Nursery lone working policy

At The University of Dundee Nursery Ltd we aim to ensure that no member of the team is left alone working either in a room alone or within the building at any time. However, there may be occasions when this is not always possible due to:

• Toilet breaks
• Lunch cover
• Nappy changes
• Comforting a child that may be unwell in a quiet area
• Following a child’s interest, as this may lead staff away with a child to explore an area
• Supporting children in the toilet area that may have had an accident
• The duties some team members have, e.g. management, opening and closing the setting, carrying out cleaning or maintenance at the settings and staff operating outside operating hours.

We always ensure that our staff to child ratios are maintained.

It is the responsibility of both the employee and their manager to identify the hazards and minimise the risks or working alone.

Considerations when deciding on lone working include how lone workers manage with a variety of tasks such as talking to parents and supervising activities whilst maintaining the safety and welfare of children and ensuring that each member of staff required to work alone has the training and/or skills for the role; e.g. paediatric first aid certificate, child protection/safeguarding training and competency, food hygiene training and if children younger than school reception age are present; hold a level 3 qualification.

Public liability insurance for lone working will be sought where applicable.

Employees/managers’ responsibilities when left in a room alone include ensuring that:

• To complete a risk assessment for staff working alone
• Ratios are maintained
• There is someone to call on in an emergency if required
• The member of staff and children are always safeguarded (relating to additional policies as above).

Employee’s responsibilities when left in the building alone:

• To make a member of the management aware of when they are working and make plans to check in at their expected time of completion of the work
• To ensure they always have access to a telephone in order to call for help if they need it, or for management to check their safety if they are concerned
• Ensure that the building remains locked so no one can walk in unidentified
• Report any concerns for working alone to the management as soon as is practicably possible.

Management’s responsibilities when left in the building alone:

• To ensure staff working alone are competent and confident to carry out any safety procedures e.g. fire evacuation
• To ensure that the employee has the ability to contact them or a member of the team event if their lone working is outside normal office hours (i.e. access to a phone, contact numbers of someone they can call)
• To check that the employee has someone they can contact in the event of an emergency, and the numbers to call  
• To ensure that employees have the ability to access a telephone whilst lone working
• If reporting in arrangements have been made and the employee does not call in, to follow it up

Risk assessments are also completed for these occasions including hazards and risks and how these are controlled.

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