Amberley O.S.H.C.
Children are our future, We are dedicated to their success!
4.3 Hygiene
For the ongoing and general health and wellbeing of the children, Amberley OSHC strives to ensure, for its children and educators, a standard of general hygiene which complies, as a minimum, with legal requirements and, as far as reasonably possible, with the standards expected in the wider community.
Relevant Laws and other Provisions
The laws and other provisions affecting this policy include:
- Education and Care Services National Law Act, 2010 and Regulations 2011
- Duty of Care
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011
- NQS Area: 2.1.3, 2.1.4; 2.2.1; 4.2.1; 7.1.2, 7.3.5.
- Policies: 1 – General Health and Safety, 4.2 – Infectious Diseases, 4.4 – Preventative Health and Wellbeing, 4.5 – Illness and Injury, 4.9 Children’s Toileting, 4.12 – Non Smoking, 5.1 – Food Handling and Storage, 5.5 – Cleaning and Sanitising.
Procedures
Use of Gloves
- When preparing food, cleaning, or otherwise having contact with bodily fluids (e.g. blood, mucus, vomit, urine, faeces, etc), disposable gloves will be worn.
- Used gloves are to be carefully disposed of, immediately after use, in such a way that they would reasonably be expected to be secure from children or others.
- Educators are responsible to advise the Certified Supervisor (or other responsible staff member) to ensure that there is an adequate store of disposable gloves available at all times.
Hand Hygiene
The best way to prevent the transmission of disease is through effective hand hygiene, which removes both dirt and germs from the hands. This will be performed in the first instance with soap and running water, and/if soap and water is not available a hand rub will be used.
Soap and Water
Educators will wash their hands, and ensure that children wash their hands, thoroughly with soap and water and a single use paper towel/hand dryer:-
- before handling, preparing and eating of food;
- prior to and after giving First Aid;
- after toileting, handling of animals or other activities which could lead to the spread of infection;
- after contact with/cleaning of body fluids (blood, mucus, vomit, urine, faeces etc).
- after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose.
Hand Rubs
Hand rubs do not replace soap and running water however, they are effective in certain situations, such as when soap and running water are not available. To use a hand rub:
- Apply the recommended amount onto dry hands;
- Rub hands together so the hand rub comes in contact with all parts of the hands;
- Keep rubbing until the cleaner has evaporated and hands are dry.
Children with visible dirt, grease or food on their hands will be directed to clean their hands with soap and water (when and where possible), rather than use a hand rub.
Hand rubs will be kept out of reach of children and only used with adult supervision.
When children come in for After School Care they will receive Sunscreen then Hand Sanitiser before washing their hands with soap and running water. This is to ensure that those children that have not yet developed their hand washing technique, still have clean hands before eating Afternoon Tea.
Noticeable signs/posters will be placed around Amberley OSHC to alert children to the need for effective hand hygiene.
Educators will endeavour to observe children’s practices when performing hand hygiene providing verbal reminders of effective procedures to follow.
Reviewed 16 March 2015, Reviewed and Updated 9 May 2017
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