Policies -

[Guest rhodessj]

Hi

 

I've scanned through the subject on policies and can't find one mentioned - does anybody have a policy or procedure on dealing with "bodily fluids"?

 

As others have mentioned, I have taken the PLA guide and we've gone through it adjusting all the necessary policies for our setting (and there are loads!). On top we have one for late/non payment of fees and late/non collection of children. The whole thing started last September and the policies we do have, have only just been formally adopted by the Committee... Anyway, we haven't yet had our Ofsted, so we'll be fine.

 

We identified a potential need for a policy/proceedure for dealing with fluids, but there is nothing provided in the models. If anybody has one they could fax/e-mail me (or even post here), I can amend it and type it as necessary.

 

So far, I've never had to deal with an incident; but these days you need to consider the cross-infection issue (for children and staff) as well as the disposal issue...

 

Regards

Sandra

[Helen]

Hi Sandra,

I find it hard to accept that separate policies are needed for every eventuality, don't you? Hundreds of policies will become so unwieldy, and nobody will read them. We've got round this by putting in the required statements into a smaller set of policies, and those practices relating to bodily fluids are in the "Health and Hygiene" section of our Health and Safety Policy. We've just had an Ofsted, and the inspector thought everything was fine. We just have a few bullet points stating the wearing of gloves when cleaning up bodily fluids is essential, what cloths and cleaning products are to be used, where they are stored, who does what, and what happens to soiled clothes. That's about it, I think

[Guest]

I am having to complete a health and safety policy for my degree. I have been lucky enough to talk to some one who writes them for large corporate organisations. What I have come to believe (although this may be opposite to ofsted I don't know!) is that a policy should be a framework for how you deal and manage this area. For example in the health and safety policy I have detailed how I would carry out a risk assessment to area of high risk, for example bodily fluids would be a sheet of paper stating the risk, severity, frequency and rate of the risk alongside the measures I would put into place to reduce the risk. These could then be displayed in areas of the setting so that they are practical and get used!! I agree with Helen that if you have a policy for everything no-one with read and implement them so they simply become a waste of time.

I don't know if this is right, I would be interested to see how other people do it, as I haven't been assessed on mine yet.(yelp! )

 

(oh by the way I have put statements that cover the neccessary acts aswell)

Jay

[Guest]

Like Helen bodily fluids comes into our health and safety policy. If you need to know more just let me know.

Linda

[Guest rhodessj]

Hi

 

Thanks for the responses - I'd been away and forgot to "tag" the subject and forgot I'd posted it....

 

General consensus seems to be to add something to H&S policy, which I will probably do just to tidy the issue away. We're planning to move into a new purpose-built setting and will be operating all day, so these things will become more of an issue when we're open longer. I also think that our current policies are very good about the setting and the children, but don't take the staff into account - which as H&S officer, I have to be concerned about also!

 

I agree with you Jay, that there is a need for something with a bit more oomph in it, although the sort of depth you need for your degree is probably too much for a pre-school setting. Just wait till somebody is exposed to a contagious disease though and see how much they yell about the policy not being good enough!!!

 

Cheers to all who contributed.

[hali]

Hi

 

Ours too are mentioned in our health and safty and Ofsted said it was fine