NACCC Accreditation of Child Contact Centres Health and Safety Checklist Name of Child Contact Centre: 1. Fire 1.1 Are your centre s fire and emergency procedures clearly displayed, compliant with fire officer requirements and are staff and centre users aware of them? 1.2 Do you keep an accurate record of who is in the building and who leaves the building? 1.3 Is there a named person to call the register in the event of a fire and the building being evacuated? 1.4 Are the fire extinguishers the correct type and in good working condition? 1.5 Are the fire extinguishers serviced annually? 1.6 Are staff aware of where fire extinguishers are located (and how to use them)? 1.7 Are the fire exits clearly labelled, kept closed, easily accessible and free from obstructions? 1.8 Are rubbish bins emptied daily? 1.9 Is there a no smoking policy in the building? 1.10 Have you carried out a fire drill for staff in the previous 6 months? 1.11 Has your kettle, other earthed equipment and extension leads had a formal visual inspection in the last 6-12 months and a combined inspection and test in the last 1-2 years? 2. The Building 2.1 Are the building or buildings suitable for that purpose and well maintained?
2.2 Do the building or buildings used for contact meet the relevant health and safety requirements and provide a safe and child centred environment? 2.3 Is your centre clean, well lit, ventilated and kept at an adequate temperature? 2.4 Are the furniture and furnishings within your centre in a suitable state of repair and safe? 2.5 Do any of the floors have lifting/frayed carpets? 2.6 Unless they are in use, are steps and stairs fenced off? 2.7 Is it possible for children to open any of the windows? 2.8 Are all heaters well-guarded and kept away from children? 2.9 Are there protective caps covering all electrical outlets that are not in use? 2.10 Are all parts of the centre used for preparing, serving or eating food, safe, clean, well maintained and inspected l l? 2.11 Where food is either prepared or served, does the centre have the relevant food hygiene certificate? 2.12 Are the centre s toilets and baby-changing facilities clean, safe, well maintained and inspected regularly? 2.13 Is any outside play area safe, secure, well maintained and inspected regularly? 2.14 Is the space available for the storage of equipment adequate and safe? 2.15 Are all cleaning products and disinfectants kept in a locked cupboard, in their original containers and stored out of sight and reach of the children? 2.16 Are the centre s toilets and washbasins clean and easily accessible? 2.17 Is there safety glass in doors and are exposed windows guarded to an appropriate height? 3. Manual Handling (there may be specific tasks, loads, issues with your working environment and an individual s capacity that may also need to be considered) 3.1 Have those staff involved in setting out the centre s equipment and toys been trained in good lifting techniques?
3.2 Are staff encouraged to make large loads lighter or smaller by carrying smaller amounts for more journeys? 3.3 Is team handling used when it is not possible to reduce a large load? 3.4 Are trolleys/wheeled boxes available to make manual handling easier? Are these well maintained? 4. Toys 4.1 Are they inspected regularly, cleaned and free from sharp edges or pointed parts? 4.2 Are there soft areas adjacent to climbing frames and slides and is the equipment itself safe and free from rough edges or splinters? 4.3 Are climbing frames and swings erected properly and are they secured to the ground where required? 4.4 Have all of your bikes, tractors and pedal cars been serviced within the last 6 months? 5. First Aid 5.1 Do you have a First Aid Kit? (it should not contain any medicine)? 5.2 Is it both up to date and well stocked? 5.3 Does your centre have one or more named First-Aiders or Appointed Persons? 5.4 Are staff aware of where the first aid kit is located and the telephone number of the local hospital accident and emergency department? 5.5 Are your staff aware that they must wear disposable gloves when treating any kind of open wound, or dealing with body fluids? 6. Accidents 6.1 Does your centre keep an Accident Book? Is it Data Protection Act Compliant? (i.e. is each page perforated, numbered and reports kept in a confidential file?) 6.2 Are all incidents, no matter how minor, recorded in this book?
6.3 Are resident parents informed when their child(ren) have been involved in an accident and do they sign the accident book to acknowledge they have been informed? 6.4 Is the recording done in such a way that date, time, details of what happened and the action taken are all clear? 6.5 Do staff have access to a phone throughout the time the Centre is open? 7. Safeguarding, Domestic Violence and Abuse 7.1 Does the centre engage and work with other agencies as needed to establish and minimize the level of risk presented? 7.2 Does the centre have a system in place in the event of an urgent need or an emergency? This may or may not include a panic alarm. 7.3 Is your centre always in possession of a properly completed referral form giving full details of both parties and any other people involved in the contact before a family is accepted? 7.4 When it is open, does your centre always have a minimum of three staff? 7.5 Have all your staff had a Criminal Records Disclosure to enhanced level? 7.6 Have your staff received training in Safeguarding and have they read your Safeguarding Policy? 7.7 Are staff aware that parents should always accompany their child(ren) to the toilet? 7.8 Are staff aware that if this is not possible, two staff members should accompany the child to the toilet? 7.9 Have all your centre s staff been made aware of and received training in the area of Domestic Violence? 8. General 8.1 Is the Health & Safety Law: What you should know poster clearly displayed or have staff been provided with a copy of the equivalent leaflet? 8.2 Do you have a named person responsible for Health and Safety (Health and Safety Officer)? 8.3 Does the centre s Health and Safety Officer ensure that its policies, procedures and guidance are kept up to date and are accessible to the centre staff?
8.4 Does the centre s Health and Safety Officer ensure that regular checks are carried out on the centre's buildings, equipment and safety procedures? 8.5 If appropriate, does the centre s Health and Safety Officer ensure that the owner of the premises is made aware of any building maintenance issues? 8.6 Have your centre's staff received health and safety training? 8.7 Has an accurate record been kept of your centre's staff training in relation to health and safety? 8.8 Does your centre have a risk assessment file? 8.9 If so, Is it kept up to date? Name of Centre/Organisation s nominated Health and Safety Officer: Signed: Date: Name of Centre/Organisation s manager: Signed: Date: Disclaimer NACCC, or anyone acting on behalf of NACCC are not responsible for the accuracy of the health and safety checklist. NACCC, or anyone acting on behalf of NACCC will not be held liable for any claims arising from the failure of a centre/organization to adhere to this checklist on an ongoing basis.