Armidale and District Family Day Care
Occupational Health & Safety Policy for Educators.
This Policy outlines the duties and responsibilities of Educators with Armidale & District Family Day Care Ltd. and those of Management in relation to Educators.
Rationale
The occupational health and safety of all stakeholders involved in Armidale & District Family Day Care is considered to be of the utmost importance.
As Educators are self-employed small business operators, they are responsible for the implementation, maintenance, monitoring and review of OHS systems within their work environments.
Aim
It is the aim of this policy to ensure:
That all Occupational Health & Safety legislative requirements are met;
The provision, maintenance and promotion of a healthy working environment for all Educators;
That the Scheme’s Policy and Procedures are communicated to all relevant stakeholders, such as families and contractors;
Ongoing consultation and cooperation to facilitate the implementation, maintenance, monitoring and review of risk management;
That all Educators have access to ongoing professional development on OHS issues;
That Educators are encouraged to undertake regular audits and evaluations of their OHS systems;
Promotion and facilitation of injury management procedures;
A commitment within the Scheme to a reasonable allocation of resources for ongoing OHS implementation and training.
Procedure
The implementation, maintenance, monitoring and review systems Educators use within their work environment should include, but not be limited to:
a)a daily safety audit;
b)accident/incident reporting systems;
c)food handling procedures;
d)infection control;
e)sun safety;
f)excursions;
g)the maintenance of a visitor register;
h)road and car safety procedures;
i)risk management systems;
j)glass & electrical audits;
k)informing the Coordination Unit of changes to their environment or work practices which may have an impact on health and safety;
l)injury management procedures;
m)regular training in manual handling and lifting.
This Policy is underpinned by related Scheme policies such as the Excursion Policy, Motor Vehicle Policy & Sun Safe Policy.
Responsibilities
Management and Coordination Unit staff
Empower Educators to implement a Risk Management approach to health and safety in their work environment;
Inform Educators about legislative requirements and penalties for non-compliance;
Assist Educators to develop and monitor a system for managing and identifying risks;
Support Educators in their compliance with OHS regulations and legislation;
Provide access to information and training on OHS issues;
Remove a Educator’s name from the Register for non-compliance with Scheme policies;
Educators
Must ensure the health, safety and welfare of all persons within their work environment;
Ensure that their premises are safe and without risk to health;
Ensure that materials and equipment which they provide are safe and free from risk to health when properly used;
Provide supervision to children in order to promote health and safety;
Maintain safe working procedures within their workplace;
Provide adequate facilities for the welfare of people within their work environment;
Ensure that people within their work environment are not exposed to risk to their health, safety or wellbeing;
Implement, manage, monitor and maintain their OHS system;
Create and maintain a safe indoor and outdoor environment;
Recognise, eliminate and/or control potential hazards;
Respond quickly and appropriately to emergencies;
Undertake daily safety checks of both indoor and outdoor environments.
Report breaches of pre-existing laws to State and Territory bodies, e.g. Should a guardian be, in the opinion of the Educator, in an intoxicated state when they place a child into a vehicle driven by them upon collection, the Educator should immediately report their concerns to Police emergency 000.
* See Safety Checklists
Source: NSW Workcover Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000
NSW Children’s Services Regulation 2004
Health & Safety in FDC – 2nd. Edition
Dated: 25th. April 2007
Reviewed: June 2009, April 2011.
To be Reviewed: July 2013.
Safety Checklist
Aim
To avoid accidents and injuries, it is important to create and maintain a safe indoor and outdoor environment. Recognising potential hazards, eliminating and/or controlling them and responding quickly and appropriately to emergencies is extremely important.
This checklist highlights key issues which Educators need to regularly assess and maintain in order to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the children in their care and of visitors to their work environment.
Indoor Checklist
Barriers
Barriers should be age appropriate and child proof for balconies, kitchen and laundry and other areas in the Educators home into which children are not permitted entry.
Bathroom facilities
Nappy change buckets should have securely fitting lids and nappy change tables should be kept clean and be of a stable nature.
Guards
To ensure that children do not have access to heaters, coolers, fireplaces, stoves, microwaves, power points and office equipment, appropriate guards should be in place on or around these items. Power boards must be guarded, and electrical cords should not be frayed. Telephone cords should be kept out of the reach of children. Educators should ensure that heaters are not close to childrens’ cots and beds. Entry doors should be kept locked at all times.
Educators should check daily for any trip hazards, and ensure that childrens’ furniture, such as chairs and tables are stable.
Choking Hazards
Small toy parts, nuts, blind and curtain cords, plastic bags, sandwich bags or deflated balloons should not be accessible to children at any time.
Decorations and Childrens’ Art
These should not be placed near ceiling fans, air conditioners or heaters. Educators should avoid the use of thumb tacks, pins and staples.
Emergency Precautions
Educators are advised to develop an Emergency Plan and to have a display of Emergency Contact Numbers. Educatorsmust practice emergency evacuation procedures at least every three months with the children. Families should be informed of these emergency precautions.
All Educators must have a fire blanket, a fire extinguisher, smoke detectors and an electrical safety switch.
First Aid Kits must be kept fully stocked.
Food
All perishable food should be stored appropriately.
Safety Glass
All glass doors and windows that are at floor height should be constructed of safety glass, in accordance with current Australian Safety Standards and the Australian Building Code.
If this is not possible, glass doors and windows should be made inaccessible to children. Safety decals need to be in place on glass doors which are at child and adult eye level.
Supervision and Visibility of Children
Educators should ensure that children are visible at all times and that they are adequately supervised.
Additional care should be taken when children are within high risk areas such as in high chairs, playpens, on nappy change tables and when they are toileting.
Toys
All toys should meet Australian Safety Standards, should be age appropriate, be clean and well maintained and be made of a non-toxic material.
Outdoor Checklist
Cars, Driveways and Parking Areas
Educators should be aware that driveways and areas where vehicles park and maneuver are particularly hazardous to children. Educators should request families to hold their child’s hand when alighting from a vehicle, to take care when entering or leaving the driveway or parking area near the Educator home and to ensure that no child is left unattended in any vehicle at any time.
Fences
Educators should ensure that their fences are secure and well maintained. The recommended height for a fence is 1.2 metres. Children should not be able to scale nor climb under a fence nor be able to get through it. All swimming pool fences must comply with the Australian Standards and have a child proof lock.
Gardens
Lawns should be regularly mown and grassed areas kept in good repair.
Debris should be removed and garden equipment stored in a shed, which should be locked. Bushes and protruding branches of trees should be trimmed regularly. Hazardous and poisonous plants should be removed or made inaccessible to children.
The garden should be checked each morning for hazards such as pebbles, mushrooms and broken glass.
Educators should also check the garden for snakes, spiders, hives and nests. Children should be warned to keep away from dangerous and venomous creatures.
Septic tank and sewage discharges should be covered when children are in care.
Pets and Animals
Dogs require their own enclosure, both for their own protection and for that of the children in care. Animal droppings, food, animal water bowls and bones must be cleared away prior to children entering the garden. All interactions between pets and children should be fully supervised.
Sandpits and Play Equipment
Sandpits should be covered when not in use. They should be regularly raked, and soiled sand removed, along with any faeces or blood.
After removing contaminated material, the sandpit should be hosed.
Childrens’ equipment should be well maintained and checked daily.
Sun Protection
Protective clothing, sun hats and sun screen should be used at all times in unshaded areas. Outdoor play should be minimized at peak sun exposure times. Educators must comply at all times with the Scheme’s Sun Safe Policy.
Water Hazards
Paddling pools should be emptied immediately after use and turned upside down. Pools should be disinfected should they be soiled. All ponds, dams, spas, creeks and nappy buckets should be made inaccessible to children.