Activity risk assessment

**Mrs.L.C** · 05-02-2009, 06:06 PM

Just wondered if you guys could list what activities you do a risk assessment on (such as painting/glueing) and what risk you put etc

**sarah707** · 05-02-2009, 06:27 PM

Ok, I'll start you off with one...

Painting - ingestion, skin reactions, slippy floor, hand eczema, brush in orifice (eye, mouth etc)

**Mrs.L.C** · 05-02-2009, 06:54 PM

so far i have painting, glueing, using scissors, drawing/colouring, hamma beads, play dough, board games.

do you do a risk assessment for the toys like small world/farm set or would that come under your main house risk assessment??

Is it sad that I am doing all this on a snow day

**FizzysFriends** · 05-02-2009, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by topchick_dav

so far i have painting, glueing, using scissors, drawing/colouring, hamma beads, play dough, board games.

do you do a risk assessment for the toys like small world/farm set or would that come under your main house risk assessment??

Is it sad that I am doing all this on a snow day

I haven't got this far yet but how about a general one for toys to say they are checked for breakages and clean/sanitised?

**Mrs.L.C** · 05-02-2009, 07:05 PM

Yep got this in main risk ass for house to say toys are cleaned/checked for any damage...theres so many to think of...its mad

**Hebs** · 05-02-2009, 08:01 PM

i plan to have a general risk assessment for activities/toys listing the activiry and the risks associated with it, cos if i have an individual one for each activity there'll be no trees left

is this ok??

**Mrs.L.C** · 05-02-2009, 08:29 PM

This is what i have done so far to cover activities (i use a seperate form for outings and I do a whole house one every so often) so once they are done they are done but I have to review them and change when the need arises

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 05-02-2009, 09:10 PM

no don't do these - please don't give Ofsted more ideas!!!!

**Hebs** · 05-02-2009, 09:20 PM

do you not do risk assessments for each activity?

just curious cos it seems to me that it's just too much

i know we need to make sure the children are safe, which we all do and have to have risk assessments for the major risks but surely this is cotton wool gone too far??

**Twinkles** · 05-02-2009, 09:30 PM

I just have a general risk assesment for toys/games etc. I only do further risk assesments if we go out , checking playground equipment/soft play equipment etc.

**misst104** · 05-02-2009, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by hebs

do you not do risk assessments for each activity?

just curious cos it seems to me that it's just too much

i know we need to make sure the children are safe, which we all do and have to have risk assessments for the major risks but surely this is cotton wool gone too far??

I agree with hebs. Surely a generic R.A on toys/activities is enough??????

jo x x x

**Hebs** · 05-02-2009, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by misst104

I agree with hebs. Surely a generic R.A on toys/activities is enough??????

jo x x x

so pleased someone agrees

**gegele** · 05-02-2009, 11:46 PM

i think that it's just a matter o ftime before it's asked so may as well just get it done slowly, every day when you turn your computer on just add an activity, maybe one you're going to do the day after. i'm pre reg and have far too much to do at the moment..... pmsl

**huggableshelly** · 06-02-2009, 09:00 AM

wooooohhhaaa

I've not done specific activity r/a's we have enough paperwork to deal with let alone that too.

sheesh I hope ofsted do not ever come up with that idea too or I'll be pulling out, I am here to entertain children and keep them safe not sit doing paperwork every minute of the working day, we would do less paperwork working in an office as a filing secretary I'm sure of that!

**Hebs** · 06-02-2009, 10:31 AM

am i right in thinking that we don't need written risk assessments anyway??

**Mrs.L.C** · 06-02-2009, 02:06 PM

It seems that almost evrything we do now has to be written down as evidence and I guess how much you do will determine your grading as well as what we do with the children etc...if that makes sense.

I think its a right pain to do which is why im doing it in dribs and drabs and recording activity risk assessments when I get time or as I go along. Doing them takes the time but once its done it just needs checking every so often

I dont do a long check list every day atm as I just dont have the time unless I get up at 6am and Im not doing that.

I know childminders have been given unsatisfactory (or what ever the wording is) because they havnt got certain paper work. It is hard as most of us work alone where nurseries have extra staff so try to make what you do as simple as possible

**watgem** · 07-02-2009, 08:25 AM

I have taken the advice of my local preschool and that is to risk assess every activity- each time you do an activity add it to your r/a sheet until you've covered all activities , not forgetting to add new ones and the same for toys, equipment and outings its a work in progress really but it shows Ofsted that you are reflecting on your practice.

**Amaranth** · 07-02-2009, 02:41 PM

Ooh, don't get me started on risk assesments!!!

I have written risk assesments for every room used for childminding and for the garden and outings. I have an in depth description of each room, the risks associated with it, and how to minimise the risks. this stays in my file all the time. I also have a risk assesment form that I use to record my findings on a monthly basis and also do a written toy and equipment log every 6 months.
I had my ofsted inspection before xmas and was given satisfactory, because mt risk assesments were not in enough detail!!!

I appealed against the decision, but guess what...... they sided with the inspector

Even though I could prove I had what was required for the eyfs legal requirements. They 'quality checked' my complaint, but it was based on what the inspector told them, which is hardly fair.

It nearly made me want to give up, but I will not let them win

I have since found out that the inspector I had is well known for being a cow, so I guess I was just unlucky.

Sorry for going on a bit,

**Mrs.L.C** · 07-02-2009, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Amaranth

Ooh, don't get me started on risk assesments!!!

I have written risk assesments for every room used for childminding and for the garden and outings. I have an in depth description of each room, the risks associated with it, and how to minimise the risks. this stays in my file all the time. I also have a risk assesment form that I use to record my findings on a monthly basis and also do a written toy and equipment log every 6 months.
I had my ofsted inspection before xmas and was given satisfactory, because mt risk assesments were not in enough detail!!!

I appealed against the decision, but guess what...... they sided with the inspector

Even though I could prove I had what was required for the eyfs legal requirements. They 'quality checked' my complaint, but it was based on what the inspector told them, which is hardly fair.

It nearly made me want to give up, but I will not let them win

I have since found out that the inspector I had is well known for being a cow, so I guess I was just unlucky.

Sorry for going on a bit,

Thats awful. Just goes to show that it does depend on the inspector which is really unfair