Extensive workload of schoolwork on student and teachers and not having the efficient amount of breaks can cause high stress levels, blood pressure and depression. These problems can also occur if personal problems interrupt with the work and school life if these breaks from work are not given.
FIRE HAZARDOUS
Explosion of a computer
If for whatever reason a computer is caused to explode this would cause an instant fire which will put everyone within the room and building in danger.
Each of these potential unsafe working methods has to be made safe so that each employee and student have a safe working area to work securely within. An IT teacher can do this through the method of observation or through risk assessment tests which consist of making on check list of all the potential risks within a company that are dangerous or hazardous to an employee and ticking them off if they are not seen to be a risk to anyone, if however they are seen to a risk then they are seen and made secure. This would be the responsibility of the head of health and safety, a higher form of employee or the head of the company. These are absolute duties of an employee, ‘To communicate safety policy to all other employees’ and ‘Consult with employees health and safety risks’.
Task 3
WORK RELATED ILLNESS
MUSCULOSKELETAL
Musculoskeletal problems occurring with computer use may range from simple muscle fatigue or neck and back ache to cumulative trauma disorders. Cumulative trauma disorders are associated with tasks that require repetitive motions occurring over long periods of time. The two that may be experienced by keyboard users include Tenosynovitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).
Tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the sheaths through which the tendons of the fingers pass. It is caused by rapid flexing of the fingers and wrists. Symptoms are pain in the wrist and back of the hand. Tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon itself, may also be a problem for computer users.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a well-recognised health problem that can result from repeated movements involving the wrist, such as typing. The carpal tunnel is a "tunnel" under the skin of the palm side of the wrist. A nerve called the median nerve runs through this tunnel, which is formed by bones and ligaments of the wrist. Repeated motions of the wrist can inflame and narrow the carpal tunnel, which puts pressure on the median nerve and can potentially lead to nerve irritation and damage.
People affected with CTS often feel numbness and/ or tingling in the first three fingers of the hand and part of the palm. Some also experience pain in the wrist, hand, or fingers. Wrist splints and anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin often help with symptoms; however, people with severe cases of CTS may need surgery. To avoid CTS, people should use as little force as possible when using a keyboard or mouse. In other words, avoid pounding the keys on the keyboard or holding the mouse tightly.
Eye strain
Eyestrain is another common complaint in those who use computers frequently. It is thought to be due to prolonged staring at computer screens with decreased blinking. Symptoms can include burning, itching, tiredness, aching, or watering in the eyes as well as blurry vision or even altered colour perception. The eyestrain can also lead to tension headaches and some believe it may rarely lead to permanent vision problems. People who use computers for long periods of time are advised to take regular breaks from staring at the computer screen. Roughly every 15 minutes, a short break should be taken to look away from the computer screen and around the room while making a conscious effort to blink several times.
GLARE
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Direct glare is caused by bright windows or strong light sources that are in the visual field of the computer operator (i.e., a strong light shining in your face as you look at the monitor)
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Specular glare is reflection that appears on the glass surface of the display screen similar to a mirror like image
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Diffuse glare is patches of the screen that are washed out and have lost contrast due to light bouncing off the inner phosphor layer of the monitor surface, similar to washout that occurs to a television image from bright sunlight
Controls To Avoid Glare
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Keep the monitor at an angle that prevents the light source from shining on the screen and washing out characters
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Use blinds, drapes or shades to block glare from windows
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Avoid light colours clothing
- Use a micromesh antiglare filter on the screen to scatter and absorb light or use a neutral density filter to scatter and diffuse light
Visual Fatigue
Extended periods of computer use can put physical strain on the eyes in a number of ways. The following are common causes of visual fatigue:
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Staring at the screen without varying eye position or focus
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Dry eyes caused by infrequent blinking or low humidity (below 40%)
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Maintaining a viewing angle that is above the horizon (higher than if one were looking straight ahead)
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Poor image quality due to lack of contrast, a screen that is too bright or dim, flickering of the screen image, inadequate screen resolution or clarity
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Intense display colours
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Incorrect eyeglass prescription
Controls To Avoid Visual Fatigue
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Exercise the eyes by periodically focusing on objects at varying distances
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Keep the screen and document holder at the same distance from the eyes
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Practice blinking regularly
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Add moisture to the air with a steam humidifier, open pans of water or plants
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Adjust the screen height so that when seated the top line of the monitor is no higher than your eyes
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Adjust the brightness control for comfort
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Keep the screen clean
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Adjust the contrast control to make the characters distinct from the background
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Service or repair monitors that flicker or have inadequate clarity
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Consult an optometrist regarding special lenses or the use of bifocals, have regular eye examinations and indicate the distance from your eyes to the monitor
Neck and Back pain
Neck and back pain are common complaints among those who use computers frequently. If the head has to be constantly turned or the neck always flexed while using the computer, muscle strain and chronic nagging pains can result. A person should be able to most comfortably view the computer screen while his or her head is in a relaxed, neutral position. Good posture and support in the lower back are also important to avoid muscle strain or pain in the back. The mouse should be close to the body so that it can be reached with the arms and shoulders in a relaxed position.
- Pain in the neck is often caused by too much up and down or side-to-side movement of the neck, a solution is to use a document holder at the same height as the screen or attached to the screen so that it is only necessary to transfer the gaze.
- If the screen is too high. The head should be in the neutral position with the gaze at a slightly downward angle when viewing the screen.
Not taking posture breaks
Posture breaks are important to prevent overuse of one group of muscles, break up periods of keying and mouse work regularly.
Room temperature
If a room is too cold muscles can go into spasm and injury is more likely.
Overstretching
Items used most frequently should be positioned within easy reach
If the hard drive/midi tower is housed under the desk, muscles can be pulled when bending over to switch the computer on.
Painful wrists or fingers
- Painful wrists or fingers often occur when the chair is not adjusted to the correct height to allow a perfect L shape between the shoulder, elbow and wrist, if the wrists are bent up or down then the fingers are not horizontal to the keys or the mouse, the clicking finger is not horizontal to the control mechanism and the wrist is left unsupported.
- Striking the keys too hard or excessive mouse use can also cause painful fingers or by not keeping the mouse close enough to the body. Ideally a mouse should be used directly in front of the shoulder and as close to the body as possible.
Pain in the shoulders
- Pain in the shoulders can be caused by having arms on the chair that cannot be adjusted this causes the user to sit with the arms sticking out.
- Sitting at the desk with one elbow supported on the desk and the other held lower or twisting the torso to look at the monitor will also cause pain.
Pain in the knees
- Pain in the knees can be caused by the fact that when the chair has been adjusted to the correct height to allow the fingers to be horizontal to the keys, the feet are left unsupported, the solution is to purchase a footrest the small step type called (twin plus in the Lyreco catalogue are best because they do not take up much space under the desk, they can be adjusted according to the height of the person using them.)
If transcription is carried out it is better to have a large surface area on the footrest and the ability to keep this level to support the footswitch.
- Pain in the knees can also be caused by a seat that is too long resulting in pressure behind the knees.
Task 4
IMPACT OF ILL HEALTH ON SCHOOLS
When employees are injured, time off of work has to be given. This to any company or business causes great problems, as they then have to replace the employee temporarily and pay the employee on sick leave. The most common reason for absenteeism is sick leave, from injury from work. There are many working days lost due to sick leave, which brings the company with low productivity and turnover. If employee’s health is not well enough to attend the work then the work level would be low as employees are not able to carry there work as they are not well enough.
When the work place is causing injury to employees in an extent that they are not well enough to attend work then the work place should make it secure enough as there work productivity would be extremely low.
The constraints of having days off work due to health and safety injuries can be divided into the following:
- Extra cost, the company can lose out on capital as the worker is paid for having days off for illness, Sick leave. This means that the company lose out on capital and work that could have been done as well.
- Low productivity – as employees do not attend work then the productivity of the business will be low as their employees are not at work so less work is being carried out.
- Low morale of employees – if other employees are taken sick live then. Pressure on other employees would be more as their work load would be increased.
It is estimated that 13.4 million working days were lost in 2001 due to anxiety, depression or physical conditions ascribed to stress. This translates to a cost of about £800 million to employers. At an organisational level stress can result in deterioration of morale, performance and staff turnover. Sickness absence due to stress can cause a domino effect where increased workload due to sickness absence of a colleague can in turn lead to increased workload pressures and stress in other members of the team.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess the degree of stress in the work place, apply the principles of risk reduction and control and to ensure employees are trained and instructed for their job and in recognising and managing stress.
If a staff member continues to find difficulty in coping, the manager should consider redesigning the job or re-deploying the staff member to a less stressful place. The staff member will be fully involved in this process. This may require the individual to consider changing from full-time to part-time duties if this is possible, or to changing job or career within the school.
Regulation
The law imposes a responsibility on the employer to ensure safety at work for all their employees. Much of the law regarding safety in the work place can be found in the Health & Safety At Work Act 1974. Employers have to take reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work.
Failure to do so could result in criminal prosecution in the Magistrates Court or a Crown Court. Failure to ensure safe working practises could also lead to an employee suing for personal injury or in some cases the employer being prosecuted for corporate manslaughter.
Are all employees at risk?
As well as this legal responsibility, the employer also has an implied responsibility to take reasonable steps as far as they are able to ensure the health and safety of their employees is not put at risk. So an employer might be found liable for his actions or failure to act even if these are not written in law.
An employer should assess the level of risk as against the cost of eliminating that risk in deciding whether they have taken reasonable steps as far as they are able. The employer’s responsibility to the employee might include a duty to provide safe plant and machinery and safe premises, a safe system to work and competent trained and supervised staff. Certain groups of employees may require more care and supervision than others, for example disabled workers, pregnant workers, illiterate workers etc. usually the employer’s responsibility is only to his or her own employees and premises; however, the responsibility can be extended in some circumstances.
Extended responsibility examples
- Where employees from different firms are employed on the job, the main contractor will be responsible for co-ordinating the work in a safe manner and must inform all employees of possible hazards whether they are his actual employees or not.
- Where the employee is sent to work for someone else but remains employed by the same employer but an accident happens at the place where he or she has been sent to work, the responsibility may fall on the original employer.
- The employer may also have responsibility to customers or visitors who use the work place.
Information each employer should provide
It is always advisable for employers to have a written code of conduct, rules regarding training & supervision, and rules on safety procedures. This should include information on basic health and safety requirements. Leaflets and posters giving warning of hazards are always advisable.
In any event an employer must establish a health and safety policy if they employ five or more workers. Where there is a recognised trade union in the work place which has appointed a safety representative that person must be consulted when drawing up the safety policy.
Also the management of Health & Safety At Work Regulations 1992 requires an employer to carry out a risk assessment of the work place appropriate control measures.
Regulations you should know about
Any prospective employer setting up a new market business should be aware of six important regulations which came as a result of membership to the European Union and are incorporate into UK law.
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Management of Health and safety at Work Regulations 1992 places an obligation on the employer to actively carry out risks assessment of the work place and act accordingly.
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Work Place (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 deals with maintenance of the premises e.g. floors and corridors etc.
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Provision and Use of the Work Equipment Regulations 1992 deals with guarding dangerous machines.
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The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 deals with the manual handling of equipment, stocks, materials etc.
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Personal Protective Equipment Work Regulations 1992 deals with the introduction of protective clothing etc where necessary.
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The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 introduced measures to prevent repetitive strain injury, fatigue, eye problems etc. in the use of technological equipment.
Other relevant regulations include:
Working time Directive and Working Time Regulations 1998 regulates the maximum working hours for workers, (including night workers) and free health assessments to assess suitability to work particular hours. It also governs rest periods and breaks.
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 employers must notify the Health and Safety Executive or local authority about work accidents resulting in death, personal injury or sickness where an employee is off work for more than 3 days. Records must be kept of all such accidents at the workplace for at least 3 years. Accident books must be kept where an employer ten or more persons on the same premises. (If the employment is at a mine, quarry or factory, accident books must be kept regardless of the number of employees.)
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 these Regulations set out detailed requirements with regard to the design and management of certain areas of construction work and together with the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 provide for the maintenance of safe and healthy environments on construction sites.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 these place a duty on an employer to assess risks involved in work activities involving electricity, (this can even cover electrical appliances such as kettles). All such equipment must be properly maintained.
Fire Precautions (Workplace Amendment Regulations 1999 all workplaces should be inspected by the fire authority to check means of escape, firefighting equipment and warnings and a fire certificate issued. A Breach of fire certificate could lead to a prosecution of the employer or responsible manager or other staff member.
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 employers have to make adequate and appropriate provision for first aid.
Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 employers must insure against liability for injury or disease sustained by an employee in the course of their employment. The sum to be insured is not less than £5 million.
Noise At Work Regulations 1989 imposes a duty an employers to reduce risk of damage to hearing of employees from exposure to noise.
The Health & Safety Executive and the Environmental Health Departments for the local authorities are responsible for enforcing the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the various regulations.
They can provide information and guidance as well as enter premises to investigate conditions or seize and destroy harmful substances. They can also prosecute employers or serve Notices on them to improve working conditions, or in some cases serve Notices that work should stop altogether.
Under the provisions in the Employment Rights Act 1996 employees are protected from dismissal or victimisation by an employer for a health and safety related reason, (e.g. bringing to the employers attention matters connected to the work which is harmful or potentially harmful and breaches health and safety regulations).
Under the Health and safety at work Act employers must have written policy on health and safety at work which must be provided to all employees. Failure to provide such written information is an offence and carries a maximum fine of
£ 20 000 in a Magistrates Court or unlimited fine in the Crown Court.
Task 5 WELFARE PROVISION IN THE WORKPLACE
Ventilation
Workplaces such as classrooms and laboratories need to be adequately ventilated. Fresh, clean air should be drawn from a source outside the workplace, uncontaminated by discharges from flues, chimneys or other process outlets, and be circulated through the workrooms.
Ventilation should also remove and dilute warm, humid air and provide air movement which gives a sense of freshness without causing a draught. If the classroom contains process or heating equipment or other sources of dust, fumes or vapours, more fresh air will be needed to provide adequate ventilation. Windows or other openings may provide sufficient ventilation but, where necessary, mechanical ventilation systems should be provided and regularly maintained.
Temperatures in indoor workplaces
Comfort depends on air temperature, radiant heat, air movement and humidity. Individual personal preference makes it difficult to specify a thermal environment which satisfies everyone.
For workplaces where the activity is mainly sedentary, for example the classrooms, the temperature should normally be at least 16 C.
Work in hot or cold environments
The risk to the health of student’s increases as conditions move further away from those generally accepted as comfortable. Risk of heat stress arises, for example, from working in high air temperatures, exposure to high thermal radiation or high levels of humidity. Cold stress may arise, for example, from working in cold rooms’ areas and in the open air during winter. Great care needs to be taken when temporary portable appliances are brought in during extremes of hot or cold weather, particularly in mobile classrooms. Portable gas heaters, for example, can cause fire, explosion and toxic risks and their use as permanent form of heating is not recommended.
Lighting
Lighting should be sufficient to enable people to work and move about safely. Lighting and light fittings should not create any hazard. Automatic emergency lighting, powered by an independent source, should be provided where sudden loss of light would create a risk.
Cleanliness and waste materials
Every room and the furniture in the school should be kept clean and it should be possible to keep the surfaces of floors, walls and ceilings clean. Cleaning and the removal of waste should be carried out as necessary by an effective method. Waste
should be stored in suitable receptacles.
Room dimensions and space
Workrooms should have enough free space to allow people to move about with ease. The volume of the room, when empty, divided by the number of people normally working in it should be at least 11 cubic metres. All or part of a room over 3.0 m high should be counted as 3.0 m high.
Floors and traffic routes
Educational establishments have to cater for the access, aggress and movement of staff, students and visitors either as pedestrians or in vehicles arriving at or leaving the site. Floors and traffic routes should be sound and strong enough for the loads placed on them and the traffic expected to use them. The surfaces should not have holes, be uneven or slippery and should be kept free to allow for pedestrians and vehicles to circulate safety. The surface should be kept free from hazards or obstruction, which may cause a person to trip or fall.
Schools in particular have large scale movements of people and many accidents in the education sector result from trips, slips and falls in main corridors.
Falls and falling objects
The consequences of falling from heights or into dangerous substances are so serious that a high standard of protection is required. Secure fencing should be provided to prevent people falling from edges, and objects falling onto people. Where fencing cannot be provided, other measures should be taken to prevent falls.
If a person might fall two metres or more, or might fall less than two metres and risk serious injury, fencing should be at least 1100 mm high and have two guard-rails.
Transparent doors, gates or walls and windows
Windows, transparent surfaces in walls, doors and gates should, where necessary for reasons of health and safety, be made of safety material or be protected against breakage. If there is a danger of people coming into contact with it, it should be marked or incorporate features to make it apparent. Any door or gate which can be pushed open from either side should allow for a clear view of the area close to both sides. It is important to contact the Fire Authority where fire doors are involved.
The schools will need to consider whether there is a foreseeable risk of people coming into contact with glazing and being hurt. If this is the case, the glazing will need to meet the requirements of the Regulations.
Openable windows and the ability to clean them safely
Openable windows, skylights and ventilators should be capable of being opened, closed or adjusted safely and, when open, should not be dangerous.
Windows and skylights should be designed so that they may be cleaned safely. When considering if they can be cleaned safely, account may be taken of equipment used in conjunction with the window or skylight or of devices fitted to the building.
Doors and gates
Doors and gates should be suitably constructed and fitted with safety devices if necessary. Power-operated doors and gates should have safety features to prevent people being struck or trapped and, where necessary, should have a readily identifiable and accessible control switch or device so that they can be stopped quickly in an emergency.
Facilities for rest and to eat meals
They should include suitable facilities to eat meals where meals are regularly eaten in the workplace and the food would otherwise be likely to become contaminated. Seats should be provided for students to use during breaks. Schools premises have directive or standing orders covering conveniences and washing facilities. In schools staff and student provision will normally be separate. It is recommended that the numbers of facilities are increased as necessary to ensure that staff can use them without undue delay.
TASK 6 PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY
Health and Safety Responsibilities
The Health and Safety Employment Act requires all staff, students and visitors to take all reasonable steps to ensure their own safety and that of others. Staffs in positions of responsibility have a further role in fulfilling health and safety requirements.
It is important that you take appropriate steps to minimise risks to yourself and to others by acting in a safe and responsible manner. In particular you should:
- Comply with all relevant health and safety rules published by the school.
- Follow instructions from teachers in school with regard to specific health and safety matters.
- Work safely in the IT rooms, for your own sake and that of others.
- Report any significant hazards you discover immediately to a member of staff.
- Know the Fire Action Procedures (notices posted in all buildings)
- Know the First Aid Procedures (notices posted in all buildings).
Responsibilities of health and safety of staff
All staffs have a responsibility for cooperating with their employing School or department on all matters of health and safety. This includes following any verbal or written guidance, participating in risk assessment procedures, undergoing appropriate training, and ensuring that other people in the workplace are not adversely affected by their work activities. Staff should ensure that members of the public who are visiting their work area are made aware of any appropriate health and safety requirements, and that adequate procedures are in place to ensure their visitors’ safety during building evacuation, or other reasonably foreseeable emergency that may arise.
Staff can also assist management by bringing to its attention any matters of health, safety and welfare that arise during their work activities.
It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that staffs are made aware both of these individual responsibilities and of the reporting and control procedures through which they can report matters of health and safety.
All Students
Students must tolerate by all verbal and written advice relating to health and safety matters. They should not misuse or interfere with anything provided in the interests of health and safety. Students are encouraged to bring to the attention of their School any matters of health, safety and welfare that may arise during their activities at the school.
Visitors and Contractors
All visitors to the school and contractors must comply with appropriate local rules and any other instructions given to them in the interest of health and safety.
The law is intended to protect both employees and non-employees from the risks to their health and safety arising from work activities. Everyone at work has obligations and duties under health and safety law. In most schools the employer is the local authority (LEA).
Responsibility for Health and Safety in Schools
Health and Safety at Work Law
Health and safety responsibilities derive from the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations. Health and safety legislation is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Employer
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places overall responsibility for health and safety with the employer. Who this is varies with the type of school.
For community schools, community special schools, voluntary controlled schools, maintained nursery schools and pupil referral units the employer is the Local Education Authority (LEA).
For foundation schools, foundation special schools and voluntary-aided schools, the employer is usually the governing body.
For independent schools, the employer is usually the governing body or proprietor.
The Local Authority/LEA is the employer for statutory youth groups.
Education employers have duties to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable:
- The health, safety and welfare of teachers and other education staff
- The health and safety of pupils in-school and on off-site visits
- The health and safety of visitors to schools, and volunteers involved in any school activity.
Educations employers must protect both teaching and non-teaching staff (employees), and pupils, parents and other visitors (non-employees). Employers must prepare and tell their employees about their health and safety policy and arrangements. Employers must appoint competent people to help them carry out the measures needed to comply with health and safety law. Employees must be provided with comprehensible and relevant information on the significant risks of their work and measures to control those risks.
Employees
Employees have responsibilities too. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 apply to them as well.
Employees must:
- Take reasonable care of their own and others health and safety.
- Co-operate with their employers.
- Carry out activities in accordance with training and instructions.
- Inform the employer of any serious risks.
Employees must also comply with regulations on issues such as manual handling display screen equipment, and substances hazardous to health. Employees must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for that of anyone else who may be affected by what they do, or do not do at work. Thy must co-operate with their employer (and anyone else who has legal duties under health and safety) so far as is necessary to enable those legal duties to be complied with. This means that school staff should always follow the health and safety advice and instructions of their employers. They should also tell their employers about any unsafe conditions or practices.
Non-employees (for example pupils and visitors), like everyone else, must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything required by law to be provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.
Enforcement
The HSE enforces health and safety law relating to the activities of LEAs and schools.
Because the employer is responsible for health and safety in the workplace and on work activities the HSE will normally take action against the employer. However, in some circumstances, for example where an employee failed to take notice of the employers’ policy or directions in respect of health and safety, the HSE may take action against the employee as well or instead.
Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
In practice, employers may pass on specific health and safety tasks to individuals (LEAs may delegate specific tasks to schools). But the employer retains the ultimate responsibility no matter who carries out the tasks. The employer should therefore maintain an inspection track, making clear that is doing what and confirming that these tasks are being carried out.
The employer must have a health and safety policy and arrangements to implement it. Employers must assess the risks of all activities, introduce measures to manage those risks, and tell their employees about the measures.
TASK 7 AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting risks and accidents
Occupational injuries and illnesses are preventable. One of the challenges facing Mayfield is how we best go about achieving this prevention. In order to prevent injury, we all have to be able to identify potential hazards and implement risk management processes to control the risks associated with these hazards.
Reporting accidents and injuries forms a vital part of managing health and safety at school. An injury/ incident/hazard reporting system can help prevent injuries in two ways.
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Where an accident or injury has occurred, the system is used to identify the causes of the accident, and subsequently address the causes so that the same, and similar, accidents will not reoccur.
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Where a hazard is identified, the system is used to further assess and reduce the potential impact of the hazard before anyone gets hurt.
It is important to note that injury and accident reporting is required under the Occupational Health and Safety legislation.
Reporting accidents
Following an accident or dangerous occurrence an Accident Report Form must be completed giving personal details of injured person, cause and location of accident, nature and extent of injury, details of witnesses and accident reporter. A copy of the Accident Report Form must be sent to the Health and Safety Office on the next working day following the accident.
The location of the Accident Report Form book is given on the local First Aid Instruction notice.
In order to comply with statutory requirements the Health and Safety Office must be immediately informed of any accidents causing death or major injury and modifiable dangerous occurrences.
What to do in the event of an accident/injury
If an injury occurs in the school, the first priority should be ensuring that the injured person gets appropriate medical attention by contacting the medical room in the school so the person can get the first aid treatments. In all situations, steps should be taken to control all immediate threats to health and safety of anyone who might use the area. Everyone has a responsibility to do this.
If during classroom hours, or school activity, a pupil has an accident that involves them being taken to hospital for treatment then this is reportable to the HSE. If the accident happens during break time / lunch time, this is not deemed reportable as the school is not ‘at work’, unless there are management issues related to lack of supervision, failure of equipment and building conditions.
Reporting to the LEA
All accidents should be reported to the LEA. All injury accidents should be reported using the appropriate forms. Where a school/centre keeps records of minor playtime accidents in a book a copy of this should be sent to the Education Health and Safety Officer at the end of each term. This is to help the LEA identify trends of accidents and thus plan strategies to reduce their incidence where appropriate.
Risk assessments
The purpose of risk assessment is to help to determine what measures should be taken to comply with duties under the "relevant statutory provisions".
It is a legal requirement that all schools must undertake an assessment of the risks related to the regular and occasional activities of teaching and non-teaching staff, students and pupils, parents and other visitors to the school.
To meet this requirement all schools are obliged to provide a written policy concerning the health and safety at work of everyone who uses the school and covering all aspects of school life. Within the policy specific risks and hazards have to be identified and assessed, and there has to be a statement of the ways in which these problems are dealt with.
If your work involves or may involve activities or situations which could pose significant risk, the school should be consulted during the risk assessment process.
By law, records should be kept of risk assessments and you should be shown copies of or have ready access to ones which are relevant to you. Risk assessments should be reviewed at regular intervals, usually once a year, or whenever activities or situations which have been risk assessed undergo significant change and could render the existing assessments invalid. Records of general risk assessment will be kept by the deputy Head Teacher.
Slips, trips or falls, Stairs, whole site, personal injury, low risk
- Workshop leader to give clear instructions for moving up and down stairs.
- Clear signage, safety treads and handrails on steps.
- Emergency procedure: First Aid.
- Walkways to be kept clear of obstructions.
- Unused chairs to be stored away from pupils.
- Room to be cleaned and inspected daily.
- Group always under close supervision.
Bumps, slips and trips, Shops, personal injury, low risk
- Group under close adult supervision.
- Rooms to be cleaned and inspected daily by staff.
- Pupils given clear code of behaviour.
- Walkways to be kept clear of obstructions
Slips, trips or falls, toilets, personal injury, low risk
- Toilets cleaned and inspected regularly by staff.
- Procedures in place for cleaning up spillages.
- Pupils to be supervised when using the toilet.
- Pupils given clear guidelines for behaviour.
- Emergency procedure: First Aid
First Aid
Employers are responsible for the provision of appropriate first aid equipment and facilities and trained first aiders in respect of their employees - this includes schools, as they are workplaces. However, the Regulations do not oblige employers to provide first aid for anyone else. Nevertheless, HSE strongly encourages employers, which would also include schools, to consider others when carrying out their assessment of first aid needs and to make provision for them.
The school will provide and maintain suitable first aid equipment as required by law and ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staff trained in first aid. Names of first aiders and the locations of first aid equipment will be displayed at relevant locations throughout the school, including every workshop and laboratory, and are included in the appendix. Members of staff who organise any activities, including sports fixtures, and field trips, which take pupils away from school premises must consider and provide appropriate level of first aid equipment and first aiders or others with basic knowledge.
Induction training
Schools have a responsibility to provide health and safety information to staff and other school users.
Health and safety information can be provided in the following:
- Posters and signs
- Staff and student handbooks
- Induction
- Parent and community meetings
- Classroom activities
- Health and Safety Committee meetings
- Staff meetings
Training
Training is an active process of providing information and skills, and a commitment to doing things in new ways.
Health and safety training needs to ensure that staffs are provided with at least the following health and safety information:
- Managing emergencies
- Managing hazards
- Employee/employer health and safety responsibilities
- Injuries/incidents investigation and reporting responsibilities
- Identifying/recording hazards
- How to use equipment safely
Induction Processes
Induction of employees, students, visitors or contractors to the school is an important opportunity to provide health and safety information and training.
Each school needs to maintain a checklist of what is to be provided and a record must be kept of each induction.
Records
A training record needs to be maintained for each staff member and reviewed regularly to track progress on achieving health and safety competency.
Supervision
Supervision for new employees is necessary to protect themselves and others. There are two aspects of supervision; monitoring and support. Some level of formal monitoring should be provided until the staff member demonstrates competent health and safety behaviour and skills, and safety standards are being met. Support may be provided through additional information or training. Designation of responsibility for the supervision of new employees is required.
Training is also essential to raise the level of staff and student awareness on health and safety policies, procedures and practices, to ensure their effective implementation.
The health and safety training needs of staff should be assessed on appointment and on an on-going basis when new tasks and equipment are introduced, or if staff takes on a new role with increased health and safety risks or responsibilities. Training needs should also be reviewed as part of the staff development review process.
All Schools and Directorates are required to assess the health and safety risks from their work activities. This risk assessment process should be used to determine the level of staff and student health and safety competence, training and instruction, necessary for each activity, role or project.
The types of training that should be considered are outlined below.
- Induction training
All new staffs in Mayfield are provided with a structured health and safety induction to the workplace and their work.
In addition, new staffs at Mayfield are provided with a local induction by their line manager or supervisor, as soon as possible after they start work. Emergency procedures are discussed with the new staff member on their first day of work.
Risk−specific training
Staff and students at Mayfield must be aware of the specific health and safety risks associated with their work and work environment.
It should be remembered that training is just one ingredient of competence. Staff and students also need to gain experience in applying skills and knowledge, and such experience should be gained under adequate supervision.
