Shoes should be sensible and flat as heels or other shoes may cause you to slip or fall.
Jewellery should be kept to a minimum as not only can it hold bacteria but it may also drop into food.
Staff should not smoke drink eat or chew gum while handling food because this may lead to staff touching their face or face or mouth. Harmful bacteria can be spread from someone's face or mouth to their hands and then onto food.
Cleaning the environment
Toilet and nappy changing areas should be cleaned frequently with appropriate cleaning and separate cleaning items should be used for the toilet/nappy changing area to the rest of the nursery.
Floors should be cleaned with appropriate chemicals and suitable signs should be put up while cleaning and floors should be dry before children are allowed to walk on it again.
Any spillages should be cleaned up immediately and tables should be cleaned with cleaning products that are appropriate for use on tables which the children may use.
Cooking utensils should be washed with hot water with soap to ensure the removal of all traces of food cooked before.
Food surfaces should be cleaned throughout the day and any spillages should be cleared immediately.
Feeding equipment should be washed and sterilised for very young children so there are no traces of bacteria left on it. any toys and playing equipment should be sterilised at least once every week in a nursery this is because children put the toys in their mouth especially little children and their saliva is left on the toys which means another child would get the toy and the bacteria would stop to prevent this it is best if their sterilised.
separate cloths for separate areas are necessary as the cloth builds up with bacteria and if the same cloth is used for cleaning up spillages and the same cloth is then used in the kitchen to clean down the worktop bacteria spreads and the worktop isn’t clean jus because its been wiped it needs a separate cloth so that their are less risk of bacteria spreading from one place to another.
Food handling
All types of foods are potential hazards if they are not handled or stored properly. Food if being stored in a fridge should be kept under 4 degrees and if in a freezer then under -18 degrees.
Older food should be kept at the front of the fridge/ freezer so it's used up before the newer items.
All raw meat should be kept in the bottom of the fridge and other foods above it. Both should be kept covered whether inside the fridge/freezer or outside.
Any food that doesn’t need to be cooked should ideally be prepared just before eating as this gives less time for bacteria to grow on the food.
Any dry ingredients should be kept in air tight containers to stop them going stale.
You should use separate chopping boards, knifes etc for meat, poultry fish etc. and other things.
All other pieces of equipment should be regularly checked and sterilised. Cleaning cloths towels aprons and oven gloves should be regularly boiled
Food should not be reheated as this gives bacteria the chance to multiply. If food is to be stored then it should be thoroughly cooked then cooled quickly so that bacteria are not given a chance to grow.
Dealing with bodily fluids and waste
If there are any signs of vomiting or diarrhoea you should stay off work.
If you have a runny nose then you should wash your hands before touching any food or anything that a child may put into their mouth.
Wash your hands after sneezing coughing etc. directly onto your hands.
Disposable gloves should be worn at all times
Any broken skin should be covered with a high visibility plaster (usually blue in colour in case it becomes disatattched and falls into the food). Any flowing blood should be cleaned up with soap and water. any soiled clothes that you wish to keep should be double bagged and sent home.
Reporting to the authorities
An outbreak of a particular condition e.g. chicken pox should be reported to the public health department.
Any food related outbreaks should be reported to the environmental health department.
If any household pests are spotted then they should be reported immediately.
Reporting to parents
Some information should be passed on to parents either through a letter or an accident log form etc.
These should be sent if:
There are any health concerns of their child
Any specific info about a particular condition e.g. meningitis
Letters informing them of any outbreaks of illness within the children.
There is an outbreak of head lice
Or the child is involved in an accident or incident.
