NEW ROAD PRIMARY SCHOOL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY 1
Contents 1. Statement of Intent 2. Responsibilities 3. Accidents and First Aid 4. Blood Spillages 5. Medicines in School 6. Fire Safety 7. Advice and Consultancy 8. Training 9. Contractors, Visitors and School Security 10. Lettings 11. Housekeeping and Premises 12. COSHH 13. Asbestos 14. Manual Handling 15. Lone Working 16. Machinery and Equipment 17. School Transport 18. Vehicles on site 19. Violence to staff 20. Staff well being/stress 21. School Visits 22. Other Important Hazards 2
23. Risk Assessments Statement of Intent The Head Teacher and Governors of New Road School are committed to establishing and implementing arrangements which will ensure that staff and pupils will be safeguarded whilst on school business, and that the school premises are safe for visitors, as well as pupils and staff. It is the intention of the Governors and the Headteacher that the established policies and procedures issued by Medway LA shall be followed and developed locally to meet the needs of the school, as set down in this policy statement. The aim is to ensure that health and safety becomes an integral part of school activities. To provide and maintain a safe working environment. To promote a strong health and safety culture. This policy shall be reviewed regularly by the governing body. Responsibilities 1. Overall and final responsibility for Health and Safety in the school is that of the Head Teacher. 2. The Head Teacher is responsible for this policy being carried out at the premises at New Road School. The Deputy Head Teacher will be responsible in Head Teacher s absence. 3. All members of the teaching staff are responsible for safety in their classrooms, corridors, hall and on the playground whilst they are working with the children. 4. All employees have the responsibility to co-operate to achieve a healthy and safe workplace and to take reasonable care of themselves and others. 5. Whenever an employee notices a health and safety problem which they are not able to put right, they must immediately tell Mrs Payne and note it in the Site Log Book kept in the office. Consultation between management and employees is provided by occasional staff meetings as necessary. 6. The Business Manager and Caretaker will carry out regular inspections. All accidents to staff or serious accidents to pupils, visitors and parents will be investigated. The Head Teacher will investigate serious accidents. 3
The caretaker will be responsible for monitoring the maintenance of plant and equipment. 7. A No Smoking Policy operates in the school buildings and grounds. No member of staff, parent or governor may smoke in the school buildings or anywhere on the school site. This will also include e-cigarettes. Accidents and First Aid 1. There are four first aid boxes with accident books located as follows: Junior box next to the sink area in the KS2 corridor Infants box above the sink in the KS1 corridor Foundation box in the Foundation Stage kitchen area and in the cupboard Office in the drawer at the front of the office The appointed person responsible for keeping the boxes stocked is Mrs. Jackie Holt. 2. There are three qualified first aiders at work on site: Jackie Holt Kate Haines Sandra Payne In addition, other staff have attended a Paediatric First Aid courses to ensure we are legally compliant. 3. Minor accidents by pupils or adults i.e. bumped knees, grazes etc are recorded in the accident books kept with each first aid box by whoever deals with the injury. In the case of any minor head injury the child shall be sent home with a letter explaining the nature of the injury. 4. Minor injuries during play activities in the playground deriving from collisions, slips or falls are not reportable unless they are attributable to: The condition of the premises e.g. pot holes, ice, damaged or worn steps, etc Plant or equipment on the school premises Lack of proper supervision 5. More serious accidents are still recorded in the accident books but also taken to a qualified first aider, who, if still concerned, shall report to a member of the Senior Management Team. 6. A member of the Senior Management Team shall then make a final decision to the appropriate action. 4
7. Fatal and major injuries to pupils on school premises during school hours will be reported to the Health and Safety Executive if required and recorded in the accident book in the office. An investigation form will also be completed. 8. All serious injuries to pupils, parents or visitors must be recorded in the accident book in the office. An investigation will be carried out and a HSE form completed and a report to be sent with the accident form to Health and Safety at Medway. 9. Fatal and major injuries occurring on school sponsored or controlled activities (such as field trips, sporting events or holidays in the UK or aboard) must reported if the accident arose out of or in connection with these activities. 10. There are legal obligations to report any accident to an employee resulting in a fatal, major injury or where the employee is incapacitated from his/her normal work for seven consecutive days (excluding the day of the accident). For fatal or major injuries contact the HSE as soon as possible. 11. Any accident to a member of staff must be recorded in the accident book in the office and an investigation will take place. It is important to keep records of all accidents causing injury, dangerous occurrences and occurrences of reportable diseases. The accident investigation procedure is an important part of Medway Council s accident prevention strategy and hence all accidents must be reported to Medway Council. An incident investigation form must also be completed and returned to the LA within the time scale. Blood Spillages Staff who undertake messy jobs, which may involve regular contact with blood, urine, faeces, vomit or other bodily fluids should wear disposable plastic gloves and aprons. Spillages of blood, urine, faeces, vomit etc should be cleaned up as quickly as possible using a Bodily Fluid Disposal kit. Afterwards, the affected area should be thoroughly rinsed with water and an anti bacterial cleaner. Bodily fluid disposal kits should be disposed of using the yellow bin in the disabled toilet by the office. Medicines in School All medicines are to be kept in the school office. Only those prescribed by a doctor and that would be needed in an emergency situation or medication which has a stabilizing effect in children with behavioural syndrome are allowed in school. Asthma inhalers for Key Stage 1 or 2 are kept in the school 5
office and Foundation Stage pupil s asthma inhalers are kept in the Foundation Stage cupboard. Children who use them are allowed access at any time supervised by the First Aider. Children s inhalers will be taken on all school trips or visits, and will be kept by a member of staff. All medication must be in the boxes issued upon prescription with the child s name, date of issue and expiry date. No medication should be given without the completion of a consent form signed by parent/carer. If a parent has stated that their child has asthma then a named pump should be in school at all times, however the school has emergency pumps in school should they be needed. Fire Safety Action 1. ESCAPE ROUTES Mr. Hopper, the caretaker, checks all the escape routes each morning and afternoon. 2. FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Mr. Hopper also checks that all extinguishers are undamaged and in the correct location daily. 3. MAINTENANCE COMPANY Inspection services maintain the extinguishers on an annual basis. 4. FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS These are checked weekly by Mr. Hopper and quarterly by qualified contractor. 5. FIRE DRILLS Fire drills are held three times a year and details entered into a fire drill book which is kept in the school office. On hearing the alarm staff and pupils should evacuate through the exterior classroom doors. In the event of these being blocked teachers should tell their children to evacuate through the nearest available exit. The fire assembly point is the Junior Playground. The Business Manager or another member of the office staff will bring the registers, the pupil Signing In/Out book, Visitors Books Fire Aid Box and Grab bag outside. Each teacher will then call their register, reporting any missing 6
children to the Head Teacher immediately. The office staff will ensure that any visitors have also evacuated the building. Sufficient staff will be trained as fire wardens to cover all areas of the school. 6. RISK ASSESSMENT Risk assessments are carried out regularly including Fire Safety and action plans drawn up as necessary. Advice and Consultancy Advice can be obtained from Medway Council s Health and Safety Officer, based at Gun Wharf, and Medway Council s Health and Safety Co-ordinator. Training The Head Teacher is responsible for ensuring members of staff on appropriate training for health and safety. Contractors, Visitors and School Security Entry to the school is via a key pad entry system. The doors by the main entrance, the Key Stage 1 entrance, the Key Stage 2 entrance and the Community Building each have their own four digit code, to be changed should it be suspected that the code is known to an unauthorised party. All visitors to the school must report to the school office. If visitors are remaining in the school building (i.e. to perform maintenance tasks or work with children) they must sign the visitors book where they will be issued with a badge. This also applies to parent helpers. Any strangers in the buildings without a badge should be challenged and reported to a member of SLT. All visitors should sign out when they leave. All contractors working on the site should make themselves known by reporting to the school office or caretaker. All contractors working on site during term time, who will come into close contact with pupils, must produce valid CRB checks. During holiday times and school closures contractors will report to the caretaker. Where necessary rules, hazards and risks will be explained to visitors and contractors. 7
All work by contractors must be pre arranged so that the necessary arrangements can be made. Where practical, work should take place when the children are not in school. If this cannot be avoided the area where the work is taking place will be made inaccessible to pupils. Safe systems of work will be arranged to ensure that works undertaken within occupied areas of the premises are adequately controlled. Where major work is being carried out, a meeting will be arranged between the school, contractor and LA to agree appropriate methods of working, i.e. the timings of deliveries, or use of equipment. The site supervisor will meet with the Head Teacher or Business Manager on a regular basis to inform her of the proposed work for the day and possible safety issues. Staff will be informed of anything of which they need to be aware. Lettings The Governors must ensure that hirers are in possession of underwritten liability insurance to cover the activities for which the school facilities are being let. They must ensure that the hirers of the building are briefed about the location of the telephone, fire escape routes, fire alarms and fire fighting equipment, and that they have a mobile telephone on site. Notices regarding emergency procedures will be prominently displayed, and fire escape routes and exits are clearly marked for the benefit of unfamiliar users of the building, particularly during the hours of darkness. The means of access and exit are to be safe for the use of hirers. Arrangements will be made for Mr Hopper, the caretaker, to check the security and condition of the premises and equipment used after vacation by the hirer. Housekeeping and Premises All members of staff share a joint responsibility for the cleanliness of the area in which they work. This means that they should demonstrate very high standards of cleanliness themselves and demand the same high standards of their charges. The caretaker is responsible for the daily inspection of cleanliness and safety of the school. All members of staff are responsible for the disposal of waste in their areas. There are bins in every room. The caretaker is responsible for supervising the safe disposal of all waste produced. Wherever chairs are stacked they should be no higher than in sets of eight. All passage ways, entrances and exits should be clearly marked and kept clear at 8
all times. The school will ensure that the school grounds will be regularly inspected for any issues that might give cause for concern. The caretaker will clear rubbish, litter etc from the grounds regularly and will sweep playgrounds. The caretaker will also clear snow and ice and make safe the paths in the event of bad weather. The Head Teacher will also look at the school grounds as part of the monitoring visits. The school grounds will continue to be assessed to ensure they are fully inclusive and accessible to all members of the school community. COSHH Every attempt will be made to avoid the use of substances which come within the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH 1994) regulations. Care will be taken in ordering supplies and contractors will be asked to refrain from their use. Where such materials must be used, only the smallest practicable quantities will be brought on to the site, where they will be stored securely. If the substances have been brought on to site for a one off purpose, any remaining quantities will be removed from site as quickly as possible and disposed of safely. Such substances are stored under lock and key in the caretaker s or cleaners cupboards and are marked with the appropriate hazard signs. These substances are only used under the supervision of the caretaker and after the children have left the premises. No chemicals are ever mixed together. Fresh air spray cans are used in the toilets; spares are stored under lock and key in the caretaker s stock cupboard. Empty cans are disposed of by the caretaker, ensuring they are not pierced. COSHH training will be undertaken where necessary. Asbestos A management plan for asbestos will be carried out regularly in conjunction with Medway. Measures will be taken to minimize risk from materials containing asbestos on the school s premises. Regular monitoring will take place. The school will maintain a safe and healthy environment by complying with all regulations concerning the control of asbestos. 9
Contractors on site will be made aware of asbestos on site when necessary. Remove material containing asbestos will be by registered companies only. Manual Handling Any activities that involve significant manual handling tasks shall be risk assessed and training will be provided for all staff. Manual handling information sheets are displayed in the staffroom, Foundation Stage kitchen and the Community Building. Lone Working Line managers will ensure that lone working is risk assessed and that appropriate control measures are put in place to mitigate those risks. Solutions might include the provision of mobile phones, radios, etc. Staff themselves have a responsibility to ensure their own health and safety and assist in the operation of any systems designed to provide for their safety. Machinery and Equipment The Headteacher must ensure that staff are adequately trained, competent and use any machinery for the purpose for which it was designed. PAT checks are made on all electrical equipment which is then tagged to show that it passed the safety standards. An inventory is kept of all tagged equipment. Equipment from home should not be used unless this has also undergone PAT testing. Staff will make a visual check of all electrical equipment, especially plugs, prior to use. Any faulty equipment should be reported immediately. Staff must not attempt repairs. All cables and wires must be covered or secured to reduce any possibility of trip hazards. All employees who are classified as users of display screen equipment will have an assessment made of the workstations. 10
Annual checks to boilers are carried out by a qualified provider and gas certificates issued. Gas and electrical checks of the kitchen equipment will also be carried out annually. The school will try and ensure that all glass conforms to safety standards. School Transport The Head Teacher is responsible, in conjunction with the driver, for ensuring that vehicles hired by the school are operated in accordance with the law. Employees who are required to use their private vehicles for official business are personally responsible, ensuring that the driver has a valid licence and appropriate insurance and that the vehicle is in a road worthy condition and fitted with suitable seat belts and/or suitable seating for each passenger. Risk assessments will be carried out with regard to all transport. Vehicles on Site Measures are in place to ensure that pedestrian access and vehicular access are through different entrances. Parents/Carers should not use the staff car park. A disabled parking space is clearly marked. Violence to Staff Where necessary risk assessments will be carried out with regard to violence to staff and appropriate control measures put in place. Staff must report all incidents of violence and aggression in the same manner as accidents. Staff Well Being /Stress Managers will include workplace stress as part of the risk assessment process identifying areas of concern and implement appropriate control measures as so far as reasonably practicable. Where workplace stress arises, managers will deal with the issue in a sensitive and constructive manner using all available means within LA to manage stress and assist staff. Training on recognizing stress and dealing with it is available online. 11
Where appropriate Occupational health services will be consulted and a meeting arranged. School Visits A successful visit depends on advance planning and careful organisation. Visits should enhance work being carried out as part of a class topic or be related to the National Curriculum. Please consult with Educational Visits Co-ordinator for further advice and all relevant paperwork. Other Important Hazards 1. A cooker is available in the community building for use by cooking club and classes. A person in addition to the class teacher must be present and the cooker must never be left unattended whilst in use. If a parent is assisting, the class teacher must check before starting cooking that the above conditions are met and that the parent knows what to do. Immediately after use the power supply must be disconnected and the cooker either kept under observation until cool. When handling food one member of staff should hold a food hygiene certificate. 2. School hall it is the responsibility of each member of staff using the hall to ensure that all equipment used for whatever lesson is returned to its correct storage space. Particular care should be taken that nothing is left blocking the fire exit at anytime. Labels around the hall indicate where equipment should be stored. 3. P.E. equipment, outside equipment and bouncy castle are all checked on an annual basis by accredited companies. 4. Please refer to curriculum policies regarding Health and Safety issues in the curriculum. 12
Risk Assessments Risk assessments are the responsibility of the school management at a variety of levels. Those responsible for premises or curriculum areas must ensure that risk assessments are undertaken and recorded for significant activities. Risk assessments will be monitored by the Head Teacher. Medway Council Advice Advice from Medway Council Health and Safety will be requested when necessary. 13