Risk Assessments

[Riddo]

I have finally got round to doing my risk assessments but have a niggling feeling that I've forgotten something. I have done:-

Walking to school

Two local National Trust places (separate RAs as one has a farm)

Walking to the shops & being in the shop.

Car Journeys

Playgrounds/parks

Visiting other people's houses

Walking to singing group & singing group.

We don't go to toddler groups but should I do an RA anyway?

Should I do one for the SureStart Messy Play or does the one they will have done, cover it.

I'm inspecting an Ofsted inspection soon and am getting twitchy.

TIA

ask at surestart if you can have a copy of theirs also at the farm etc they may have their own RA

does car journey include getting from your house into the car and then getting out of the car to the place?

your house/garden

Thanks dmo, that's a fab idea.

I hadn't thought about the getting in/out of the car, that's a good point.

I have done a house/garden one though.

Thanks.

Snow play :RISK ASSESSMENT FOR SNOW PLAY
Area of potential hazard Risks How can risk be controlled? How can children be involved in controlling the risk? Any further action required?
Slipping on the path to the house from the pavement Minor/major injury, cuts, abrasion, bruising Clearing the path, salting/gritting it before the children arrive; if snow very deep then leave path uncleared in case ice forms. Judge each occasion separately.
Hold hands if needed. Ask them to take care, to not run on the path
Snowball in eyes/face Minor/major eye or face injury Snowballs to be thrown away from people; discourage throwing at people Speak to the children about why we don?t throw at people particularly their faces
Using sledges Minor/major injury, cuts, abrasion, bruising, collisions Make sure that the slope is clear of people or equipment before each run down the slope; younger children not allowed to descend alone, I will take them using the rope Remind the children why we wait our turn to descend
Going in the car RTA, minor/major injuries, cuts, abrasion, bruising I have decided that I will not take my car out in snow, and all parents are aware of this. The children are safer with me at home or playing safely outside. If we are out when it starts to snow we shall return to my setting straight away
Hypothermia Death, loss of extremities Wear appropriate clothing, come in regularly to warm up and change to dry clothes if necessary Talk to the children about why we need to keep warm; encourage hat and glove wearing, model wearing them too

Non-specific play (threading beads for eg)

ah sorry, I copied and posted my snow one instead of taking salient points from it

hope it makes sense, I'm going to bed

Thanks boysarelikedogs, I hadn't thought about snow - we don't get much here. I've mentioned weather appropriate clothing in other RAs but I suppose snow is potentially more of a hazard.

Can I do a general Play RA? Just mentioning age appropriateness?

General play, mentioning age appropriate toys, kite marked blah blah, how you are going to reduce the risk (eg lego at the table so the baby doesn't have access to tiny pieces/choke hazard etc etc)

Sorry about the other day, I was v tired !

I have a daily risk assessment checklist, but also more formal ones below:

Travelling by car
Walking in public places
Using the garden
Using rooms within home:
Lounge
Downstairs Toilet
Playroom
Kitchen
Hallway
Stairs + Landing
Spare room
Bathroom (upstairs)
Fire
Visiting local toddler groups
The school run
Visiting local parks
Activities near open water
Pets & Other Animals
Food & Hygiene
Trips to the shops
Equipment & Toys
Stationery (pencils, pens etc)

I meant to say as well that I've got copies of the ra's from the national trust farm that we go to, the various toddler groups, the library and one of the parks we go to has done their own too.
Good luck if you have an inspection!

Not RAs per se but do you keep a log of weekly fire alarm tests?

Fire alarm tests? Do you mean smoke alarms and if so does cooking bacon once a week which always sets it off, count?

I need to do a daily checklist. I do one in my head but obviously that's not good enough!

I like the idea of asking for other peoples RA's jaffa.

It had not crossed my mind that I had to risk assess toys but I suppose, better safe that sorry. My inspection isn't due til the summer but I am getting panicked about the things which I need to do.

Would health and hygiene be covered by my food and drink policy?

I should probably do a separate ra for cooking with the children.

It's a good thing I only CM three days a week as I need at least one whole day a week for all the paperwork.

i havnt got any where near the amount listed by other ops.. got going out(generic), in and out of the car, fire, illness, emergency, suncream, garden play.. thats more than enough for me..

while you are writing out these wonderful policies your own kid pours a kettle full of boiling water all over themselves...

sense in all things me thinks..

Oh. My. God. Is there any end to risk assessing????

I am very behind in my risk assessments and just have for my house, garden, park, toddler group etc. The obvious ones. But honestly, one for both a car journey AND getting in and out of the thing...??? And toys? Stationery?? Somebody please hand me a large roll of cotton wool so that I can wrap the children in it. Ofsted would love that

The stationery one did shock me, but I thought I'd cover myself just in case. We sat for about half an hour in a governors meeting discussing the merits of risk assessing sharpened pencils - my reckoning, if we have to discuss it as governors then I ought to do it as a cm too!

I did get an outstanding on keeping safe though so it was definitely worth the effort.

Don't forget that someone might be allergic to the cotton wool so make sure it's hypo-allergenic

Heh heh

Hmmmmm, outstanding you say.....?