Health & Safety
HEALTH POLICY
The Board of Oak
Park Moms and Tots is interested in the health and safety of its employees, and
volunteers. We will make every effort to provide a safe, healthy work
environment.
All workers and
volunteers must be dedicated to the continuing objective of reducing risk of
injury.
This Health and
Safety Policy will be reviewed yearly at an Oak Park Moms and Tots Board meeting
and at staff reviews.
Immunization
Staff will refer families to
the region of Halton for immunization information.
Injuries
All scrapes, bruises and
cuts are recorded in the program daily log book. More serious injuries
are dealt with under serious
occurrence and under the Safety section – First Aid.
Children That are Ill
A child is not to be brought to the program if he or she is ill. Please see the lists below.
If a parent is unsure as to
whether or not their child should come to the program, the parent
should call ahead; call the
telehealth line 1-866- 797-0007 and or visit the doctor. All children
will be observed by the
staff when they arrive to ensure they
are healthy enough to participate. If
the child becomes ill during
the program then the parent will take them home.
Medication
If a child is required to
take medication, it is preferred that it is taken outside of program hours if
possible, so medicine is not
in our facility. If the medical condition requires that the medication
be administered on an as
needed basis as in the case of an epi-pen or asthma medication then the
medication
must be brought with the child and kept with the parent. The parent will
administer
and take responsibility for
all medication. The teachers or other staff will not administer
medications unless it is an unparented program. The centre will keep a list of symptoms to watch
for that will be posted in the playroom with the child’s picture. In unparented programs allergy forms
are filled out and kept at
the front desk. Staff will be responsible for administration of epi- pens.
Allergies
We strive to be a peanut
free centre and ask that children who have had peanut butter or peanuts
at home wash their hands and
face with soap before coming to the centre.
Parents record
allergies on their
membership forms and a list of children with allergies is kept in the front of
the
membership binder. For
unparented programs the information is kept with the program
registration. Children with
life threatening allergies must bring to the program a current
epi-pen, that is kept with
the parent. Children’s allergies are not posted on “Allergy Forms”
due
to privacy
issues unless a parent requests it. Many people are allergic to perfumes
and we ask
that children, parents and
staff refrain from using strong perfumes, while in our centre so that
everyone is comfortable. We
do not purchase scented toys or use strong scented dry erase
markers. Our centre is
non-smoking and we require that parents and staff do not smoke in the
centre or near the entrance
to the centre. We clean the toys on a rotating basis at the centre so
that all the toys are
cleaned once a month. This is a great volunteer opportunity for parents.
Cleaning
Daily -
Wash mouthed toys, including music instruments and do a general tidy up
of any mess made that day
Weekly -
Vacuum carpets, mop, dust & sweep and wash all surfaces that infants and
toddlers are likely to touch
-Clean and disinfect bathroom surfaces such as
faucet handles and toilet and potty seat.
Hygiene, Diapering and
Toileting
Parents will be alerted when
their child needs a diaper change. Staff are not allowed to change
diapers or assist with
bathroom routines. Parents will use the disinfectant wipes provided for the
change table and toilet seat
as well as their own supplies for diapering. The diapering procedures
are posted above the change
table. The change table strap must be used but the parent is not to
leave the child unattended.
Use the handwashing guidelines posted, washing for 30 seconds.
Periods of Exclusion for
Illness
Children with the following
diseases should remain at home and away from others:
Chickenpox- Until well enough to participate in all activities regardless of the
state of the rash.
Diarrhea - until 24 hours after it
stops
Fifth’s Disease (Parvovirus) - No exclusion. If the child is well enough to
participate in all activities
Head lice or scabies- must have one treatment to
return
Hepatitis A -safe to return 7 days after the jaundice
began
Impetigo - Until the antibiotic prescribed by a doctor has been taken for at
least 1 full day.
Measles (Rubeola) - For at least 4 days after the rash begins.
Mumps - For at least 9 days after the swollen glands first appear.
Pink-eye, bacterial conjunctivitis - Until antibiotic prescribed by
doctor is taken for 1 full day.
Ringworm - Until treatment has started.
Rubella (German Measles) - Until at least 7 days after the rash first appears.
Scarlet Fever - Until antibiotic treatment prescribed by a doctor has been taken
for 1 full day.
Strep Throat - Until antibiotic treatment
Whooping Cough (pertussis) - Until antibiotic treatment has been taken for 5
days. If no treatment given then 3 weeks from when the cough began.
Children cannot attend the
program if they…
PANDEMIC FLU POLICY
What is the Flu?
The flu is the fever, muscle aches,
sore throat, coughing and weakness that happen when a member of the influenza
family of viruses moves into your body. The very young, those with chronic
illness and the elderly can become more seriously ill. Each year, an
average of 25 per cent of the Canadian population is bedridden for a week with
the flu.
What is Pandemic Flu
Pandemic flu is not your average flu - it's a worldwide outbreak of a new,
highly infectious illness. Pandemic flu appears about every 10 to 40 years.
Pandemic Flu causes serious human illness and spreads easily from person to
person. Currently there is no pandemic flu. Historically, there have been
several outbreaks of pandemic flu within each century. During the last century,
three flu pandemics occurred, the largest one in 1918. Many experts believe we
are overdue for a pandemic.
Effects
in Halton
35% of the population could be affected at any one time. Many people will be ill in bed for many days or caring for ill family members. Health care services will be severely burdened.
Prevention steps to put in place
1. Oak Park Moms and Tots is encouraging all our staff to get the flue vaccine. This is a personal choice but based on what the experts are saying we feel it would be wise to be vaccinated.
2. Waterless hand sanitizers available.
3. Pandemic Policy included in our policy manual
4. Staff will encourage people to cough into the
crook of their elbow and not their hands.
5. Phones will be wiped off at the end of each
shift
6. Continue to follow the hand washing routines
and diapering procedures that are posted
7. Continue to follow toy washing procedures
8. An announcement in the newsletter regarding our flu and illness policies each September.
Preparedness for Flu Pandemic
We are to plan for up to 2 weeks off for any employee who gets this flu.
If the director gets the flu then my responsibilities will have to be shared with the chairperson of the board and the staff.
If a staff person gets the flu then the rest of us will have to cover drop in programs.
If the town is in quarantine then the program will be shut down and we will encourage parents to meet on the website during our regular program times to chat.
Members will receive an email regarding the shut
down and a note will be posted at all
locations.
SAFETY ISSUES
(See also
The Health Policy section above) The centre meets all of the bylaw requirements
of the Town of
kept that
includes health and safety incidents. This form can be found in the “Forms”
section of the
manual.
Emergency phone numbers are above the phone on the desk wall.
Equipment
Toys are
inspected on a rotating basis so that all are cleaned and checked once a month
to insure that all
Broken
toys are removed from the collection. Toys that are small in size so that they
could be choking
hazards,
stuffed animals, cloth toys and toys with strong scents are not purchased. Care
is taken to
purchase
durable, safe equipment that is suitable for classroom use.
Food
Safety
Parents
must clearly label their children’s food containers if they are going to bring
snacks. All snacks
must be
peanut free. Parents must be mindful of children’s bottles so that they are not
left out for other
children.
Children are not permitted to share their food without parents consent. Food can
only be
consumed
or drank at a table.
Arrival &
Leaving
Parents
must bring their child in the centre and sign in. The gate is to be kept shut.
The parent must
remain in
the centre at all times. (Except for unparented programs) If the parent needs to
leave the
building
then the child must go with them. For unparented programs the parent must ensure
the staff person is
aware the
parent is leaving.
Building
Security
The front
door is visible from all areas of the centre. The doors have a chime and sound
when they are
opened.
The Gate is to be closed at all times and the back door locked.
First Aid
There is
always at least one staff on duty with up to date first aid and CPR training.
The centre offers a
yearly
first aid course that is open to members and volunteers. A first aid kit and
manual is kept at the front desk
and a
cold pack is in the fridge. The first aid kit is checked four times a year to
ensure that it has all items that it
requires.
A “first aid kit checklist” is used for this purpose and it can be found
in this manual. All injuries
including
bruises and scrapes are written in the daily log book.
If it is felt that, the child needs to go to hospital,
and it is
not an urgent need requiring an ambulance then the parent would take the child.
In the event of an
emergency
the parents and child would be picked up by ambulance and taken to hospital.
Universal
Precautions
Wash your
hands for 30 seconds after contact with blood or a fluid that may contain blood.
Always use gloves
when
encountering this situation and wash hands for 30 seconds after disposing of the
gloves. Gloves are only to
be used
once; dispose of them and any other blood stained material in a sealed bag and
put in a sealed container.
Keep cuts
and scrapes covered with bandaids until they are completely healed. Clean any
blood stained surfaces
with 1
part bleach to 9 parts water.
Insurance
Oak Park
Moms and Tots has 2 million dollars general liability insurance.
Staff to
Child Ratios
We are
not required to abide by ratios in our parented programs. In unparented programs
the ratio is one
staff
/volunteer person to every 8 children age 3 to 6 years old.
Criminal
Reference Checks
All staff
and volunteers must submit police checks before they are hired or volunteer
without supervision.
Police
checks are done at Halton Regional Police No. 2 Divison, located beside Oakville
Townhall at
Staff
Qualifications
The
director of Oak Park Moms and Tots has a diploma in Early Childhood Education
and in Community
Work with
17 years experience. All staff is over 18, speak English at least at LINC level
4, are eligible
to work
in
police
check and a child abuse registry check and their references have been checked.
Prevent
Back Injuries
You can't always avoid lifting, but there are
ways to reduce the amount of pressure placed on the back
when you do so. By bending the knees, you keep
your spine in a better alignment, and you essentially
take away the lever principle forces. Instead of
using your back like a crane, you allow your legs to do the
work.
Follow these steps when lifting:
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1.
Take a balanced stance with your feet about a shoulder-width apart. One
foot can be behind the object and the other next to it.
2.
Squat down to lift the object, but keep your heels off the floor. Get as
close to the object as you can. |
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3.
Use your palms (not just your fingers) to get a secure grip on the load.
Make sure you'll be able to maintain a hold on the object without
switching your grip later.
4.
Lift gradually (without jerking) using your leg, abdominal and buttock
muscles and keeping the load as close to you as possible. Keep your chin
tucked in so as to keep a relatively straight back and neck line. |
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5. Once you're standing, change directions by pointing your feet in the direction you want to go and turning your whole body. Avoid twisting at your waist while carrying a load. 6. When you put a load down, use these same guidelines in reverse. |
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Reduce the amount of weight lifted.
If you're moving a bunch of books, better to load several small boxes than one
extremely heavy load.
Use handles and lifting straps.
Get help if
the shape is too awkward or the object is too heavy for you to lift and move by
yourself!
