Moving and Handling Policy

Heavitree Community Pre-school recognises its responsibility both to provide curriculum access for children with disabilities and to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees as far as reasonably practicable. This manual handling policy has been designed to comply with the requirements of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (revised 1998 edition), the Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It takes full account of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, The SEN and Disability Act 2001, The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (Nice 2000).

Heavitree Community Pre-school aims to:-

Ensure full access to the curriculum and participation in the life of the pre-school for children with disabilities.
Ensure the dignity and right to privacy of such children.
Avoid manual handling and lifting of hazardous loads as far as reasonably practice.
Assess fully all potentially hazardous manual handling where it has been impossible to eliminate it.
Reduce any risks that are identified at the lowest possible level.
Review any handling plans and risk assessments annually or sooner if a significant change occurs.
Provide such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees.
Protect the Health and Safety of visitors to pre-school whilst they are on the premises as far as is reasonably practical.
Ensure that staff are aware of this policy and have read and understood relevant risk assessments.
Ensure that every room where people work shall have sufficient floor area, height and unoccupied space for the purpose of health, welfare and safety.
Monitor all accidents and incidents and ensure they are entered in the accident book.
Make reasonable allowances for employees who become pregnant or develop a medical condition which may affect their ability to perform the required moving and handling tasks. Any person becoming unfit for work must not return until the occupational health unit deem them fit enough.

Children at Heavitree Community Pre-school:

Have their entitlement to curriculum access and full participation in the life of the school acknowledged;
Receive appropriate assistance from staff employing safe systems of work and handling.
Have their safety championed and the risk of injury minimised or eliminated;
As far as they are able, be expected to move independently and take responsibility for their safety and that of others.

Staff employed by Heavitree Community Pre-school:-

Take reasonable care of the health and the safety of themselves and others who may be effected by their acts or omissions including:-

Reporting to the appropriate line manager any medical condition that may develop including pregnancy which may affect their ability to carry out moving and handling tasks.
Reporting to the appropriate line manager any problems, unsafe practice or faulty equipment that they consider to be a risk to health and safety.

Staff will:

Wear appropriate clothing and shoes.
Assess an emergency situation first without rushing to lift a child. Staff must comfort and reassure the child vocally first, then encourage the child to get up by themselves. If this is not possible emergency techniques outlined in the moving and handling training.
Report any accident or incident to the appropriate manager and complete the accident book.
Undertake any specified training to fulfil their duties.
Comply with the moving and handling policy.
Follow risk assessment plans drawn up for handling children.
Use equipment appropriately and in accordance with training/instructions provided.
Support the employer with their health and safety duties.