EYFS 3.64 Providers must ensure that they take all reasonable steps to ensure staff and children in their care are not exposed to risks and must be able to demonstrate how they are managing risks31. Providers must determine where it is helpful to make some written risk assessments in relation to specific issues, to inform staff practice, and to demonstrate how they are managing risks if asked by parents and/or carers or inspectors. Risk assessments should identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised.

 

Rose Buddies Childcare recognises our responsibility for the welfare of staff and do not expect any member of staff to take unnecessary risks. However, during the normal course of their duties staff are expected to take reasonable care of themselves and co-operate fully with management in regard to Health and Safety issues.

 

All staff have a duty to safeguard their own health and safety and that of the children and others using the provision. They should not engage in or involve others in activities where the lifting of heavy or awkward items is required, unless absolutely certain that they are acting within the normal course of their duties.

 

The manual handling operations regulations do not prohibit all manual handling.

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The Regulations require that moving and handling is done as safely as possible, where it cannot be avoided. Action should be appropriate and proportionate to ensure that the child's rights are safe guarded when they are being supported with their moving and handling needs.

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Workers should not be required to perform tasks that put them and the children and young people they care for at unacceptable risk 

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We recognise that staff need to carry out manual handling especially in relation to lifting children. A variety of injuries may result from poor manual handling and staff must all be aware and adhere to the settings manual handling policy.

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We instruct all staff in correct handling techniques and expect them to follow these to minimise the risks of injury. We know that lifting and carrying children is different to carrying static loads and therefore our manual handling training reflects this.

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All staff will receive training in manual handling within their first three months of employment and will receive ongoing training as appropriate.

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we recognise that the most effective method of prevention is to remove or reduce the need to carry out hazardous manual handling. Wherever possible, we review the circumstances in which staff have to carry out manual handling and re-design the workplace so that items do not need to be moved from one area to another.

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Where manual handling tasks cannot be avoided, for example lifting children and changing nappies, we carry out a risk assessment by examining the tasks and deciding what the risks associated with them are, and how these can be removed or reduced by adding control measures.

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Our manual handling assessment considers the following:

• The tasks to be carried out

• The load to be moved (including moving children)

• The environment in which handling takes place • The capability of the individual involved in the manual handling.

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All staff will be expected to follow the Manual Handling guidance and to follow The 5 P's or 5 Manual Handling Principles to avoid injury that we refer to are summarised as follows;

• Plan – plan your lift adequately.

• Position – centre the body & feet correctly.

• Pick – lift item using good posture.

• Proceed – move toward desired location.

• Place – set object down safely.

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