Design and Technology Health and Safety Policy This document was: Generated by SMT/School Staff in February 2017 Reviewed/Revised at a meeting of the Standards Committee held on 13 February 2017 Approved at a meeting of the full Governing Body held on 28 th February 2017 Review date: February 2020 Signed: Chairperson schools governing body, on behalf of the governing body Date: Signed: Headteacher Distribution: Staff, governors, pupils, parents/carers and interested parties.
GENERAL AIMS Design and technology (D/T) teaching in this school has an excellent health and safety record. The D/T department is keen to promote practical work as an essential component of good design and technology teaching and to enhance the learning experience for students. In doing so staff in the D/T department will: take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions during work be familiar with this health and safety policy by periodic reference to it, by looking out for any revisions and following its provisions cooperate with other members of staff in promoting health and safety. The design and technology coordinator maintains this document. A copy is kept on the P: drive and a reference copy, together with various appendices, is kept in the D/T Coordinator file available for consultation by staff and for inspection by visiting Health and Safety Executive inspectors or LA representatives. Rules for the Safe Use of the D/T Areas Teachers, trainee teachers and teaching assistants have a general duty to take reasonable care to ensure their own health and safety and that of other members of staff and pupils. In meeting this duty all staff using the D/T areas must: be familiar with this health and safety policy, its updates, the texts to which it refers and any appendices. co-operate with the instructions, observe the requirements of this policy and fulfil any special responsibilities it gives them. co-operate with colleagues undertaking their specific health and safety duties. report to the senior management team any failure of equipment that has a health and safety function. set a good example to pupils in the way that they practise, and be consistent with pupil workshop rules such as the wearing of eye protection and other personal protective equipment. be familiar with emergency procedures and with the layout of the D/T rooms (workshop and food technology kitchen areas). They must know the escape routes; fire-fighting equipment; the location of the main electricity switch and the location of the nearest first aid kit. ensure that eating and drinking does not take place in workshops or food preparation rooms unless there is an area specifically set aside for this purpose. not do anything which could lead to an accident requiring remedial measures; particularly while working alone in the D/T area. undertake a risk assessment before starting any practical work or using hazardous machines. not leave pupils unsupervised in any of the D/T rooms at any time.
lock the D/T rooms when they are not in use. ensure that the Design and Technology rooms are left in a safe condition at the end of each session. make special arrangements in respect of equipment that has to be left running overnight and hazardous equipment which has to be left out. The mains gas and electrical supplies in workshops should be completely turned off at the end of each school day, or after the end of the last lesson of the day held in this area; this may not be practicable in respect of the food technology rooms. All rooms must be left in a safe condition before staff vacate and lock up. Staff Working in the D/T Areas If the member of staff using the D/T area is not a D/T specialist, they must not use any of the equipment in the area. These members of staff must only use the rooms for teaching or registration. Any staff wishing to use any of the equipment in the D/T area must first undertake special training including training in how to use emergency stop buttons. Special arrangements must be made if access is required to a fire-escape route. Pupils must never be allowed into preparation rooms unless 100% supervision can be guaranteed. In this department, all staff are issued with a copy of this policy, which they should keep in their personal health and safety portfolio. A reference copy is kept in the departmental office together with any appendices. Pupil Preparation for the use of the D/T Areas At the beginning of each school year, teachers must make sure that their classes have copies of the student rules for working in the D/T room. Teachers must enforce the student rules for working in the D/T room, reminding students of them often enough for them to become familiar. Time should be spent explaining the rules to new students, with appropriate demonstrations given. Lesson preparation should be adequate and include checking on risk assessments and, where necessary, the health and safety precautions required. Time should be allowed to try out tasks, particularly those involving significant hazards.
If, because of a large class size or pupil indiscipline, health and safety cannot be maintained during practical work, the work should be modified or abandoned. The substantive class teacher is responsible for the health and safety of any of their classes taken by a trainee teacher. Teachers should ensure that students have been adequately trained to use D/T equipment and a record kept of this training (e.g. in the teacher s mark book, folder or database or by giving the pupils a certificate of achievement). HEALTH AND SAFETY ROLES Headteacher The task of overseeing health and safety across the school has been delegated to the Head Teacher. The headteacher will address any matters raised by or through any Health and Safety representative in a manner appropriate to the level of risk. To ensure budget provision for resources and materials To ensure budget provision for staff training D/T Co-ordinator The D/T co-ordinator is responsible for: health and safety within the D/T areas maintaining this policy document, monitoring its implementation and recording the monitoring undertaken the communication of health and safety information to staff ensuring that adequate, appropriate staff training is provided maintaining the risk assessment files relating to equipment and projects ensuring that any portable electrical equipment used in the D/T area is tested in line with LA regulations. The design technology coordinator will cooperate with any health and safety representative to promote health, safety and welfare. TRAINING Training is organised/facilitated by the D/T Coordinator and CPD Coordinator. Generally, this department follows guidance in BS 4163:2007 Health and safety for design and technology in schools and similar establishments Code of practice (page 4 section 2.6) in respect of the training needs of staff.
Staff may not use any item of equipment or machinery if they have not received formal training to do so. There must be documented evidence of training, e.g. a certificate of attendance at a training course. Staff should update their competences every five years. Trainee teachers who are following a recognised teacher training course in D/T should be supervised by a qualified teacher at all times when they are engaged in practical work. This also applies to people following a Graduate or Registered Teacher programme. Such trainees may use machines and may show pupils how to use machines as part of the lessons that they are teaching provided that appropriate supervision is maintained. Records of the training received by members of the school staff are kept in the Safety Check File. The safety check file is maintained by the DT coordinator. RISK ASSESSMENTS Risk assessments for all equipment are kept in the D/T Coordinator file. Risk assessments for all D/T projects are kept in the D/T Scheme of Work file. Checklists on equipment and machines for annual inspection are customised from those suggested in CLEAPSS Guide L254 Health and Safety Maintenance of D&T Workshop Equipment. The timetable for such checks is kept with the reference copy of this policy. Records of these checks are kept in the Safety Check File. EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES Any loose wires sighted at cable entrance to a plug, calls for a stop on using that plug until corrected. Cables must be anchored by the strap inside the plug. Report of heat in a cable, plug or socket calls for the immediate shut down of apparatus and removal of plug and no further use until checked by an electrician. An annual safety check on all portable electrical items is to be made. The DT teacher has been trained to carry out a quick visual inspection before using equipment that is subject to arduous use. Such equipment includes soldering irons, portable mains powered tools and the leads and foot controls of sewing machines All staff selecting equipment for purchase will check that it is safe and suitable for the intended purpose (to comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations).
Equipment sourced from specialist educational equipment suppliers is accepted as meeting the regulations but all other equipment, including gifts, are treated with caution and carefully assessed. Any user who discovers a hazardous defect in an item of equipment must report it, both verbally and in writing (email), to the D/T Coordinator. If the item cannot be repaired it must then be deemed obsolete and disposed of safely. All staff in the department must use all guards and other safety devices on machines and other equipment at all times. Under no circumstances should any guard or other safety device be removed or not used to enable a task to be done. Any operation, which cannot be done with guards and other safety devices in place, must not be done. If the guards are faulty, a notice advising of the fault must be placed on the machine and it must not be used. Protective Equipment The school provides eye protection, gloves, overalls and aprons for employees where the risk assessment requires them in line with the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations. The school provides eye protection for pupils / students and visitors. The condition of the eye protection is checked regularly (see section 3.3, Monitoring and checking). All staff and students must wear eye protection when using any machine or when soldering using soldering irons. Eye protection should also be used for any other operation where the risk assessment shows it is required. Safety spectacles are provided for general use, with a set of goggles or face shields to be used whenever the risk assessment requires them. Goggles or face shields, to chemical-splash standard, are to be worn whenever there is a risk to the eyes. Overall coats and aprons are supplied and laundered by the school. ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES Manual handling and working at height In line with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations all regular operations involving the lifting or carrying of equipment, such as pushing trolleys, will be assessed to see if they may give rise to risks of injury. This assessment will be carried out by the D/T Coordinator and Manual Handling Coordinator.
Occasional (i.e., one-off) manual-handling operations will be assessed by the staff member(s) before attempting them. Any problems identified will be reported to the D/T Coordinator and/or the Manual Handling Coordinator. Nothing is to be stored or displayed above head height (as a matter of course). Following risk assessments undertaken in line with the Work at Height Regulations, if it proves impossible to avoid storage or display above head height, only lightweight and rarely used items are to be stored/displayed at this level. Glass or other fragile items are never stored above head height. When displaying items at a high level or fetching or replacing items stored at a high level, step ladders or kick stools are to be used. Staff must not climb onto classroom stools or benches for the purpose of putting up a display or retrieving equipment. Room Safety Access to D/T teaching rooms will be controlled to comply with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The D/T workshop is to be kept locked unless it is in use. All teaching rooms which are left open are to be cleared of all hazards and all services are to be shut off. No class is allowed to work or be in a D/T room without adequate supervision /supervision by a qualified D/T teacher who is familiar with the departmental safety procedures. All D/T areas are to be made safe for cleaners or contractors to work in before these persons are allowed to proceed. Maintenance of equipment When maintenance of equipment is carried out, all staff must follow the guidelines contained in the CLEAPSS document L254 Health and Safety Maintenance of D and T Workshop Equipment. This is kept in the D/T Coordinator file. In particular, machines must be isolated from the power supply and the fuses removed or the isolator locked off. A notice stating that the machine is under maintenance should be fixed to the machine. A risk assessment of the hazards involved in the task should be carried out before the work is started.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES Fire D/T staff will follow the normal school procedures in case of the fire alarm being sounded. All D/T staff are trained to deal with minor fires that may occur when food is being cooked or heat treatment areas are in use. See section 10 for the name of the staff member currently responsible for this function. Spills Spills are dealt with using damp cloths or paper towels. Injury and Reporting procedures D/T staff will follow the normal school procedures in cases that require first aid. Injuries or suspected injuries to a pupil or a member of staff, dangerous occurrences and instances of damage or theft will be reported using the standard school procedures. All incidents must be entered in the school accident book.
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY ROOM RULES FOR STUDENTS The rules for students during D/T lessons are as follows: Personal Safety: 1. Always wait for permission before entering a class and enter in a quiet, orderly manner. 2. Always walk in the workshop, never run. 3. Always pass things, never throw them. 4. Shouting and other fooling around is absolutely forbidden. 5. Keep work area and floor area clear, with bags and coats well out of the way. 6. Always listen to the teacher and watch demonstrations carefully. 7. Only touch or use tools, equipment, machines and materials when told to do so by the teacher/teaching assistant. 8. Always stand up when doing practical work so that you can quickly move out of the way if you need to. 9. Always tidy away your tools when you have finished with them and clean your work area. REMEMBER NEVER blow sawdust, brush it on to the floor and sweep it up. 10. Stacked stools must never be climbed. 11. Never remove anything from the D/T room. 12. Always wash your hands at the end of a practical lesson. 13. Always leave the room in a quiet, orderly manner. Machine Safety: 1. Always wait for instructions before using a machine. 2. Always wait for permission before using machines. 3. Only ONE person on a machine at a time. 4. Always make sure there is no one next to you when on a machine. 5. Always wear protective clothing. 6. Always wear goggles when using a machine and keep them on until finished with machine. 7. Always stand back when someone is using a machine and NEVER distract him or her
Clothing Safety: 1. Always wear aprons to protect yourself and your clothes. 2. Wear only rubber soled non-slip shoes; no high heels, bare feet or flipflops 3. Tie long hair back. 4. Remove all jewellery. 5. Hoodies should not be worn in practical lessons. 6. Roll up your sleeves. Safe basic tool use: 1. Do not distract a person using tools concentration is key. 2. Use care and common sense when using sharp tools the blade or bit is to be kept pointing down at all times and keep hands and fingers behind any tool s cutting edge. 3. Unplug tool when not in use. 4. Basic rule of thumb is that one thing moves and that thing is the blade/bit therefore all stock materials must be properly clamped or held securely in a vice. 5. Use tools only for the purpose for which they are intended. Breaking or damaging tools and blades as a result of misuse will not be tolerated. 6. All adjustments to a machine must be done with the power disconnected (unplugged) by teacher. 7. Pass tools properly from hand to hand, don t throw or slide. 8. Report any faulty, damaged / defective or mislaid tools to teacher. In the event of a fire/fire drill: 1. Turn off your machine and unplug portable tools (glue guns, etc.) 2. Put down your tools safely and leave your projects and personal belongings. 3. The teacher will be the last person to leave the room and will shut down the power and close the door. Equal Opportunities The school operates a policy of equality for all pupils regardless of gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs or culture. All staff at Ysgol Ty Coch take account of each pupil s
learning styles/needs and their development and wellbeing; and how these are affected by a range of social, religious, ethnic, gender, cultural and linguistic differences. Pupils identified as Looked After Children (LAC), More Able and Talented (MAT) and those on the child protection register are supported in line with their particular needs to afford them equal access to the curriculum. Safeguarding The Safeguarding of pupils is of paramount importance. The school understands its duty to keep learners safe and adheres to the PREVENT agenda and broader safeguarding guidelines. Regular and well planned lessons are taught in e-safety and Sex and Relationship education to ensure our pupils are given the very best advice on how to keep themselves safe. Literacy skills are integral to this understanding. Rights Respecting Schools As a Rights Respecting School, we aim to embed children s human rights in our ethos and school culture. We base our practice on the principles of equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation. Working within these principles not only empowers our children and young people, but also leads to enhanced learning, improved standards and better relationships. Links to Other Policies This Design Technology Department Health and Safety Policy should be read in conjunction with: the Local Authority s (LA) and school s governing body s Health and Safety Policies and the detailed arrangements for implementing those policies in this school Design and Technology Policy Design and Technology Risk Assessment Health and Safety Policy Lone working Policy Safeguarding Policy