At LEL we have a responsibility to protect the health and safety of each individual at all times, and to provide all person’s with a safe and healthy environment. An emergency is an unplanned, sudden or unexpected event or situation that requires immediate action to prevent harm, injury or illness to persons or damage in the centre.
In the event of an emergency, it is vital that staff involved are able to act effectively to maintain the safety of all those involved.
The aim is to put in place the expected course of action for staff facing the emergency.
Procedure:
Regardless of what emergency staff are faced with, the following guidelines must be implemented:
➢ Identify the immediate source of danger.
➢ Stay in place to safeguard those children who may be at risk.
➢ Call for help from other staff members and make sure that the centre manager or a senior staff member or management is notified immediately.
➢ Should emergency services be needed the senior staff member will notify them.
Specific incidents:
- FIRE: staff should follow the emergency evacuation plan.
- SERIOUS INCIDENT: involving a child or other adult, staff should notify the manager immediately.
- UNAUTHORISED PERSON ENTRY INTO THE CENTRE: e.g. Custody disputes, etc. Attempt to calmly escort the adult into the office and get another staff member call the custodial parent. (If the staff member feels that the situation may become volatile, CALL THE POLICE)
- BURGLARY: contact the manager
- POTENTIAL HOLD-UP OR ABDUCTION
• Remain calm and try to keep the intruder calm
• Use active listening skills to ascertain the reason, if any for the intrusion
• Divert the situation from children’s areas if possible
• Observe the height, colouring, and attire of the intruder, especially any notable features, e.g. birthmarks, tattoos, etc.
• Contact police
• Write down the events as you have recalled them before discussing the incident with anyone else.
• STAY CALM
Sourced: Education and Care Services National Regulation
Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997
Policy reviewed August 2017
