WALSALL METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND CONSUMER SERVICES
GUIDELINES FOR THE SETTING UP OF DAY NURSERIES IN RELATION TO:
1. Food Hygiene. 2. Health and Safety at Work. 3. Infectious Diseases.
1. FOOD HYGIENE
1.0. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Food safety is vital. Lapses in strict food hygiene regime may lead to food poisoning which can have serious possibly fatal effects when young children are affected. The Food Safety Act 1990 applies to all businesses where food is stored, prepared, served or sold. It is vitally important that you consult the Environmental Health Officer at the earliest possible stage. Helpful advice and information can be given to assist you in setting up a safe efficient nursery.
2.0. SETTING UP
2.1. You must register with the Environmental Health Division 28 days prior to opening your business.
2.2. Size - the kitchen and catering areas must be sufficiently large to permit all the activities to function efficiently and to provide space for all the necessary facilities. Separate access must be provided for food deliveries and to permit the independent operation of the kitchen.
2.3. The layout - flow. You must prepare a plan of the kitchen and catering facilities and design a flow to permit the various activities from storage to service to be carried out in an efficient manner, so as to prevent cross contamination between raw and cooked foods.
3.0. TRAINING
3.1. All food handlers must be properly trained in good food hygiene practices - details of approved courses are obtainable from the Environmental Health Division.
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4.0. STRUCTURE
4.1. All internal wall/floor/ceiling surfaces must be hard, smooth and light coloured to enable them to be effectively cleaned.
4.2. Wood is porous and should not be used unless suitably sealed.
4.3. Work surfaces should be of durable materials, eg high quality laminate or stainless steel. Domestic types of kitchen units are not suitable.
5.0. SERVICES
5.1. Lighting - suitable and sufficient artificial and natural lighting must be provided - provide several fluorescent lighting strips.
5.2. Ventilation - natural ventilation via windows will be insufficient and permit flies, insects, dirt etc to penetrate your kitchen. Background ventilation should be provided by Vent Axia type fans or screen windows, and a suitable commercial filtered extract canopy should be provided over your cooking/frying areas. This canopy should be properly ducted to the outside where it will not cause a nuisance to your neighbours.
5.3. Electricity/Gas - these services must be provided by professional, competent persons. Provide sufficient electrical socket outlets for your purposes, ie one per appliance (see Health and Safety section later).
6.0. EQUIPMENT
6.1. You must provide wash hand basins suitably located both in the kitchen and any toilets.
6.2. Separate sinks must be provided for washing:- (i) food - salads, meat, fish, vegetables etc, (ii) equipment/crockery etc.
6.3. A commercial dish washer is a valuable investment.
6.4. All food equipment, ie mixers, slicers etc must be of sound commercial construction and should be operated in accordance with manufacturers instructions.
6.5. Knives, utensils etc must be readily cleansable and must not have wooden handles or other non cleanable attachments.
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7.0. CLEANING
7.1. Food equipment, surfaces etc - it is important that you understand the meaning of disinfection and sterilisation. Suitable systems must be developed whereby crockery, equipment, cups etc are properly cleaned and disinfected prior to re- use. Either the two bowl washing method or a commercial dishwasher must be employed for this purpose.
7.2. Structure - a cleaning schedule must be prepared. This will include all elements of the building, eg walls, floors, windows, toilets etc and will include all elements of daily, weekly and routine cleaning. The schedule will incorporate tasks, responsibilities and specific equipment for the various duties to be carried out.
8.0. TOILET ACCOMMODATION
8.1. It is recommended that a separate toilet is provided for staff. The toilets/urinals should be sufficient in number for your employees and should be provided with separate hand washing facilities and a ventilated lobby separating the toilet from the kitchen or food room.
8.2. Details on number of facilities can be obtained from the Environmental Health Division.
9.0. TEMPERATURE CONTROL
9.1. The essence of good food hygiene practice is the managerial control of food and equipment temperatures. This cannot be carried out unless a properly calibrated food grade thermometer of the probe variety is provided and maintained at the premises at all times.
9.2. Properly trained staff will be able to monitor food temperatures and keep daily records of these temperatures together with the efficiency of your refrigeration and freezer equipment. These documented records should be kept for inspection.
9.3. It is imperative that prepared food is maintained either hot - above 650C or under refrigerated conditions, ie less than 50C.
9.4. It is strongly recommended that only specified foodstuffs prepared in a pre- determined fashion are served to staff and children.
9.5. This will enable management to carefully control the condition and temperature of food, preventing unauthorised, possibly hazardous preparation techniques.
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10.0. HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS (HACCP)
10.1. You must identify any activity where food hazards exist or are likely to occur. The point at which the food hazard may occur should be identified, and the critical points which ensure food safety. Controls should be identified and put into practice, with periodic monitoring and review at regular intervals and when food operations change.
11.0. GENERAL
* Food samples - a 25 gram sample of high risk foods should be kept for a period of 4 days from the day of consumption at a temperature of 30C (high risk foods - cold meats, sandwich fillings, sauces, soups, gravies etc).
* Children should be excluded from the kitchen area. If is intended to carry out food based play activities these must be carried in a separate area.
* Refuse - a separate external refuse area must be provided with suitable lidded containers.
* Pest control - this will include steps taken to exclude rats, mice, crawling and flying insects. It is recommended that a contract is obtained with a reputable pest control company. The contractor will provide services and inspections and a written record will be kept of their activities which may be produced for inspection.
* Pets - no animal, bird etc should be admitted in the vicinity of either the kitchen or eating areas of the nursery.
* First aid - a suitable first aid kit must be maintained for immediate use within the kitchen area.
* Suitable accommodation must be provided for the external clothing of food handlers prior to entry into the kitchen.
* Untreated milk should not be allowed for consumption within the nursery.
2. HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK
12.0. INTRODUCTION
12.1. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. This Act introduced the principle of self-regulation whereby employers take responsibility for the provision of a safe and healthy working environment.
12.2. Notification/safety policy. All employers must register with the local authority and if you employ more than 5 people you will be required to
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provide a safety policy. Further details from Environmental Health and Consumer Services.
12.3. Electrical safety - prior to the occupation of the nursery, the electrical wiring, installation etc must be inspected by an approved competent electrician, eg an NICEIC approved contractor.
12.4. The system must be suitable for the proposed use with sufficient socket outlets for appliances. Furthermore all socket outlets must be protected by a residual current device to protect against earth leakage, electric shock. 12.5. All electrical appliances must be inspected by a competent person at pre- determined intervals. A record of these inspections must be maintained for inspection.
12.6. All work of an electrical nature must be carried out by a competent approved contractor.
12.7. Gas safety - all work must be carried out by a competent approved contractor and gas appliances should be serviced in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations.
12.8. If liquefied petroleum gas is installed at the premises further guidance must be obtained from Environmental Health and Consumer Services.
13.0. HEATING APPLIANCES
13.1. Radiant heaters should be positioned where children cannot come into contact with hot parts (portable LPG heaters must not be used for this reason).
13.2. Radiators - hot water temperatures etc must be routinely monitored to ensure that temperatures are not able to cause burning or scalding upon contact.
13.3. Boiler plant/calorifiers etc must be regularly inspected and serviced in accordance with the manufacturers specification.
14.0. ACCESS AND EGRESS
14.1. The nursery must be designed so as to prevent unauthorised persons gaining access to the nursery. Suitable double barriers, gates etc should be provided or self-closing latched mechanisms to prevent children “escaping” from the nursery or gaining access to unauthorised areas, eg car parks, roadways etc.
14.2. Doors should be designed in such manner so as to prevent children gaining access to lock and bolt mechanisms. Self-closers should operate slowly so as to prevent accidental entrapment.
14.3. Paint - certain paints contain toxic chemicals, eg lead. Children frequently display “pica”, ie chewing of painted surfaces etc. If the building to be
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occupied is of a considerable age it is a sensible precaution to remove all old paint work and repaint with modern safe alternatives prior to occupation.
14.4. Certain toys, if old or imported, may also contain high levels of toxic chemicals and must be carefully monitored.
15.0. CLEANING EQUIPMENT
15.1. Many accidents occur as a result of the use of potentially dangerous equipment, ie floor polishes, vacuum cleaners etc, or the accidental spillage or inadequate storage of potentially hazardous chemicals.
15.2. Your cleaning schedule should specify precisely what equipment and chemicals are used. These may need an assessment to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 (COSHH). Further advice is available from Environmental Health and Consumer Services.
15.3. All equipment and chemicals must be stored in separate lockable accommodation.
16.0. SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK
16.1. Certain activities, eg lifting heavy objects, cleaning dangerous machinery, gaining access to a loft space etc involves special hazards and must be documented and included in your safety policy.
17.0. SUN SAFETY
17.1. In the unlikely event that we endure a hot summer(!) all children with sensitive (fair) skins engaged in outdoor activities, will require appropriate sun blocks (parental permission required) and sun hats to be used to prevent skin burning.
18.0. DRUG SAFETY
18.1. All drugs, medicines etc must be carefully controlled and documented. Only parent approved medicines must be administered and a separate lockable medicine chest must be provided.
19.0. PLAY EQUIPMENT SAFETY
19.1. There are inherent hazards with equipment such as swings, slides, ropes etc. Where climbing is involved or falls are reasonably foreseeable such equipment must be mounted upon resilient surfaces, eg deep bark beds to minimise injury. All such play must be properly supervised.
20.0. RISK ASSESSMENT
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20.1. You should assess the hazards that are present, and the risk that they pose to individuals’ safety. The risks should be minimised so far as is practicable and recorded, in writing, when there are five or more employees. A review of the risks and new equipment, machines, substances and/or procedures should be made from time to time to ensure awareness and reduction of all possible risks.
3. INFECTIOUS DISEASES
21.0. INTRODUCTION
21.1. Certain infections are readily passed from person to person. The main vehicle of infection is either droplets spread or direct hand to mouth contact. The spread of infection can be considerably reduced by the maintenance of hygienic principles and control measures as routine daily practices, eg hand washing, cleaning, disinfection etc. The organisms most frequently encountered within nurseries are:-
dysentery (shigella sonnei), salmonella, staphylococcus, hepatitis A and viral infections.
22.0. PRECAUTIONS
22.1. Primarily accurate records must be kept of names and addresses of all staff and children attending the nurseries. Telephone numbers and contact names and addresses for emergencies must also be kept up to date. This will assist in minimising the spread of any infection if an outbreak occurs.
22.2. Cleaning and disinfection - the cleaning schedule referred to previously is a major step towards good hygiene. It is important that the cleaning schedule is adhered to. In addition an emergency disinfection routine must be prepared and staff instructed how to carry out disinfection in the event of an outbreak occurring. This will include the use of proprietary disinfectants and the regular cleaning and disinfection of all contact points, eg toilets, door handles, handrails, play equipment and wash hand basins.
23.0. SLUICE AREA
23.1. Inevitably incontinence may occur and it is imperative that subsequent washing is carried out in a separate area, which can be adequately cleaned and which will not pose a risk of cross contamination to other parts of the nursery. This will require the provision of shower sprays and a suitable area where children may be undressed and washed hygienically and safely.
24.0. NOTIFICATION
24.1. All suspect cases of infectious disease especially gastroenteritis must be notified to Environmental Health and Consumer Services as soon as possible. Certain occupations, eg nursery nurses, food handlers etc must be excluded from work until clearance is given from Environmental Health.
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25.0. WASHING
25.1. Measures must be implemented to ensure that soiled nappies, clothing etc are cleaned and disinfected prior to normal washing.
26.0. PERSONAL HYGIENE
26.1. Of paramount importance to all staff working within the nursery. Children must be actively encouraged to wash their hands regularly and it has been found by experience that this routine may be improved by the use of play games, topics involving washing, dirt, Mr Grubby, Mr Poorly etc.
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