S14 HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
1. Aims...............................................................................................................................................
2. Legislation......................................................................................................................................
3. Roles and responsibilities..............................................................................................................
4. Site security...................................................................................................................................
5. Fire.................................................................................................................................................
6. COSHH.........................................................................................................................................
7. Equipment.....................................................................................................................................
8. Lone working.................................................................................................................................
9. Working at height...........................................................................................................................
10. Manual handling..........................................................................................................................
11. Off-site visits/Risk Assessments ..................................................................................................
12. Lettings........................................................................................................................................
13. Violence at work..........................................................................................................................
14. Smoking......................................................................................................................................
15. Infection prevention and control..................................................................................................
16. New and expectant mothers.......................................................................................................
17. Occupational stress.....................................................................................................................
18. Accident reporting.......................................................................................................................
19. Training........................................................................................................................................
20. Inspections and Monitoring..........................................................................................................
21. Links with other policies...............................................................................................................
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1. Aims
Our school aims to:
Health & Safety is everybody's responsibility and we must all be continuously aware of our own safety and the safety of others in everything we do. It is the responsibility of all the staff to notify the Headteacher of any health & safety issues and to remain vigilant while on the school premises. We believe Health & Safety standards should enhance the potential range of activities and not curtail them.
This policy is based on advice from the Department for Education on health and safety in schools and the following legislation:
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which sets out the general duties employers have towards employees and duties relating to lettings
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, which require employers to make an assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require employers to carry out risk assessments, make arrangements to implement necessary measures, and arrange for appropriate information and training
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, which require employers to control substances that are hazardous to health
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013, which state that some accidents must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive and set out the timeframe for this and how long records of such accidents must be kept
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, which require employers to carry out digital screen equipment assessments and states users’ entitlement to an eyesight test
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, which require work on gas fittings to be carried out by someone on the Gas Safe Register
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which requires employers to take general fire precautions to ensure the safety of their staff
The Work at Height Regulations 2005, which requires employers to protect their staff from falls from height
The school follows national guidance published by Public Health England when responding to infection control issues.
3.1 The governing board
The governing board has ultimate responsibility for health and safety matters in the school, but will delegate day-to-day responsibility to the Headteacher.
The governing board has a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and pupils are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. This applies to activities on or off the school premises.
The governing board, as the employer, also has a duty to:
Assess the risks to staff and others affected by school activities in order to identify and introduce the health and safety measures necessary to manage those risks
Inform employees about risks and the measures in place to manage them
Ensure that adequate health and safety training is provided
The governor who oversees health and safety is [TBC].
3.2 Headteacher
The Headteacher is responsible for health and safety day-to-day. This involves:
Implementing the health and safety policy
Ensuring there is enough staff to safely supervise pupils
Ensuring that the school building and premises are safe and regularly inspected
Providing adequate training for school staff
Reporting to the governing board on health and safety matters
Ensuring appropriate evacuation procedures are in place and regular fire drills are held
Ensuring that in their absence, health and safety responsibilities are delegated to another member of staff
Ensuring all risk assessments are completed and reviewed
Monitoring cleaning contracts, and ensuring cleaners are appropriately trained and have access to personal protective equipment, where necessary
In the Headteacher’s absence, Deputy Headteacher assumes the above day-to-day health and safety responsibilities.
3.3 Health and safety lead
The nominated health and safety lead is Mike Cave
3.4 Staff
School staff have a duty to take care of pupils in the same way that a prudent parent would do so.
Staff will:
3.5 Pupils and parents
Pupils and parents are responsible for following the school’s health and safety advice, on-site and off-site, and for reporting any health and safety incidents to a member of staff.
3.6 Contractors
Contractors will agree health and safety practices with the Headteacher before starting work. Before work begins the contractor will provide evidence that they have completed an adequate risk assessment and Method Statements for of all their planned work.
All Contractors carrying out any works on the school must comply with Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all regulation within it
TLS Security and Kestrel Guards and Southampton City Council are responsible for the security of the school site in and out of school hours. They are responsible for visual inspections of the site, and for the intruder and fire alarm systems.
Headteacher, Site Manager and School Business Manager are key holders and will respond to an emergency.
Emergency exits, assembly points and assembly point instructions are clearly identified by safety signs and notices. Fire risk assessment of the premises will be reviewed regularly.
All staff to complete the Fire Warden course online.
Emergency evacuations are practised at least once a term.
The fire alarm is a loud continuous bell.
Fire alarm testing will take place once a term.
New staff will be trained in fire safety and all staff and pupils will be made aware of any new fire risks.
In the event of a fire:
The alarm will be raised immediately by whoever discovers the fire and emergency services contacted. Evacuation procedures will also begin immediately
Fire extinguishers may be used by staff only, and only then if staff are trained in how to operate them and are confident they can use them without putting themselves or others at risk
Staff and pupils will congregate at the assembly points. These are in Playground or RSH car park assembly points
Class teachers will take a register of pupils, which will then be checked against the attendance register of that day
The Office staff will take a register of all staff
Staff and pupils will remain outside the building until the emergency services say it is safe to re-enter
The school will have special arrangements in place for the evacuation of people with mobility needs and fire risk assessments will also pay particular attention to those with disabilities.
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)
The aim of a PEEP is to provide people with any form of special needs, who cannot be adequately protected by the standard fire safety provisions within a premise, with a similar level of safety from the effects of fire as all other occupants. (Completed SENCO)
Schools are required to control hazardous substances, which can take many forms, including:
Chemicals
Products containing chemicals
Fumes
Dusts
Vapours
Mists
Gases and asphyxiating gases
Germs that cause diseases, such as leptospirosis or legionnaires disease
Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) risk assessments are completed by Site Manager and circulated to all employees who work with hazardous substances. Staff will also be provided with protective equipment, where necessary.
Our staff use and store hazardous products in accordance with instructions on the product label. All hazardous products are kept in their original containers, with clear labelling and product information. All hazardous products are locked in cupboard.
Any hazardous products are disposed of in accordance with specific disposal procedures.
Emergency procedures, including procedures for dealing with spillages, are displayed near where hazardous products are stored and in areas where they are routinely used.
A complete list of COSSH/SYPOL risk assessments are available from - https://cms.sypol.com/
6.1 Gas safety
Installation, maintenance and repair of gas appliances and fittings will be carried out by a competent Gas Safe registered engineer
Gas pipework, appliances and flues are regularly maintained
All rooms with gas appliances are checked to ensure that they have adequate ventilation
6.2 Legionella
A water risk assessment has been completed on 31/07/2017 by Freeston Water Treatment.
Site manager is responsible for ensuring that the identified operational controls are conducted and recorded in the school’s water log book
This risk assessment will be reviewed bi-annually and when significant changes have occurred to the water system and/or building footprint
The risks from legionella are mitigated by the following: [testing the temperature checks, heating of water, disinfection of showers, etc.]
6.3 Asbestos
Staff are briefed on the hazards of asbestos, the location of any asbestos in the school and the action to take if they suspect they have disturbed it
Arrangements are in place to ensure that contractors are made aware of any asbestos on the premises and that it is not disturbed by their work
Contractors will be advised that if they discover material which they suspect could be asbestos, they will stop work immediately until the area is declared safe
A record is kept of the location of asbestos that has been found on the school site
On entering the School all Contractors must sign the asbestos log book to confirm that they are aware of the location of asbestos
All equipment and machinery is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, maintenance schedules outline when extra checks should take place
When new equipment is purchased, it is checked to ensure that it meets appropriate educational standards
All equipment is stored in the appropriate storage containers and areas. All containers are labelled with the correct hazard sign and contents
7.1 Electrical equipment
All staff are responsible for ensuring that they use and handle electrical equipment sensibly and safely
Any pupil or volunteer who handles electrical appliances does so under the supervision of the member of staff who so directs them
Any potential hazards will be reported to Site Manager and/or School Business Manager immediately
Permanently installed electrical equipment is connected through a dedicated isolator switch and adequately earthed
Only trained staff members can check plugs
Where necessary a portable appliance test (PAT) will be carried out by a competent person
All isolators switches are clearly marked to identify their machine
Electrical apparatus and connections will not be touched by wet hands and will only be used in dry conditions
Maintenance, repair, installation and disconnection work associated with permanently installed or portable electrical equipment is only carried out by a competent person
7.2 PE equipment
Pupils are taught how to carry out and set up PE equipment safely and efficiently. Staff check that equipment is set up safely
Any concerns about the condition of the gym floor or other apparatus will be reported to the Site Manager/SBM.
7.3 Display screen equipment
All staff who use computers daily as a significant part of their normal work have a display screen equipment (DSE) assessment carried out. ‘Significant’ is taken to be continuous/near continuous spells of an hour or more at a time
Staff identified as DSE users are entitled to an eyesight test for DSE use upon request, and at regular intervals thereafter, by a qualified optician (and corrective glasses provided if required specifically for DSE use)
7.4 Specialist equipment
Parents are responsible for the maintenance and safety of their children’s wheelchairs. In school, staff promote the responsible use of wheelchairs.
Oxygen cylinders are stored in a designated space, and staff are trained in the removal storage and replacement of oxygen cylinders.
Lone working may include:
Late working
Home or site visits
Weekend working
Site manager duties
Site cleaning duties
Working in a single occupancy office
Potentially dangerous activities, such as those where there is a risk of falling from height, will not be undertaken when working alone. If there are any doubts about the task to be performed then the task will be postponed until other staff members are available.
If lone working is to be undertaken, a colleague, friend or family member will be informed about where the member of staff is and when they are likely to return.
The lone worker will ensure that they are medically fit to work alone.
We will ensure that work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people with the skills, knowledge and experience to do the work.
In addition:
The Site Manager retains ladders for working at height
Pupils are prohibited from using ladders
Staff will wear appropriate footwear and clothing when using ladders
Contractors are expected to provide their own ladders for working at height
Before using a ladder, staff are expected to conduct a visual inspection to ensure its safety
Access to high levels, such as roofs, is only permitted by trained persons
It is up to individuals to determine whether they are fit to lift or move equipment and furniture. If an individual feels that to lift an item could result in injury or exacerbate an existing condition, they will ask for assistance.
The school will ensure that proper mechanical aids and lifting equipment are available in school, and that staff are trained in how to use them safely.
Staff and pupils are expected to use the following basic manual handling procedure:
Plan the lift and assess the load. If it is awkward or heavy, use a mechanical aid, such as a trolley, or ask another person to help
Take the more direct route that is clear from obstruction and is as flat as possible
Ensure the area where you plan to offload the load is clear
When lifting, bend your knees and keep your back straight, feet apart and angled out. Ensure the load is held close to the body and firmly. Lift smoothly and slowly and avoid twisting, stretching and reaching where practicable
All Staff to complete Health & Safety course online.
When taking pupils off the school premises, we will ensure that:
Risk assessments will be completed where activities require them and all visits outside the school environment have a completed formal risk assessment signed by the Educational Visits Coordinator/ Head teacher before the visit can take place. EVLOVE SYSTEM for trips is used by the School.
All off-site visits are appropriately staffed
Staff will take a school mobile phone, a portable first aid kit, information about the specific medical needs of pupils along with the parents’ contact details
There will always be at least one first aider with a current paediatric first aid certificate on school trips and visits, as required by the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.
11.1 Risk Assessments
Many aspects of school life may have implications for Health & Safety so it is important for all staff to regularly carry out risk assessments. In many situations, visual risk assessments and staff discussions are sufficient, in other situations a completed formal risk assessment is carried out.
This policy applies to lettings. Those who hire any aspect of the school site or any facilities will be made aware of the content of the school’s health and safety policy, and will have responsibility for complying with it.
We believe that staff should not be in any danger at work, and will not tolerate violent or threatening behaviour towards our staff.
All staff will report any incidents of aggression or violence (or near misses) directed to themselves to their Line Manager/Headteacher immediately. This applies to violence from pupils, visitors or other staff.
Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the school premises.
15. Infection prevention and control
We follow national guidance published by Public Health England (PHE) when responding to infection control issues. We will encourage staff and pupils to follow this good hygiene practice, outlined below, where applicable.
15.1 Handwashing
Wash hands with liquid soap and warm water, and dry with paper towels or hand dryers.
Always wash hands after using the toilet, before eating or handling food, and after handling animals
Cover all cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings
15.2 Coughing and sneezing
Cover mouth and nose with a tissue
Wash hands after using or disposing of tissues
Spitting is discouraged
15.3 Personal protective equipment
Wear disposable non-powdered vinyl or latex-free CE-marked gloves and disposable plastic aprons where there is a risk of splashing or contamination with blood/body fluids (for example, nappy or pad changing)
Wear goggles if there is a risk of splashing to the face
Use the correct personal protective equipment when handling cleaning chemicals
15.4 Cleaning of the environment
Clean the environment frequently and thoroughly
Clean the environment, including toys and equipment, frequently and thoroughly
15.5 Cleaning of blood and body fluid spillages
Clean up all spillages of blood, faeces, saliva, vomit, nasal and eye discharges immediately and wear personal protective equipment
When spillages occur, clean using a product that combines both a detergent and a disinfectant and use as per manufacturer’s instructions. Ensure it is effective against bacteria and viruses and suitable for use on the affected surface
Never use mops for cleaning up blood and body fluid spillages – use disposable paper towels and discard clinical waste as described below
Make spillage kits available for blood spills
15.6 Laundry
Wash laundry in a separate dedicated facility
Wash soiled linen separately and at the hottest wash the fabric will tolerate
Wear personal protective clothing when handling soiled linen
Bag children’s soiled clothing to be sent home, never rinse by hand
15.7 Clinical waste
Always segregate domestic and clinical waste, in accordance with local policy
Used nappies/pads, gloves, aprons and soiled dressings are stored in correct clinical waste bags in foot-operated bins
Remove clinical waste with a registered waste contractor
Remove all clinical waste bags when they are two-thirds full and store in a dedicated, secure area while awaiting collection
15.8 Animals
Wash hands before and after handling any animals
Keep animals’ living quarters clean and away from food areas
Dispose of animal waste regularly, and keep litter boxes away from pupils
Supervise pupils when playing with animals
Seek veterinary advice on animal welfare and animal health issues, and the suitability of the animal as a pet
15.9 Pupils vulnerable to infection
Some medical conditions make pupils vulnerable to infections that would rarely be serious in most children. The school will normally have been made aware of such vulnerable children. These children are particularly vulnerable to chickenpox, measles or slapped cheek disease (parvovirus B19) and, if exposed to either of these, the parent/carer will be informed promptly and further medical advice sought. Advise these children to have additional immunisations, for example for pneumococcal and influenza.
In the event of an epidemic/pandemic, we will follow advice from Public Health England about the appropriate course of action.
Risk assessments will be carried out whenever any employee or pupil notifies the school that they are pregnant.
Appropriate measures will be put in place to control risks identified. Some specific risks are summarised below:
Chickenpox can affect the pregnancy if a woman has not already had the infection. Expectant mothers should report exposure to antenatal carer and GP at any stage of exposure. Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox, so anyone who has not had chickenpox is potentially vulnerable to the infection if they have close contact with a case of shingles
If a pregnant woman comes into contact with measles or German measles (rubella), she should inform her antenatal carer and GP immediately to ensure investigation
Slapped cheek disease (parvovirus B19) can occasionally affect an unborn child. If exposed early in pregnancy (before 20 weeks), the pregnant woman should inform her antenatal care and GP as this must be investigated promptly
We are committed to promoting high levels of health and wellbeing and recognise the importance of identifying and reducing workplace stressors through risk assessment.
Systems are in place within the school for responding to individual concerns and monitoring staff workloads.
18.1 Accident recording (Green slips and/or online)
An accident form (Green slips and/or online) will be completed as soon as possible after the accident occurs by the member of staff or first aider who deals with it. (All accidents/incidents, less minor injuries to pupils are notified to the CHSS using the VHSMS – Virtual Health and Safety Management System.
As much detail as possible will be supplied when reporting an accident
Information about injuries will also be kept in the pupil’s educational record
Records held in the first aid and accident book will be retained by the school for a minimum of 3 years, in accordance with regulation 25 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and then securely disposed of.
18.2 Reporting to the Health and Safety Executive
The School Business Manager will keep a record of any accident which results in a reportable injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence as defined in the RIDDOR 2013 legislation (regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7).
The Headteacher/School Business Manager will report these to the Health and Safety Executive as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 10 days of the incident.
Reportable injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences include:
Death
Specified injuries. These are:
Injuries where an employee is away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than 7 consecutive days
Where an accident leads to someone being taken to hospital
Where something happens that does not result in an injury, but could have done
Near-miss events that do not result in an injury, but could have done. Examples of near-miss events relevant to schools include, but are not limited to:
Information on how to make a RIDDOR report is available here:
How to make a RIDDOR report, HSE
http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm
18.3 Notifying parents
The office staff will inform parents of any accident or injury sustained by a pupil, and any first aid treatment given, on the same day, or as soon as reasonably practicable.
18.4 Reporting to Ofsted and child protection agencies
The Headteacher/School Business Manager will notify Ofsted of any serious accident, illness or injury to, or death of, a pupil while in the school’s care. This will happen as soon as is reasonably practicable, and no later than 14 days after the incident.
The Headteacher/School Business Manager will also notify Southampton Safeguarding Board of any serious accident or injury to, or the death of, a pupil while in the school’s care.
Our staff are provided with health and safety training as part of their induction process and the ongoing online training.
Staff who work in high risk environments, such as in science labs or with woodwork equipment, or work with pupils with special educational needs (SEN), are given additional health and safety training.
20. Inspections and Monitoring
Daily monitoring of the premises, through working routines and staff awareness, is expected to identify general safety concerns and issues which should be immediately recorded in the maintenance log and reported to the Headteacher.
Routine documented inspections of the premises will be carried out every term in accordance with the premises inspection schedule. Defects identified during these routine documented inspections are to be immediately reported to the Headteacher.
Any identified high level risks or safety management concerns are to be actioned as soon as possible.
Periodic detailed inspections of the premises’ safety management system will be carried out every year by the Site Manager, H&S Governor and the Head teacher. These documented inspections will examine all areas of the safety management.
This health and safety policy links to the following policies:
Policy reviewed ongoing
Policy reviewed by M Grewal, SBM