When it comes to bad weather and winter tips, there are risk inside your property to be mindful of too, these include:
- Additional Heating
- Sometimes the heating fails to work or can be inadequate, so if you need to use additional heaters remember they carry risks of injury or fire.
- Fire risks can be managed by making sure that portable heaters are never switched on and then left unattended whilst the nursery is closed.
- Care must be taken to ensure that no radiator or exposed pipework with a surface temperature exceeding 43°C can be touched by a child.
- Don’t forget you need to review your risk assessments regarding any temporary changes.
- Heating pipes
- Pipes can freeze during periods of falling temperatures. In this situation, problems occur during the thaw when the damaged pipes burst to allow water to escape. Although the insulation of your pipes will help protect them, programming your heating to automatically turn on if the temperature falls too much is a sensible precaution.
o Another option is to leave the heating on at a constant low temperature even when the nursery is closed.
- Pipes can freeze during periods of falling temperatures. In this situation, problems occur during the thaw when the damaged pipes burst to allow water to escape. Although the insulation of your pipes will help protect them, programming your heating to automatically turn on if the temperature falls too much is a sensible precaution.
- Decorations & Parties
- Make sure your festive decor doesn’t block any of the safety measures you have in place in your setting.
- Aviva has created a handy Risk Assessment checklist to help you get it right. The checklist also encourages you to think about the impact Christmas parties can have. Download the checklist here.
- Internal areas can also become slippery as ice and snow are walked into the building.
- Non-slip mats and parental provision of indoor and outdoor footwear for the children offer solutions to you. However, if pools of water form then these need to be cordoned off or removed at regular intervals.
- Empty properties
- When the nursery is empty it is especially vulnerable to damage, so before you close for your Christmas break, make sure all your keyholders are aware of what to do in the event of an emergency.
- Staff should know the location of the stoptap and fuse boxes as well as all relevant telephone numbers.
- If a water leak occurs don’t forget to check the electrics have not been damaged.