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September 2003

Safety in Day Nurseries
The Environmental Health Department of the Local Authority are responsible for health and safety in private and voluntarily run day nurseries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have responsibility for health and safety in local authority premises and nursery schools. Where child care is provided on school premises the HSE will act as the enforcing authority, irrespective of whether or not the premises is operated by the local authority or an independent operator, as the main activity of the premises is education.
The enforcement of food hygiene standards in nurseries is the responsibility of the Environmental Health Department of the Local Authority.
This guidance has been produced to assist nurseries in complying with their responsibilities to their employees and non-employees i.e. young children in their care relating to health and safety, food hygiene, and the control of infectious diseases. This document sets out basic information and directs the reader to other information sources already available, such as free leaflets, priced documents and appropriate websites.
Health and Safety Management a) Health and Safety Policy
If you have five or more employees you will need to have a written health and safety policy. This sets out how you manage health and safety in your organisation.
Leaflet – Stating your business (INDG324). Free HSE publication b) Risk Assessments
You will have to assess the risks from your activities at the nursery that may affect either your employees or non-employees (i.e. young children). If you employ five or more employees you must record the significant findings of the assessment.
The significant risks that may require consideration include, for example:

The risks of scalding from hot water and heated surfaces

The spread of infectious diseases from activities such as nappy changing and laundry of soiled clothes

Falls from outdoor play equipment

Low level glazing in vulnerable positions

Fire risks
Leaflet
–
Five steps to risk assessment (INDG163(rev1)). Free HSE publication
Other health and safety requirements that you must take account of are: a) Infectious diseases (see the section further in this document)
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September 2003

b) Health and safety training
Leaflet
–
Health and safety training: What you need to know
(INDG345). Free HSE publication c) Slips and trips
Leaflet – Preventing slips, trips and falls at work (INDG225). Free HSE publication
Priced publication – Slips and trips: Guidance for employers on identifying hazards and controlling risks . HSG 155, ISBN 0717611450, priced £7.50 d) Provision, use and maintenance of work equipment
Leaflet – Simple guide to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 (INDG291). Free HSE publication e) Manual handling
Leaflet
–
Getting to grips with manual handling: A short guide for employers (INDG143, rev1)). Free HSE publication
Priced publication – Upper limb disorders in the workplace . HSG 60,
ISBN 0717619788, priced £9.50 f) First –aid and accident reporting
Records
If you employ ten or more persons a book must be provided to record details of any accidents that occur on your premises. Accident records can assist you in identifying recurring accidents, and may also assist in the defence of any future civil claims.
A new version of the accident book (B1 510) has been issued by the HSE to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. The book (code no. ISBN
0717626032) can be obtained from HSE books.
Reporting
As an employer you have duties to report some work related accidents. It is an offence not to report such accidents.
Leaflet
–
RIDDOR: Explained (HSE31(rev1)). Free HSE publication
First-aid
You must provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first-aid to be given to your employees at work. OFSTED may also require first-aid provision for children.
Leaflet
–
First-aid at work: Your questions answered (INDG214). Free
HSE publication
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September 2003

Poster – Basic advice on first-aid at work , ISBN 0717622657, encapsulated poster, priced £7.50 g) Hazardous substances
Leaflet – COSHH: A brief guide to the regulations (INDG136rev2).
Free HSE publication
The following information sources may assist in developing safety management systems for new businesses:
Website – www.safestartup.org
Leaflet – An introduction to health and safety (INDG259(rev1)). Free
HSE publication
Priced publication – Essentials of health and safety at work . ISBN
071760716, priced £5.95
Other health and safety resources
Website – www.hse.gov.uk
HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA
Tel. (01787) 881165
Fax (01787) 313995
(Most of the free HSE publications referred to in this document can be downloaded free of charge from the above site.)
Leaflets
Need help on health and safety (INDG322). Free HSE publication.
Workplace health, safety and welfare (INDG244). Free HSE publication, ISBN 0717613283
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September 2003

Infectious Disease Control
Nurseries are ideal places for the spread of infectious diseases because of the large numbers of young people in close contact with each other who may not yet have developed good personal hygiene habits or immunity.
Appropriate procedures and facilities must be available for the following:

Nappy changing

Laundry facilities

The exclusion of children with a suspected/ infectious disease with symptoms such as diarrhoea and/or vomiting
What do I need to do? a) When a child is suffering from diarrhoea?

Contact the parents straight away and tell them to collect their child and take him/her to their doctor

Advise the parents not to bring the child to the premises until 2 days after the diarrhoea stops b) When staff are suffering from diarrhoea?

Send the member of staff home and advise him/her to visit their doctor

Advise staff not to return to work until 2 days after the diarrhoea stops
How do I control infectious disease on my premises?
Good hygiene is always important but especially when someone is ill.
Thorough hand washing by staff after visiting or cleaning the toilet and changing nappies is essential.
For other children of potty/toilet age, toilets including seats, handles and taps must be frequently cleaned and disinfected with Milton or bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) during the day. Oversee all children’s visits to the toilet where possible and make sure that they wash their hands.
For other children in nappies
– clean gloves and aprons must be worn by staff. Soiled nappies should be double bagged for disposal. Changing mats should be cleaned down with Milton between changes. Staff must wash their hands thoroughly between and after changes.
All toys, play areas etc will need to be thoroughly cleaned.
All bedding should be thoroughly washed.
If there is an outbreak of diarrhoea or vomiting on your premises then you should contact your local Environmental Health Department for advice.
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September 2003

Further advice
National guidelines have been published for nurseries on how to deal with infectious diseases. These can be found at the following websites: www.phls.co.uk
www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk
A poster on infectious disease control can be downloaded from: www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk/PDF/infect_poster.pdf
General information on various infectious diseases is available at: www.phls.org.uk/topics_az/schools/summary.htm
Food Safety
Prior to opening
You must establish contact with the relevant authorities: OFSTED, Local
Authority Planning Department and Environmental Health Department, and local Fire Safety Officer.
You must register as a food premises at least 28 days before opening with the
Environmental Health Department of the Local Authority. Forms are available from there upon request.
Arrange training for all food handlers to allow them to carry out their activities in a safe manner. We recommend that all food handlers should attend the
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health accredited course called
Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene (formerly the Basic Food Hygiene
Certificate), or another accredited course.
The following website gives details for new food businesses on topics such as hygiene, tax and other issues: www.food.gov.uk/cleanup
Structure and equipment
Your facilities must be:
Large enough to allow safe and hygienic working conditions
Able to be kept clean and, where necessary, disinfected
Adequately ventilated
Proofed against pests
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September 2003

Adequately lit
Maintained in a good state of repair
Kept clean and tidy
There must be a washbasin for hand washing with hot and cold water and a supply of soap and hand drying facilities.
There must be a sink, preferably a double sink, to prepare food and wash equipment or a dishwasher to clean equipment.
Surfaces that come into contact with food must be in good repair and be capable of being cleaned thoroughly and, where necessary, disinfected.
Toilets must not open into food preparation areas and must have adequate ventilation and hand washing facilities
Leaflet
–
Guide to good hygiene practice (code no. FSA/0462/0202
Personal Hygiene
People working in the premises must maintain a high standard of personal hygiene, particularly regular handwashing. They must not expose food to a risk of contamination when they are suffering from potential food poisoning/ food borne illness (causing diarrhoea and vomiting) and should only return to work when they are sure that the illness is no longer a risk. Staff should be symptom free for at least 48 hours.
Staff must wear suitable clean protective clothing.
Leaflet
–
Food handlers fitness to work (code FSA/0112/9999)
Food Standards Agency (tel. 0845 606 0667)
Food Preparation & Practices
You must carry out a hazard analysis which will require you to examine all food operations within your business and make sure that at each stage food is being treated in a safe and hygienic way. The following areas should be covered:
1. Purchase of foodstuffs
– Use a reputable supplier and carry out checks on deliveries.
2. Storage of food – Store at correct temperature in sealed, labelled containers and adhere to “use by dates”. Chilled foods to be kept below
8

C and frozen foods at -18

C.
3. Preparation – Wash hands before handling food and prepare food using clean equipment keeping raw and cooked food separate.
4. Cooking – Cook foods to at least 75 
C to eliminate bacteria
5. “Hot holding” – Food must be held at a minimum of 63 
C
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September 2003

6. Chilling – Divide food to be chilled into smaller quantities where possible to chill rapidly (recommend within 90 minutes). Date label chilled food.
7. Serving – Serve cold or chilled foods as soon as possible to limit growth of bacteria. Serve heated foods as soon as possible to retain heat.
8. Cleaning – Undertake a “clean as you go” policy, with regular deep cleans of floors, walls, ceilings and equipment. A chemical that kills germs/is antibacterial should be used for cleaning food contact surfaces
Temperatures should be checked using a probe thermometer; these are available from most large supermarkets and catering supply shops. Daily records should be kept for hot and cold foods (such as those stored in the refrigerator and freezer). Probe wipes should always be used to clean the probe both before and after use to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Leaflets
A guide to food hazards and your business (code no. FSA/0411/0202)
Keeping food cool and safe (code no. FSA/005/0201)
Publications
The food hygiene leaflets referred to are available from the Food Standards
Agency by contacting
Tel.
Website
Email
0845 606 0667 www.food.gov.uk
www.food.gov.uk/cleanup foodstandards@eclogistics.co.uk
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September 2003