Health & Safety is Everyones reposnsibility
Introduction to Health & Safety
Health and safety in the workplace is a shared responsibility. While all employees play an important role in working safely and following procedures, it is our duty as an employer to provide a safe and supportive environment for everyone.
At New Beginnings Nurseries, the safety and wellbeing of both children and staff are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to maintaining high standards by following clear policies, carrying out regular checks, and ensuring all staff are properly trained and supported in their roles.
This page has been designed to help you understand the key aspects of health and safety within the nursery, including your responsibilities, the environment you work in, and the procedures we follow. By working together and staying informed, we can ensure a safe, secure and positive setting for all.
Health and Safety - Key things you need to know
Health and Safety at work leaflet
In our nurseries, a Health and Safety at Work poster is displayed to highlight key information and responsibilities. This leaflet supports the poster by providing further guidance and more detailed information to help you understand how health and safety applies to your role.
It is important that all staff are familiar with both the poster and this leaflet, as they outline the standards, expectations, and procedures in place to keep everyone safe within the nursery environment.
Managing health and safety guide
This guide provides an overview of how health and safety is managed within the nursery, helping you understand your responsibilities and how to work safely. It is based on recognised good practice, including a practical approach of planning, carrying out tasks safely, checking that procedures are followed, and making improvements where needed. By following this guidance, we can work together to reduce risks and maintain a safe environment for both staff and children.
Risk assessment
Risk assessment is essential in a nursery as it helps to identify potential hazards and reduce the risk of harm to children, staff, and visitors. Young children are naturally curious and may not recognise dangers, so it is the responsibility of staff to ensure that environments, activities, and equipment are safe at all times. By regularly assessing risks and putting appropriate control measures in place, nurseries can prevent accidents, support effective safeguarding, and create a secure environment where children can learn, explore, and develop with confidence.
Fire safety
Fire safety in a nursery is essential to protect children, staff, and visitors from the risk of serious harm. Due to the age and vulnerability of young children, it is vital that clear procedures are in place and understood by all staff. This includes regular fire drills, maintaining clear evacuation routes, and ensuring all staff know their roles and responsibilities in an emergency. Particular care must be taken to support babies and non-mobile children during evacuation. By following fire safety procedures and remaining calm and organised, staff can ensure a safe and efficient evacuation if needed.
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Your responsibilities
As an employee, you play an important role in maintaining a safe and healthy nursery environment. Your key responsibilities include:
- Taking reasonable care of your own health and safety
- Taking reasonable care not to put others at risk, including colleagues, children, and visitors, through your actions or omissions
- Supervising children at all times, ensuring they are safe, supported, and not exposed to unnecessary risks
- Following all nursery policies and procedures, including those relating to safeguarding, health and safety, and daily routines
- Co-operating with your employer by attending training, understanding your role, and applying what you have learned in practice
- Not interfering with or misusing anything provided for your health, safety, or welfare
- Reporting any injuries, strains, illnesses, hazards, or concerns arising from your work as soon as possible
By following these responsibilities, you help ensure a safe, secure, and supportive environment for everyone in the nursery.
Why do we risk assess?
As a member of staff, you play a key role in creating a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where children can learn through play and exploration. We aim to provide a wide range of engaging experiences that support children’s development and build strong early foundations. While working and playing together brings many benefits, it is important to recognise that it can also involve some level of risk.
You are expected to take children’s health and safety seriously at all times. In your day-to-day practice, you should consider both the potential risks and the benefits of activities and experiences. Through careful judgement and discussion with colleagues, you must ensure that risks are managed appropriately and that activities remain meaningful, safe, and supportive of children’s learning.
You should be familiar with all risk assessments relating to your room and the wider nursery environment, both indoors and outdoors. Daily safety checks must be carried out before children arrive, ensuring that all areas are safe and ready for use.
Risk assessments are reviewed
semi-annually to ensure they remain up to date and relevant. However, you must remain vigilant and responsive at all times. If an incident occurs, or if there are any significant changes to the environment, you are responsible for reporting this promptly so that a new or updated risk assessment can be completed immediately.
