ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY SCHOOL

Policy Statement

The Headteacher, Governors and staff at this school are committed to providing high standards of health and safety for all users of the school.

As a school, our educational priorities aim to:-

• encourage all pupils to achieve their full academic and social potential;
• provide pupils with the skills and experience which will ensure that the widest possible range of choices are open to them in their future lives;
• provide a sense of community in which individuals feel valued and are actively encouraged to value, respect and help others;
• create an atmosphere in which students enjoy and take pride in their achievements.

These aims are incorporated in our Vision Statement:

[Insert Vision Statement]

These educational and social priorities can only be fully realised within a physical environment that is both a safe and healthy place to work. This in turn can only be brought about by the dedicated co-operation of all within the school. Health and safety at this school is an area where Governors, the Headteacher, staff, safety representatives and parents share common objectives. It is vital that we all understand each other’s duties, functions and responsibilities as well as our own because it is only by the co-operation and teamwork of everyone involved that health and safety objectives in school can be achieved.

Aims

• To ensure that the school is always a safe and healthy place in which to work.
• To provide plant, equipment, resources and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health
• To raise awareness among all users of the school as to their responsibility for themselves and others.
• To provide sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to enable all employees, authorised volunteers and third party users to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own health and safety at work
• To ensure the dissemination of all relevant information from advisory bodies to the correct user[s].
• To regularly monitor and review safety procedures throughout the school.
• To create and update a central file containing relevant health and safety information

This safety policy will be reviewed and updated regularly

Responsibilities

1. Overall responsibility for the management of health and safety in the school is that of

2. Responsibility for the following areas is that of

General Responsibilities

The Governors will:

• Ensure that adequate funding is provided from the school budget to enable the school to be organised and run in a safe and healthy manner.
• Deal with any health and safety problems brought to them by the Head Teacher, staff or parents, through their termly meetings or any emergency meetings, which may be called due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Ensure that the school’s Health and Safety Policy is brought to the attention of all staff and implemented in school.
• Review and revise the Health and Safety policy at regular intervals
• Confirm compliance with statutory and Local Authority policies and procedures and monitor health and safety management within school
• Ensure that appropriate risk assessments have been carried out
• Ensure that all members of staff receive appropriate training.
• Ensure that the Headteacher has an appropriate workload in support of a reasonable work/life balance
• Ensure adequate consultation takes place to allow everyone to contribute to safe working. This will be done in the following way:
  
  

  [Insert method]

The Headteacher will:

• Take overall responsibility for day to day management of health and safety issues
• Ensure that health and safety is incorporated into the planning and organisation of all school functions.
• Ensure that suitable and sufficient assessments of hazards and risks to staff members, pupils and other visitors and users of the school are carried out. Further, to act upon those assessments in order to reduce risk.
• Attend health and safety training courses as appropriate.
• Ensure the provision of adequate training, communication, instruction and supervision for all members of staff (including supply staff and volunteers).
• Provide necessary information to staff members and their representatives on health and safety matters.
• Ensure that staff members who are delegated to carry out particular tasks are competent and fully aware of their responsibilities.
• Ensure staff members have an appropriate workload in support of a reasonable work/life balance.
• Investigate any accidents or near misses and bring these, along with any other health and safety problems, to the attention of staff and the governors.
• Ensure adequate consultation and communication takes place to allow everyone to contribute to safe working. This will be done in the following way:
  
  

  [Insert method]

All Staff Members will:

• Ensure that they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities, co-operate with the school’s policies and procedures and follow any guidance, policies and procedures issued by the Governors.
• Ensure that safe working practices are adopted at all times and comply with the findings/other outcomes of risk assessments, whether in school, on school business or on educational visits.
• Attend health and safety training courses as appropriate.
• Undertake relevant risk assessments and share findings and preventative measures with all appropriate stakeholders.
• Bring to the attention of the Headteacher information about accidents, near misses, dangerous equipment or situations which may occur whilst in school or on educational visits.
• Report to the Headteacher any problems that they feel that they cannot deal with themselves.
• Take responsibility to do what they can to take care of themselves, their colleagues, pupils and visitors. In particular employees should co-operate with the health and safety policy of their employer.

School Health and Safety Representative

The Governing Body and Headteacher recognise the role of Safety Representatives. Safety Representatives will be allowed appropriate paid time off to enable them to fulfil their duties.

The school communicates and consults with safety representatives on a regular basis about health and safety matters and offer facilities to enable them to investigate workplace accidents and employee complaints and to carry out periodic health and safety inspections.

General Arrangements to Keep People Safe

The following people have attended training in the permission to work scheme

4. Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used for many years in the construction of buildings and in many products. It was used mainly because of its fire proofing and insulation qualities.

An Asbestos Management survey is shared with all members of staff. Staff are aware that, provided that the asbestos is in good condition and is not disturbed or damaged, there is no risk to individuals. However, if it becomes damaged or disturbed, it can become a danger to health as asbestos fibres can become released into the atmosphere and therefore fibres can be inhaled.

All documentation relating to asbestos is kept:

NB. The location of the register is important, as it must be readily available to all who need to consult and sign it.

The following people have attended Asbestos training

5. Legionella Risk Management

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia. It is an uncommon, but serious disease.

Legionnaires disease can be caught by inhaling small droplets of water suspended in the air which contain the Legionella bacterium.

Legionnaires' disease does not spread from person to person.

A full Legionella audit of the school has been shared with all members of staff. Key members of staff have a role to play in ensuring that the findings of the audit are actioned and making sure that regular monitoring is carried out on site

The following people have a role to play in ensuring the procedure in place for managing Legionella issues:

The following people have attended Legionella training

6. Dealing with accidents

Even in a safety conscious school, accidents may still occur.

All accidents involving staff, pupils or visitors will be recorded and investigated, as appropriate to find out what happened and how any similar incident can be avoided. Copies of accident report forms are recorded under Riddor if needed and are available for viewing upon request.

The following people have responsibilities for:

7. First Aid

The school will follow the statutory requirement for first aid equipment and provide suitably trained first aid staff. Where there are young children on site, for example, Nursery and Breakfast and After School clubs, key members of staff hold an additional paediatric first aid certificate.

There are sufficient paediatric first aiders to ensure cover on all off site activities involving young children.

The school risk assessment identifies the actual number of first aiders required.

As a rough guide the recommendation is one first aider for every 100 people on site. This is usually made up of two fully qualified first aiders, with the remainder holding the one day emergency first aid certificate)

The following people hold a relevant first aid qualification.

The following people have responsibilities for:

8. Electricity

Electricity has the potential to cause serious harm, or even death and is treated as a priority with regard to maintenance and repair. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 requires that all electrical systems and appliances are periodically inspected and maintained.

The visual checking, maintenance and repair of portable and transportable electrical equipment is the responsibility of the school.

Fixed installations i.e. sockets, light fittings and general wiring throughout the school will be tested at least every five years by a competent electrician.

The following people have responsibilities for:

9. Gas

Under the Gas (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994, there is a requirement for all gas appliances (central heating boilers, gas water heaters etc) to be checked, serviced and maintained by a competent (Gas Safe) contractor on an annual basis.

The following people have responsibilities for:

10. Substances

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations requires that an assessment to be made of the work processes involving the use of substances that are hazardous to health.

The school ensures that all substances that fall within the COSHH regulations are kept to a minimum and are stored safely and securely out of reach of children. Hazard data sheets are available for all substances and a documented risk assessment is available for all work processes

The following people have responsibilities for:

11. Educational Visits and Off-site Activities

The school complies with Local Authority guidance on educational visits. Plans for all off site visits are reported to the Governors on a regular basis. Specific approval is given by Governors for all residential visits and visits abroad.

The named Educational Visits co-ordinator has received the appropriate Local Authority training and is responsible for:

• Supporting the Headteacher when approving educational visits
• Assessing the competency of leaders and other adults on the visit
• Ensuring that all members of staff receive induction training in the schools process for educational visits
• Helping and supporting members of staff with the planning of educational visits including help with risk assessments

The following people have responsibilities for:

12. Medical Needs

In September 2014 a new duty was introduced for Governing Bodies to support pupils at schools with medical conditions. The school recognises that children with medical needs have the same right of admission to a school setting as other children.

There is a clearly-documented policy in place in school for dealing with medication and medical needs of children and this has been communicated to all staff. Some members of staff have received specific training to enable them to administer medication.

The following people can administer medicines and have received relevant training:

13. Curriculum Safety

All teachers are aware of and familiar with the need to carry out risk assessments in their own areas of work. They must ensure that they are aware of the risks which might arise from the tools, equipment, materials and processes that they plan for children to use. All guidance material from CLEAPSS (Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services), DATA (Design and Technology Association) and AfPE (Association for Physical Education – formerly BAALPE) are available for staff.

The Governors and Headteacher have responsibility for making sure that staff are competent and attend training as appropriate.

14. Work Experience

The school’s Work Experience Co-ordinators will ensure that there is clear communication and co-ordination between placement providers, students and parents. All work experience placements will be vetted by a competent person and the co-ordinator will ensure that specific risk assessments and on-site monitoring of placements have been carried out.

15. Staff Wellbeing and Stress

The health and wellbeing of all members of our staff is considered as part of the school’s risk assessment process. All members of staff have the opportunity to contribute to the school’s stress risk assessment. This is reviewed periodically and the findings shared with staff.

16. Monitoring and Review

Measuring health and safety performance is important in order to monitor the effectiveness of risk control in school. The arrangements that have been put into place will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they remain effective. Monitoring will include checking that where responsibilities are delegated, individuals clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Management information, which includes both active and reactive data, will also be considered to improve performance.

Useful Contacts

The Health and Safety Consultants

Contact details: 0114 2734082 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Occupational Health Team

Contact details: 0114 2930913

Useful Websites

• Schoolpoint
• Technology Forge
• www.hse.gov.uk

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