause deaths, work-related accidents which cause certain serious injuries, diagnosed cases of certain industrial diseases; and certain 'dangerous occurrences'. In early years and childcare settings, outbreaks of infectious diseases such as meningitis must be reported. Serious accidents and injuries that require hospitalisation must also be reported.

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Health and Safety Legislation and Guidelines for Early Years Apprentices and

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All early years practitioners including early years apprentices and students must ensure that children are kept healthy and safe; creating a safe and healthy environment for all children, staff, parents and visitors. There are a number of pieces of legislation and guidelines designed to support early years and childcare settings in doing this.

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Coshh
The main purpose of COSHH in the workplace is to manage the risks to health that are generated from hazardous substances..

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Polices and procedures linking to health and safety

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Polices and procedures linking to health and safety

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-Health and safety

-Missing child

-Risk assessments

-Fire drill

-Medication

-Arrival and collection policy

-Outings policy

-First aid
-Cleaning policy
-Covid 19 policy
-Healthy eating/ food hygiene policy
-accident at home policy (First aid)

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The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974l equires that workplaces provide: Adequate training of staff to ensure health and safety procedures are understood and adhered to Adequate welfare provisions for staff at work A safe working environment that is properly maintained and where operations within it are conducted safely Suitable provision of relevant information.

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Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)

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Provides information on the Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH). Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put peoples health at risk.

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Guidance

Types of incidents that must be reported and exemptions

Employers, the self-employed, people in control of work premises

Report online or by telephone

Publications, online forms, statistics and useful links

Subscribe

Subscribe for free health and safety news and updates on this topic.

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RIDDOR - Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

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Who, when and how you should make a RIDDOR report on specific workplace incidents, injuries and deaths to HSE.

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https://www.teachearlyyears.com/nursery-management/view/health-safety-in-the-nursery

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Health & Safety in the Nursery | Early Years Management | Teach Early Years

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Teach Early Years magazine is the leading B2B title for early years teachers, practitioners and providers, offering expert advice on educating the 0–5s and operating a sustainable childcare business.