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HEALTH &
SAFETY POLICY and PROCEDURES
Middle Street Primary & Nursery School
CONTENTS
1. General
Policy Statement The headteacher and
governors of Middle Street Primary School believe that the health and safety of
persons within the school is of paramount importance. It is our intent to prevent accidents and
occupational ill health and where possible eliminate hazards in the workplace. It is the intent of the Headteacher and governors of the school to
ensure that a safe and healthy workplace is provided and maintained for all our
employees. This will include the
provision of safe systems of work, safe plant and equipment and a safe access
and egress to the premises. We will ensure that adequate information, instruction,
training and supervision is provided to ensure that
staff can carry out their work safely. The headteacher and governors will ensure that others who are affected
by our activities are not subjected to risks to their health and safety. This
will include pupils, visitors, parents, volunteers and contractors. These responsibilities will be achieved by the establishment of an
effective health and safety management system within the school. This will
involve the implementation of arrangements for the effective planning,
organisation, control, monitoring and review of preventative and protective
measures. In addition the headteacher
and governors will undertake to ensure compliance with policy and guidance
produced by Brighton and Hove City Council. The headteacher and governors will ensure that adequate resources are
identified for health and safety. We believe that health and safety standards will be maintained only with
the co-operation of all staff, pupils and visitors to the school. We expect all staff to co-operate fully with
this policy. In addition we will ensure that all pupils, visitors and
contractors are provided with the information they require to enable them to
comply with this policy and remain safe. It is the intention of the headteacher and governors that procedures to
ensure relevant health and safety issues are embedded within the curriculum at
all levels where appropriate. The effectiveness of the policy will be regularly monitored to ensure
that health and safety arrangements are being implemented and that the people
named in the policy are carrying out their duties.
The policy will be reviewed annually and revised where necessary.
Signed
......................... Headteacher Date ………… This policy was endorsed by the Resource
Committee at their meeting on 9th February 2012
Signed ......................... Chair of Governors Date
…………
2.
Organisation within the School to
meet the requirements of the General Policy Statement.
Ultimately
the responsibility for all School organisation and activity rests by
definition, with the Headteacher. However all staff have a responsibility
towards safety with the specific lines of delegation being set out as shown
below.
3. Safety Responsibilities of Groups and Individuals
3.1
The Governing Body
The
Governing Body in its role as controller of premises will ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, the health and safety at work of employees and others (e.g.
contractors, pupils, visitors) in accordance with Section 2 and 4 of the Health & Safety at Work Act
1974.
In
order to discharge this responsibility, the Governing Body will:
a.
Ensure
that the Local Authority’s Health and Safety Policy is complemented by the
School's Health and Safety Policy, that these procedures are kept up-to-date
and that positive arrangements are in place to ensure that all staff and
students are aware of and comply with its contents;
b.
Ensure
that the policy contains rigorous and comprehensive systems for active
monitoring (auditing health and safety management systems, inspections and risk
assessments), reactive monitoring (accident/incident investigation) and for rectifying
identified faults within the School;
c.
Ensure
there is adequate provision both in staffing, facilities and resources to allow
the school to meet both its legal and moral obligations with respect to health,
safety and welfare;
d.
Receive
updates on the school development plan for health and safety at each meeting
from the Health and Safety Coordinator/ Health and Safety Governor/
sub-committee in order to enable the Governing body to monitor the adequacy of
arrangements and take any action necessary;
e.
To
consider information, statistics and reports relating to health, safety and
welfare matters;
f.
To
consider and make recommendations regarding individual health and safety issues
which have not been resolved at management level;
3.2
Headteacher
The
Headteacher has overall responsibility for safety policy, organisation and
arrangements throughout the School and will:
a.
Provide
liaison with Inspectors and outside bodies concerned with safety and health: Local
Authority, Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCFS) (previously DfES) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with regard
to safety aspects;
b.
Budget
for safety and health matters;
c.
Review
the Safety Policy annually and when significant changes occur within the
organisation of the school;
d.
Develop,
introduce, maintain and review safety management procedures to ensure the
school complies with legislative requirements and good industry practice e.g.
risk assessments including fire, display screen equipment and manual handling;
e.
Ensure
health and safety issues associated with major building projects are complied
with;
f.
Nominate
specific staff with designated safety roles, e.g. Health and Safety
Coordinator, throughout the school.
g.
Ensure
that routine maintenance checks and inspections required by legislation of
fixed service equipment (i.e. boilers, lifts, pressure vessels, portable
appliance testing (PAT) etc) are undertaken;
h.
Ensure
that all incidents are reported to the Health Safety & Wellbeing team
within 5 days of the incident and to monitor incidents to identify methods of
reducing accidents. Ensure the necessary records of incidents are maintained;
i.
Chair
the Health and Safety Committee, or nominate a member of senior management team
to undertake this activity (if in place within school);
j.
Make
an annual report on safety matters to the Board of Governors.
k.
Ensure
that health and safety is considered as an integral part of teaching and the
course syllabi, both in preparation of new course submissions and in their
reviews;
l.
Identify
staff training requirements to allow the school to comply with legislative and
good industry practice that relate to or affect health, safety and welfare.
m.
Instigate
appropriate disciplinary action where it is shown that staff have ignored or
shown a disregard for health and safety matters outlined within the Safety
Policy, School Codes of Practice or health and safety legislation.
n.
Ensure
that Safety Inspections are carried out at termly intervals, recorded and that
necessary remedial action is carried out.
o.
Develop
and establish emergency procedures, and organise fire evacuation practices
within the school.
p.
Ensure
that health and safety is taken into account when considering any proposed or
impending changes e.g. building works, room allocation/ usage etc;
q.
Safety
procedures are developed and adhered to for operations carried out within the
School by their staff and by outside contractors under their control.
r.
Ensure
the provision and maintenance of all ‘fire’ equipment, including the
preparation and review of Fire Risk Assessments;
s.
Have
a general oversight of health and first aid matters.
t.
Monitor
the general safety programme.
u.
Communicate
and publicise safety matters as appropriate to staff,
contractors, visitors, pupils (as appropriate.)
v.
All
full and part-time staff receive appropriate health and safety training at
induction which must include emergency arrangements (i.e. first aid, fire and
accident reporting), and an introduction to the Safety Policy outlining
restricted tasks and activities.
w.
Ensure
adequate numbers of staff are provided with appropriate training so that they can
support the following management arrangements.
Ø
First
aid.
Ø
Fire
and emergency evacuation.
Ø
Risk
assessments, including fire, display screen equipment, manual handling, substances hazardous to health and general risk assessments.
The Deputy Head will assume
these duties in the absence of the Headteacher and has the authority to make and
implement decisions throughout the school at any level if there is:
·
immediate
danger, or,
·
dangerous
practice, or
·
breach
of the law.
3.3
The School Health & Safety Coordinator
The
School Health and Safety Coordinator is responsible
for the co-ordination of health and safety management throughout the School.
Additionally,
the Health and Safety Co-ordinator will:
a)
Make
an annual report, in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team and assisted
by the Heads of Key Stage, on safety matters to the Headteacher and the Board
of Governors;
b)
Assist
with inspections and safety audits;
c)
Investigate
and advise on hazards and precautions (and seek assistance from the Health,
Safety & Wellbeing Team if the issue is outside their level of competence);
d)
Develop
and establish emergency procedures, and organise fire
evacuation practices within the school;
e)
Have
a general oversight of health and first aid matters;
f)
Monitor
the general safety programme on behalf of the
Headteacher;
g)
Make
recommendations to Headteacher for matters
requiring immediate attention, e.g. changes to legislation, outcomes of safety
inspections;
h)
Make
recommendations to the Headteacher on matters of
safety policy in compliance with new and modified legislation;
i)
Communicate
and publicise safety matters as appropriate to staff,
contractors, visitors, pupils (as appropriate);
j)
Liaise
with outside bodies concerned with safety and health e.g. Health, Safety &
Wellbeing team at Kings House;
k)
Monitor
accidents to identify trends and
introduce methods of reducing accidents;
3.4
Educational Visits Co-ordinator
(EVC)
a.
To
be involved in educational visit management in order to ensure that the Local
Authority Off-site Guidance is followed;
b.
To
work with group leaders to ensure that the aims of the educational visit are
achievable and in line with those of the establishment;
c.
To
work with the group leader to ensure there is a ‘plan B’ in the event of
adverse weather, transport issues, emergencies etc.
d.
Use
the online outdoor educational visits approval system ‘Evolve’ for all hazardous
and residential trips;
e.
Ensure
that the schools educational visits meet the Local Authorities requirements;
f.
To
confirm that adequate risk assessments have been carried out;
g.
Support
the headteacher in the management and evaluation of educational visits;
h.
Confirm
the leadership of the group competent and appropriate, including accompanying
staff and volunteers;
i.
Confirm
adequate first aid cover is provided;
j.
Keep
their EVC training up to date;
k.
Ensure
any incidents that take place on a trip are recorded and copies provided to the
Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team.
3.5
Heads of Key Stage & Managers within Support
Departments
Each
Head of Key Stage and Managers within Support departments are responsible to their
manager for the provision of safe working conditions for staff and students and
in particular to:
a.
Prepare
reports on safety matters for the meeting of the Headteacher/Governing
Body/ Senior Management.
b.
Notify
the Headteacher/colleagues of any proposed or
impending changes affecting safety, health and welfare, in room allocation or
usage.
c.
Ensure
safety inspections of their designated areas are carried out and to ensure
hazards identified from those inspections are rectified.
d.
Ensure
that safety procedures are developed and adhered to for operations carried out
within their area of responsibility.
e.
Budget
for safety equipment for his/her area of responsibility (if appropriate);
f.
Carry
out or delegate the undertaking of risk assessments which include manual
handling, COSHH, and to ensure details are documented and that appropriate
action is carried out.
g.
Ensure
all portable electrical equipment is tested on a regular basis (annually).
h.
Ensure
all accidents within their section are recorded on the appropriate incident
forms and sent to the Health Safety & Wellbeing team within 5 days of the
incident. Investigate reports of
accidents and dangerous occurrences in their designated areas.
i.
Ensure
equipment, including personal protection equipment, is maintained in a safe
condition and that substances hazardous to health are stored in a safe place.
j.
Identify
staff development requirements with reference to health and safety.
k.
Attend
to defect reports and recommendations from the Headteacher, staff, Safety
Representatives and the Health and Safety Co-ordinator.
l.
Circulate
publicity relating to safety matters to staff within their control.
3.6
Subject Leaders Each subject leader is
responsible for:
a. Developing policies based on Children’s Services
guidance documents for their specialist area;
b.
Updating
colleagues within the school in any change in practice;
c.
Issuing
safety guidance for their curriculum area;
d.
Carrying
out risk assessments for their specialist areas.
3.7
Teachers
Teachers
are responsible to their Head of Key Stage for the immediate safety of the
students in his/her classroom. Nominated teachers are responsible for their own
classroom and associated equipment and as such it is their responsibility to
ensure that it is maintained to a high standard with respect to health and
safety issues.
Additionally,
each teacher will: a. Follow
safe working procedures personally; b. Give
adequate safety information regarding the activity being undertaken prior to
the activity commencing and during the activity as and when required; c. Ensure
that special working procedures, protective clothing and equipment, etc., are
provided and used where necessary.
d. Ensure that the classroom and other areas
are tidy and good housekeeping procedures are followed;
e.
Ensure that clear instructions and warnings
are given to pupils verbally and in writing as often as necessary;
f.
Undertake a visual inspection of equipment
prior to use and ensure that any portable electrical equipment they use is made
available for testing;
g.
Report
defects and make recommendations to their line manager where necessary;
h.
Ensure
all accidents, incidents and near misses within their area of responsibility
are recorded in line with the school policy.
i.
Ensure
they understand and follow emergency arrangements for their areas of
responsibility.
3.8
Teaching Assistants The teaching assistant is immediately
responsible to the teacher whilst the class is in session; otherwise their line
manager is Deputy Head Teacher
Additionally,
the teaching assistants will:
a.
Follow
safe working procedures personally;
b.
Be
familiar with the general and particular safety rules/ emergency arrangements
that apply to their area of work;
c.
Ensure
that the classroom and other areas are tidy and good housekeeping standards are
maintained;
d.
Undertake
a visual inspection of equipment prior to use and ensure that portable electrical
equipment they use is made available for testing;
e.
Report defects to his/her line manager;
f.
Ensure
all accidents, incidents and near misses within their area of responsibility
are recorded in line with the school policy. 3.9 First Aid Coordinator
When
on duty the First Aid Coordinator is responsible for supporting health and
welfare issues within the School and in particular: a. to be responsible for attending to and
monitoring student or visitor
illness/injury and to refer pupils to their own doctor or hospital
as appropriate;
b. To maintain the school medical rooms and
equipment; c. To
monitor student health records prior to entry and to report/advise Headteacher of illnesses that need to be brought to the attention
of specific staff (e.g. epilepsy, allergies etc);
d. To assist in the monitoring of first aid equipment
and boxes on School site;
e. To assist in the development and health
promotion activities at the School; f. Ensure
adequate numbers of staff are trained in first aid procedures (to cover trips,
sickness, etc) and to co-ordinate the work of the First Aiders; g. To
ensure the necessary records are maintained relating to accidents associated
with the work of the school.
3.10Site
Manager/Caretaker
The Site Manager/ Caretaker will:
a.
Ensure
that routine maintenance checks and inspections required by legislation of
fixed service equipment, i.e. boilers, pressure vessels etc. are undertaken;
b.
Ensure
that premises safety inspections are undertaken e.g. weekly, bi-termly, and
keep records of any faults identified (if appropriate);
c.
Attend
to defect reports and recommendations from the Headteacher, staff, Safety
Representative and Health and Safety Coordinator;
d.
Ensure
all portable electrical equipment is tested on an annual basis;
e.
Keep
records of hazards identified on site by staff and the remedial action taken
and when;
f.
Ensure
safety procedures are developed and adhered to for operations carried out
within the School by their staff and by outside contractors under their
control;
g.
When
liaising with contractors, ensure they have had sight of the Asbestos Register;
h.
Ensure
equipment, including personal protection equipment is maintained in a safe
condition and that substances hazardous to health are stored in a safe place;
i.
Ensure
all accidents, incidents and near misses within their area of responsibility
are recorded in line with the school policy.
3.11Trade Union
Safety Representatives
In accordance with the Safety Representatives
and Safety Committee Regulations the safety representatives will, where
appointed:
a.
Represent
the employees in consultation with the employer and with their representative;
investigate potential hazards and dangerous occurrences at the workplace and
examine the causes of accidents at the workplace;
b.
Investigate
complaints by any employee he/she represents relating to health and safety and
welfare at work;
c.
Represent
employees in consultations with inspectors of the
Health
and Safety Executive and of any other enforcing authority;
d.
Receive
information from inspectors;
e.
Attend
meetings of safety committees to which they are elected;
f.
Inspect
the workplace if they have given the employer or their representative
reasonable notice in writing of their intention to do so and have not inspected
it in the previous three months. They may carry out additional inspections
where there are substantial changes in work conditions.
3.12Staff
Liaising with Contractors
Staff liaising with
contractors carrying out work at the School have a responsibility to take appropriate action
if they observe the contractor or his employees using any working practice or
item of equipment which the member of staff considers to be dangerous or
potentially dangerous. Such action could include reporting the matter to the
Headteacher/Site Manager/Caretaker for them to rectify or, failing that,
reporting to the Health Safety & Wellbeing team. Staff must ensure that a contractor arriving
at site, report to Reception and a nominated person ensures that the
contractors are informed of any hazards on the school site e.g. providing
access to the asbestos register.
Approval must also be gained by the contractor to start work. Only those
staff nominated by the Headteacher to liaise with the contractors must
undertake this activity due to the procedures put in place by the school to
implement the Council’s Policy on Safeguarding, Asbestos and the Management of
Contractors.
3.13Members of
Staff Generally
Each
member of staff is responsible for his or her own personal safety and that of
other persons in the School by the proper observation of School rules and
procedures (e.g. by ensuring visitors report to the Reception Area on arrival
at the school.)
Staff
are reminded of the general duty imposed by the Health and
Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 at Sections 7 and 8 viz.:
'It
shall be the duty of every employee while at work
a)
to take reasonable care for the health and
safety of himself and other persons who may be affected by his acts or
omissions at work, and,
b)
as regards any duty or requirement imposed on
his employer or any other person by or under any of the relevant statutory
provisions, to co-operate with him so far as is necessary to enable that duty
or requirement to be performed or complied with.'
'No person shall intentionally or recklessly
interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health. safe or welfare in pursuance of any of the relevant
statutory provisions,'
Staff are
also reminded that they must provide notice of three months if qualifications
relating to Health & Safety are due to expire, e.g. First Aid.
4. School
Health and Safety Committee
The
School Health and Safety Committee representing the various groups within the
School is comprised of:
·
Headteacher
·
Member
of the Governing Body
·
1 Member of senior management team
·
2 staff representatives (teaching and support
staff)
·
Health and Safety Coordinator
·
Union Safety Representatives (1
representative from each of the recognised staff
unions)
Where possible efforts are made to ensure as wide a
spread of curriculum and support areas of the school are represented. 4.1 Overall Function and Objective
The
provision of effective communication and consultation between management and
employees in order that the health, safety and welfare policy is properly
maintained and developed.
4.2
Specific Functions
·
To
consider information, statistics and reports relating to health, safety and
welfare matters affecting the operational area covered by the Committee
generally and to make recommendations/observations to the Governing Body accordingly.
·
To
consider and make recommendations to the Governing Body regarding individual
health and safety problems which have not been resolved at operational
management/ safety representative level, or at section level.
·
To
develop policy to improve and maintain health and safety issues for staff and
pupils.
·
To
encourage the implementation and maintenance of effective safety rules and
practices at departmental level.
·
To
encourage effective communication regarding health, safety and welfare matters.
Note: before considering any individual health,
safety and welfare problem, the School Health and Safety Committee, will
satisfy itself that all possible steps have been taken to resolve the problem
at departmental/ section level. The
Committee shall not normally consider such cases until the above action has
been taken. In the event of a safety matter not being resolved within the
Committee, any representative is free to take the matter up with the Governing
Body through their staff representative.
NB: Where health and safety committees are not in place,
consultation
processes must be arranged by the
school and summarised in this section.
5.
Crisis Management
A
crisis management team has been set up to assist in the reduction of major
hazards and risks and to action a recovery plan in the event of a serious
accident.
5.1 Membership of the Crisis
Management Team:
·
The Headteacher
·
Health and Safety Coordinator
·
Site Manager/Caretaker
5.2 Function of the Crisis Management
Team
The
function of the Crisis Management Team is to:
·
Act as the decision-making authority for the
management of an incident.
·
Develop the procedures and practices to be
used for handling emergency situations and communicating these to all employees
within the school.
·
Establish and maintain a crisis management ‘centre’. The ‘centre’ will have the necessary
equipment available for rapid activation during an emergency. The equipment includes communications
equipment, emergency plans and procedures, a log to record all actions taken
during the crisis, necessary office equipment and supplies and appropriate maps
and building plans.
·
To assess the nature, degree and likelihood
of threats to the schools interests (personnel, facilities, information and
other assets) in order to determine the vulnerability to those threats of the schools
personnel, facilities or assets.
·
To test the crisis management plan on a
regular basis to ensure that it is feasible and realistic. Whenever the plan is found to be deficient
immediate corrections will be made.
6. General Emergency Procedures
The
summoning of emergency services is carried out byHeadteacher
and School Office Team. They will also
contact:
·
A member of the Senior Management Team - [for information]
·
Deputy Headteacher - [if students are
involved]
·
Site Manager/Caretaker – [for access/ to
isolate electrical supplies etc.] In the event of a major disaster the Crisis
Management Team and the Council’s Civil Contingencies Team are contacted (tel.
296699 or the on call number: 07540 675 169 for out of hour emergencies.) The
Civil Contingencies Team will inform ‘MIST’ – the Council’s Major Incident
Strategic Team if appropriate.
7. Fire Policy
and Procedures &
Bomb Incident Management
The school
holds a site specific Fire Safety Policy, Evacuation Plan and Fire Risk
Assessment. These documents outline the schools fire risks, how they are
managed and the instructions to be followed in the event of an emergency.
In
the event of a suspected bomb threat, the Crisis Management Team will liaise
with the Police, LEA and Fire Brigade and follow their advice on the evacuation
procedure and assembly point. This will
then be communicated to staff, pupils, visitors, etc by an appropriate means. Any
member of staff who receives information regarding a bomb on-site must
immediately inform the headteacher or a member of senior management in their
absence.
8. First Aid Procedure – (see also the Councils First Aid Standard)
The
school has carried out a First Aid needs assessment and has identified the
following requirement:
-There
will be at least 18 people on the staff who will have current first aid
training, of which 16 will be qualified first aiders and 2 will be appointed
persons.
-
There will be 3 pediatric first aiders.
Qualified First Aiders have
completed the First Aid at Work 3 day initial training, followed by 2 day
refreshers every 3 years and an annual ½ day refresher.
The
named first aiders for the school are listed in Appendix A at the end of this
document and also published in school on the first aid procedures poster and
staff responsibility list.
First
aid boxes are kept in the medical bay, playground and hall. The First Aid Coordinator
provides first aid support and maintains a central supply of first aid
materials to supplement first aid boxes.
Parents are expected to inform the school if their child has an allergy
and a list of any such children is kept and displayed in the office.
All
injuries which come to staff attention, no matter how slight, are recorded in
the First Aid Book and/or HS2 Incident form. There is a first aid book and
“bump notes” available with all boxes to be completed by the person
administering first aid. In case of
doubt as to whether or not a child’s parent should be immediately alerted, staff contact a member of the school office team or in their
absence Headteacher. In the event of an accident, if the parents (and their
nominated contacts) are unavailable, the pupil may be sent to hospital to err
on the side of caution. In these cases
the pupil will be accompanied by a member of staff. Every
parent will be informed of the schools arrangements for First
Aid each school year. 9. Accident Recording and Reporting
In
the event of an accident the following procedure is followed:
·
Any
equipment is turned off.
·
A
call for help is made – including First Aid assistance.
·
The
qualified First Aider will judge whether the injury is of a minor or major nature.
If minor the First Aider will provide appropriate treatment.
·
If
a major injury an ambulance will be called immediately without undue delay due to attempting to contact parents or guardians.
·
If
the injured person requires hospital treatment but an ambulance is not
necessary, the
Headteacher is responsible for arranging for a member of staff to
transport the student/staff to hospital.
The
member of staff taking the injured person will:
·
stay
with the injured person and return with them; or
·
stay
with the injured person until the parent/guardian arrives at the hospital and return to school.
All staff
report any accident (or near misses) involving either
themselves, visitors or volunteer helpers by recording the details on
the Incident Report form HS2. Pupil
accidents, depending on the severity are either reported in the First Aid book
or Incident Report form HS2. If the incident involves
intentional
violence/harassment or verbal/written
abuse, it will be reported using the Violent Incident Occurrence Report
Form HS3.
The School
Business Manager in liaison with the Headteacher ensures that these forms are forwarded
to the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team at Kings House, Room 300, Open Plan,
Hove within 5 days. As the authority is
obliged to report certain categories of injury or dangerous occurrence to the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) it is important that the Health, Safety &
Wellbeing team are notified at the earliest opportunity of accidents or
incidents that are of a serious nature to determine if the HSE should be
informed.
All
accidents are investigated to prevent a re-occurrence. The investigation is
recorded on Part B of the HS2 form. The
Headteacher monitors accidents to identify any trends. The Governor’s sub committee also receive information on
accidents on a termly basis. The Health, Safety & Wellbeing team will
investigate certain incidents/accidents following receipt of the HS2/ HS3 form.
10. Health Issues
10.1
Smoking – (see also
the Council Policy on No Smoking) In an effort to reduce the risk to
health from passive smoking, smoking is not allowed in school.
10.2
Alcohol and Drug Abuse
– (see also the Council Policy on Drugs and Alcohol)
Staff
attending work while under the influence of alcohol or drugs creates an
unprofessional image of the school and increases the risk of accidents both to
themselves and to colleagues. To minimise the
probability of accidents from alcohol or drug abuse, staff whose judgment is
impaired will be excluded from work and will be subject to disciplinary
procedures.
School staff have access to the Staff Welfare
Counselling Services Tel:
01273 481738, who can provide confidential help and support.
Some drugs
prescribed for medical reasons are likely to impair judgment and lower
concentration. If staff feel they are affected when on
medication, they inform their line manager who will implement additional
arrangements that safeguard both the individual and the staff/ pupils they work
with.
10.3
Staff Wellbeing
– (see also the Schools Wellbeing framework)
The
school follows the Councils Wellbeing framework which includes linked policies and procedures
in matters relating to developing arrangements for staff wellbeing. The school recognises
that staff are more likely to flourish in an
environment free of unnecessary anxiety, stress and fear and where the
contribution of all employees is valued. This framework incorporates a range of
issues including:
·
Worklife balance – A guidance
document
·
Stress
– A guidance document
·
Dignity
and Respect at Work (anti- bullying and harassment) - A Policy & Procedure If staff
are to provide an atmosphere conducive to pupil achievement, they need
to be emotionally healthy themselves.
The Wellbeing Framework takes a whole school approach to creating a
healthy, positive working environment that puts the wellbeing and effectiveness
of staff right at the heart of the school. Staff are able to raise
concerns regarding their workload and any effects it may be having on their
health with their line manager. If staff don’t wish to discuss a particular
problem with their line manager then the Staff Welfare Counselling Services
01273 481738 is available to staff. All discussions are confidential.
10.4
New & Expectant Mothers. -
(See
also Council Policy on New and Expectant Mothers)
Pregnancy
should not be equated with ill health. It should be regarded as part of
everyday life and its health and safety implications can be adequately
addressed by normal health and safety management procedures.
Many women
work while they are pregnant and many return to work
while they are still breast feeding.
Some hazards in the work place may affect the health and safety of new
and expectant mothers and of their children.
The following procedure is in place:
·
Female staff (full and
part-time) are required to inform their Line Manager and Human Resources
as soon as possible and in writing when pregnancy has been confirmed.
·
The Line Manager will undertake a risk
assessment of the employee work activity to ensure no risk to the health of the
employee or the unborn child. Copies of
the Risk Assessment will be kept and will be reviewed throughout the pregnancy
and if circumstances surrounding the pregnancy alter in any way.
·
The Health and Safety Coordinator is
available to give advice at any stage of the process, but the general
principles of common risk assessment will apply. 11. Risk Assessment
Specific risk
assessments are required for activities involving fire, manual handling, hazardous
substances and the use of display screen equipment. Generic risk assessments must
be completed for those activities and workplaces where specific assessments
have not been carried out.
All staff have a responsibility to make
themselves familiar with both the general and the specific risk assessments
relating to their area of work. Copies of these assessments are held in the
school office.
The following staff complete risk assessments for the areas highlighted
below:
·
Premises Headteacher
·
Curriculum Curriculum Co-ordinators
·
Off-site Visits Class teacher in liaison
withEVC
·
Individual/specific
Those directly concerned/responsible
12. Specific Hazards.
Schools are
not generally considered as dangerous places to work in but they can still
create risk of injury or to health. The hazards relevant to this school are
detailed below along with the safe procedures put in place to manage the risk. 12.1
Display screen equipment (DSE) – (see also Council Policy on DSE)
All staff who are
DSE ‘users’
(i.e. use a computer continuously for one hour or more and have no discretion
on using the equipment)
complete a Workstation
Self Assessment which is then assessed by one of the schools DSE Assessors , School Business Manager. The DSE Assessor then
completes a DSE Assessment on the individual.
DSE Users are
entitled to an eyesight test, particularly if they are experiencing visual
difficulties associated with the use of DSE, and if they request it. The optician’s fee for the eyesight test will
be reimbursed by the school to a maximum of £16.50. If corrective appliances
are required for DSE work, the school will reimburse a maximum of £49.95
towards the cost if required purely for DSE work.
12.2Electrical Equipment.
All staff are responsible for ensuring that they
carry out a pre-use visual check and handle electrical equipment sensibly and
safely. Any pupil or volunteer who
handles electrical appliances does so under the supervision of a member of
staff who will also direct them. All electrical equipment is checked annually (Portable Appliance Testing
(PAT)) under the terms of the maintenance contract. Site Manager in liaison with the School
Business Manager is
responsible for maintaining accurate records, ensuring that all equipment in
current use is checked and for making arrangements for the equipment to be
accessible for testing. If there is any doubt about the safety of the equipment it will not be
used. Any potential hazards will be reported to School Business manager/Site
Manager immediately. The headteacher must be made aware of, and approve the use of any item
being brought into schools by a member of staff, volunteer or a pupil. The
headteacher must be made aware of and approve the arrangements for temporary
electrical extensions required for drama productions, Christmas decorations etc.
12.3Machinery
and Equipment.
An inventory
of all equipment is kept by School Business Manager and
held in the school office. Hand tools are
used under strict guidance and close
supervision of the teacher or teaching assistant, when used by pupils. Such equipment – even simple items such as
scissors – is stored away after use.
12.4Manual
Handling. (see also Council Policy on Manual Handling)
All
equipment must be moved safely. Large
pieces of equipment will only be moved by people who have received manual
handling training. PE equipment may be
moved by pupils but they must be given clear instruction in the correct way to
lift and handle items. There must always
be at least 2 pupils per piece of equipment or mat. Close supervision is maintained at all times.
Site Manager
in liaison with the Head Teacher will be responsible for undertaking risk
assessments for manual handling tasks.
Training will be given to those staff who are
expected to lift objects. Staff have a
personal responsibility to ask for help or not undertake an activity if they
are apprehensive about their capability to move goods, equipment or furniture.
Where
lifting equipment/ aids are provided, only those members of staff who have been
trained in the use of the equipment and are authorized to use it may undertake
the activity. Lifting equipment is checked every six months by a competent
person.
12.5Housekeeping
The risk of
injury within the workplace is most likely to be caused by the more mundane
hazards as a result of poor housekeeping.
Trips and falls can be caused by trailing cables, objects left on
floors, traffic routes blocked within the classroom and spillages. It is the responsibility of the teacher to
ensure that their classroom has clear traffic routes and that exit routes are
kept clear. The caretaker/ site manager
undertakes an inspection whilst opening the school each morning to ensure that
communal areas are free from trip hazards, etc.
The caretaker/site manager reports all hazards, obstructions, defects or
maintenance requirements to the School Business Manager. It is the duty of all staff to be vigilant
and aware of possible hazards. If any spillages occur, these are dealt with
immediately.
The school is
cleaned as per the cleaning schedule and is monitored by the Headteacher. All waste is disposed of according to
appropriate health and safety guidelines. 12.6 Off-site Visits
The school
has a separate policy on Off-site visits.
Staff must ensure that prior to planning or accompanying an off-site
visit, that they are aware of the school and Council policy on educational
visits.
12.7Hazardous
Substances (see also Council Policy on Hazardous
Substances)
The school
keeps an inventory of all hazardous substances on site and is kept up to date
by the Site Manager.. COSHH risk assessments are undertaken for all
hazardous materials onsite.
Inspections
take place to:
12.8Noise
at Work
All members
of staff need to be aware of “nuisance noise” and respect the needs of others
in the school. Common sense and courtesy
by all members of staff, pupils and visitors to the school will prevent
problems arising. Any member of staff or visitor
detecting a potential problem will report immediately to the Headteacher.
12.9Lettings
If the
school is let, the Headteacher must be satisfied that the hiring organisation will use the premises in a safe manner. A signed, written letting agreement will be
completed and copies kept. Copies of
letting agreements are held in the school office. The
school will maintain the premises being let in a safe condition and communicate
any unsafe conditions or hazards with the lessee.
13.
Use of Minibuses and Other Vehicles – Not
applicable
The
Guidelines for Minibus Operation apply to all minibuses and other large
passenger-carrying vehicles e.g. people carriers and are also the minimum
standards to be applied to any vehicle hired for use on School business.
Eligibility to Drive –
All
drivers must:
·
Be aged 25 and under 65 and have held a full
current driving license for at least three years without claim or conviction; This
minimum age is reduced to 23 for teachers appointed to teach physical
education;
·
Provide the Headteacher with a copy of their license
annually.
·
Be authorised by
their line manager to drive a minibus and have D1 on their license;
Drivers
of vehicles on the School campus are subject to all normal regulations
including the wearing of seat belts. A
speed limit of 10mph is imposed on vehicles on
the site. Drivers of all vehicles, whether car or motor cycle must not drive
carelessly or inconsiderately on any occasion.
Procedures are in place to notify the Headteacher of any faults identified with the minibus. Guidance notes on what to do in case of an accident are kept in the glove compartment of the minibus.
14.
Administration of Medicines
The School
follows the Councils Administration of
Medicines Policy and therefore has a separate Administration of Medicine
Protocol. The school maintains consent forms and records of medicines administered.
15. Training
and Information.
A
training needs analysis is undertaken by the headteacher to identify the
mandatory health and safety training required for each member of staff and is reviewed
annually. The training is identified
using the Workforce Development Training Programme and the headteacher will
ensure that staff are released for this training.
All
members of staff receive a comprehensive health and safety induction when they
commence employment with the school and the induction includes specific
elements of this policy being brought to their attention. A volunteer will receive a specific induction
relevant to the activities they are undertaking in school.
The
Headteacher :
·
Informs
staff of any changes in the policy;
·
Assesses
the training requirements of the staff and integrates those needs onto the
school development plan to inform governors;
·
Assesses
the training needs of new members of staff.
Every
member of staff is made aware of the Council Policy on health and safety and
shown how to access the document via the Wave.
If any member of staff feels the need for training they must alert their
line manager or senior management team.
The school
has developed a supply teacher’s pack and this will be issued to all supply
staff that includes health and safety information.
16. Monitoring Health and Safety
Health and
safety standards are monitored by the senior management team in conjunction
with the school governors by the following:
·
SMT include health and safety as part of the
agenda of their regular meetings;
·
The headteacher conducts an annual inspection
with a trade union safety representative (where appointed);
·
The governors agenda
and headteacher’s report to the governors both have
health and safety as standing agenda items.
16.1
Inspections
To maintain and
improve standards throughout the school a termly premises inspection takes
place and records kept. The school is
inspected by the Site Manager in liaison with the Head Teacher.
16.2
Auditing
As a means
of confirming that the necessary systems to comply with legislation are in
place and are being followed the Council will complete a health and safety
audit every 3 years. The action points identified through the audit will form
part of the school development plan.
17. Visitors
The
Headteacher and governors must accept the responsibility for health and safety
of visitors to the school, including contractors.
All visitors
to the school are asked to sign in at the school office and sign out when they
leave. Each class teacher will accept
responsibility for specific volunteers or visitors including checking that they
are aware of emergency procedures and supervising their evacuation in case of
an emergency.
Deputy
Headteacher will
ensure that volunteers have the necessary safety information.
18. Trade Union Safety Representatives Trade unions can appoint safety representatives who are legally entitled to inspect premises, investigate accidents and undertake safety training under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977. The trade union safety representative will consult the headteacher on any relevant health and safety matters. Representatives are part of the safety consultative process and their role includes:
·
investigating
potential hazards and dangerous occurrences and examining the causes of
accidents at the workplace;
·
investigating
complaints by any employee on matters relating to that employee’s health,
safety or welfare at work;
·
making
representations to the employer on the above matters and
·
carrying out inspections as appropriate (i.e.
at least quarterly) and/or after a notifiable
accident, dangerous occurrence or the contraction of a notifiable
disease, or when there are changes in the workplace which might affect the
health, safety and welfare of employees. 19. Safety
Policy Review
The
school acknowledges that the Safety Policy is a working document that includes
details of policy and procedures relating to health and safety issues.
The
school will monitor and update the Policy as appropriate and will undertake a
formal review on a bi-annual basis seeking endorsement from the Board of
Governors. Appendix
A
List
of Useful Contacts in School
Appendix B Record
Keeping
In the
previous sections reference has been made in various places to record
keeping. There follows a list of those
responsible for maintaining such records and where they are kept.
|
Health & Safety Policy as Word Document here
