Health and Safety Policy

UKIM Madrassah Health and Safety Policy

CONTENTS

1. Aims of Policy

2. Organising

3. Planning

3.1 General

3.2 Risk Assessment

3.3 Fire Procedures

3.4 Maintenance of Equipment

3.5 Electrical Equipment

3.6 Lone Working

3.7 Asbestos/Asbestos Products

3.8 Accident and Reporting Procedures

3.9 Authorisation of Medical Treatment for Pupils

3.10 First Aid

3.11 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

3.12 School Security

3.13 Outdoor Education

3.14 Contractors in Schools

3.15 Loan of Equipment

4. Measuring Performance

5 Auditing and Reviewing

Appendix 1 Risk Assessments

Appendix 2 Emergency Fire Action Plan

1. AIMS OF THIS POLICY

• Overview

The School aims to comply with the Education Department’s Health and Safety policy. The objective is to minimise accident and sickness absence rates and to promote the well being of staff and pupils by developing a positive attitude to Health and Safety. In doing so the school will also comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) and all other relevant legislation.

The school accepts that involvement, co-operation and effective communication of all employees on both an individual and collective basis is crucial to the accomplishment of the schools’ Health and Safety aims.

Health and Safety objectives need to be specific, measurable and agreed with those who deliver them and realistically set against a suitable timescale.

The school will seek to achieve its aim by:

1. a) preventing injury and ill health in classrooms, workshops, gym and all other areas of the school.

1. b) providing and maintaining an adequate workplace, preventing harm to people at the point of risk and minimising hazards within the school.

1. c) promoting the well being of all staff and students and developing a positive attitude to Health and Safety throughout the school.

1. d) meeting Health and Safety responsibilities in respect of those who are not employees and the environment in which they operate.

1. e) creating and maintaining a positive Health and Safety culture which secures the commitment and participation of all staff and students.

1. f) regularly monitor and reviewing progress.

1. g) allocating resources to meet requirements.

1. h) establishing realistic short and long term objectives.

It is the responsibility of members of the management team to ensure that teachers and staff in their charge are given health and safety information and instructions specific to their area of work.

Only by full and wholehearted co-operation and joint action to identify and eliminate accidents and ill-health potential, can the objectives of this Policy be achieved.

• Documentation

This policy will make reference to the following documents and should be read in conjunction with them:

• Education Department Safety Policy
• Health & Safety At Work Act (1974)
• Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations (1999)
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation (1998)
• Electricity at Work Regulations (1989)

2. ORGANISING

2.1 Areas of Responsibility

It is important that every member of staff should be involved and their participation sustained by effective communication and training to promote competence and allow all staff to make an informed contribution to the schools health and safety effort.

2.2 Head Teacher

The Head Teacher is responsible for the implementation of the Education Department Health and Safety Policy as it applies to their schools. In particular he/she will:

• Ensure that there is a written Health and Safety Policy for the school which takes into account the statements in the Education Department’s policy including any statutory requirements therein which is regularly reviewed.

• Set up appropriate procedures to ensure that all staff, teaching and non-teaching, are informed of their responsibilities.

• Ensure that all those regularly working within schools including Tayside Contracts’ cleaning and school meal staff are aware of and understand the policy statements.

• Monitor the effectiveness of the organisation and arrangements made for implementing the Education Department’s Safety Policy and revise, update or modify to meet changing conditions.

• Set up procedures, with the Department’s guidance, to monitor the effectiveness of the school’s Health and Safety Policy.

• Support Staff

• Appoint a Safety Co-ordinator

• Attend Health and Safety in-service training identified by the Department; ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that staff undertake all necessary training,

• Advise the Directorate of any unmet training needs for themselves or their staff.

• As far as reasonably practicable, ensure that resources are made available to meet the demands of health and safety.

• Ensure staff are aware and adhere to safe working arrangements.

• Ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessments are available.

2.3 Safety Co-ordinators or H & S officer

The Safety Co-ordinator (HT) will:-

• Maintain contact with Directorate, the Health and Safety Executive Inspectorate, the Fire Brigade, Council Safety Section, School Safety Representatives and (all teaching and non teaching) staff concerning health, safety and welfare at work.

• Ensure that the training needs of all school staff are identified to the Head Teacher.

• Establish procedures for reporting of incidents, risks etc within the school.

• Monitor the schools’ Health and Safety Policy and Programmes.

• Following the twice yearly inspection a copy of the inspection checklist is attached in H &S folder.

• Ensure systems are in place for communication of Health & Safety information.

2.4 Members of the Management Team

Members of the Management Team will:

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Health and Safety policy.

• Have knowledge of and operate within all statutory requirements applicable to the work of the department with continual and regular checks of these requirements against actual practices.

• Ensure that all persons under their control are conversant with and accept their responsibilities under the school’s Safety Policy and that they are trained and equipped to carry out these responsibilities.

• Institute and monitor safe operating procedures. It is important to ensure that staff know and understand the relevant instructions.

• Check to ensure that all tools and equipment are safe to use; check that there is a safe means of access to and egress from every place of work and that they are maintained.

• Ensure that adequate training is undertaken by themselves and that suitable training programmes are provided for all the staff within their Department.

• Ensure that any relevant work instructions, Codes of Practice, Risk Assessments etc are known, understood and observed. Such instructions and Codes are to be continually reviewed, examined and discussed with teachers, and other members of staff who must be required to conduct themselves in accordance with such procedures.

• Maintain good housekeeping standards.

• Be familiar with the accident reporting procedure. Investigate and report accidents, injuries or any dangerous occurrence without delay.

• Ensure that persons under their control who are placed on non-routine work are adequately supervised and instructed on safe working.

• Ensure that safety equipment and protective clothing is supplied and used where specified. On new work routines check with the relevant adviser or Council Safety Officer for advice on safe operating practices, suitable safety equipment and protective clothing.

2.5 Teachers

Every teacher will:-

• Carry out those parts of the school’s Health and Safety Policy which are relevant to their particular areas of operating/control.

• Conform to the rules and regulations operative within their field of responsibility.

• Be fully aware of risk assessments, safe operating procedures and specified job instructions for any work which they may undertake.

• Assist the Promoted Teachers to carry out effectively the parts of the Health and Safety Policy applicable for their areas of control.

• Use only the correct equipment and method of work at all times.

• Report all defective plant, tools, equipment or other materials.

• Report any hazard which they may encounter in the course of their duties.

• Assist in maintaining good housekeeping standards.

• Co-operate fully with all senior staff in the promotion of health and safety at work.

• Where possible identify their own training needs and undertake job instruction and safety training as required.

2.6 School Support Staff

All school support staff (admin staff, volunteers and Assistants) will:-

• Ensure that all persons under their control know and accept their responsibilities
• Under the Health and Safety Policy and are trained and equipped to carry out those responsibilities

• Conform to the rules and regulations operative within their field of responsibility.

• Be fully aware of risk assessments, safe operating procedures and specified job instructions for any work which they may undertake.

• Assist the management team to carry out effectively the part or parts of the Health and Safety Policy applicable to their areas of control.

• Use only the correct equipment and method of work at all times.

• Report all defective plant, tools, equipment or other materials.

• Report any hazard which they may encounter in the course of their duties.

• Assist in maintaining good housekeeping standards.

• Co-operate full with all senior staff in the promotion of health and safety at work.

• Where possible identify their own training needs and undertake job instruction and safety training as required.

• Janitors should pay particular attention to the maintenance of safe means to and egress from the school.

• Janitors should ensure that safety equipment and protective clothing is supplied and used where specified. On new work routines check with the Client Adviser for advice on suitable safety equipment and protective clothing.

3. PLANNING

3.1 General

Planning is essential for the implementation of Health and Safety Policies within the school. Creating and operating a Health and Safety Management System will be a collaborative effort involving all staff within the school. An effective planning system for Health and Safety requires a Management System which controls risks, reacts to changing demands and sustains a positive Health and Safety culture. An effective planning process involves 3 key components:-

1. Accurate information about the current situation.
2. Suitable benchmark against which to make comparisons.
3. Competent people to carry out the analysis and make judgements.

The key elements of management system for this school are:-

• Procedures for general health and safety issues.
• Health and Safety should be an agenda item on regular staff meetings.
• Annual inspection of the school.
• Review equipment maintenance records (Termly).
• Annual review of accident analysis

3.2 Risk Assessment

The key to setting the standards for Health and Safety is the assessment of risk. Therefore the provision of risk assessments is the corner-stone of a good health and safety policy and must be employed if the school is to achieve safe systems of work. This is to ensure Health and Safety is regarded as an essential and inseparable part of the management function at all levels of the department. An assessment of risk is a careful examination of what, in your work or activity could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure that no one gets injured or becomes ill.

“Hazard” means anything that can cause harm (eg chemicals, electricity, working from ladders, etc); and ‘Risk’ is the chance, great or small, that someone will be harmed by the hazard. To assist in the process a standard pro forma is available in Personnel Department’s booklet “A Guide to Risk Assessment” and should be used for all assessments.

The important things you need to decide are:

• whether a hazard is significant
• whether you can put in place satisfactory precautions so that the risk is reduced to an acceptable level.

You need to check this when you access the risks. For instance, electricity can kill but the risk of it doing so in a school environment is remote, provided that ’live’ components are insulated and metal casings are properly earthed. In most areas of the Education Service, the hazards are generally manageable and examples of how to overcome hazards are available. Checking them is common sense, but necessary. For example, where toxic or dangerous chemicals are used, an assessment of the risks to health and precautions is required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH). If this has been undertaken, you can consider them ‘checked’ and record the finding on the appropriate paperwork. The school also holds a risk assessment register for all risk assessments located in the school office.

3.3 Fire Procedures

Schools are required to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment. A pro forma can be found in H&S folder. A copy of this Risk Assessment should be retained in the schools Fire Log Accident Record Book. Fire procedures and preventative instructions are appended to this policy in Appendix 3. It is critically important that there is a fire risk assessment, plan, evacuation protocol personal emergency evacuation plans filed in the Fire Log and Accident Record Book and that drills are carried out and recorded.

3.4 Maintenance of Equipment

All equipment and machinery in school should be maintained in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. In addition all equipment and machinery should be maintained in accordance with the maintenance schedule prepared by the specific department. This maintenance schedule must comply with all relevant regulations and appropriate codes of practice.

3.5 Electrical Equipment

Pupils should be made aware of the dangers of electricity, appropriate risk assessment and safe working arrangements. A notice depicting the procedure to be taken after electric shock should be prominently displayed in an appropriate place. Teachers must take all possible precautions to reduce the risk of accidents caused by electric shock. Permanently installed equipment should be connected through a dedicated isolator switch and be adequately earthed. All isolators’ switches should be clearly marked to identify their machine. Electrical apparatus and connections should never be touched by wet hands. All electrical apparatus, including 110v or low voltage and portable equipment should only be used in dry conditions. Electrical equipment should not be connected to a lighting circuit or lamp socket. Maintenance, repair, installation and disconnection work associated with permanently installed or portable equipment should only be carried out by a qualified electrician and at no time should a teacher carry out such work. All 240v electrical power circuits should be protected by an appropriately set earth leakage trip and/or a residual current circuit breaker according to use and must be tested in accordance with Electricity at Work Regulations.

All portable appliances should be regularly inspected intervals being determined by the electrician or responsible and trained person.

240v portable electrical appliances should be avoided wherever possible. All fixed electrical equipment must be tested to comply with the departments electrical maintenance system.

3.6 Lone Working

Potentially dangerous activities must not be undertaken when working alone. Personal safety is of paramount importance. If there are any doubts about the task to be performed then the task should be postponed until other staff members are available. If lone working is to be undertaken, a colleague, friend or family member must know where the member of staff is and when they are likely to return. A lone working register will be maintained. Arrangements must be made for regular contact to be made. Entries should be made in the register accordingly, the frequency of contact would depend on the tasks being undertaken, in any case contact should be made at no more than 4 hour intervals. Schools should be explicit about arrangements for lone working.

3.7 Asbestos/Asbestos Products

A register is held within the Corporate Property Management Division of the Property Department which forms a record of any asbestos or asbestos type materials within Angus Council buildings. This record must be consulted before any work commences on any site and samples (which are only taken by trained and competent personnel e.g. Property) of any suspected asbestos uncovered during works must be sent immediately to Dundee Scientific Services for analysis. Depending on the results of the analysis, decisions will be made whether to remove or seal the substance. All results must be added to the register (including negative sample results). Asbestos should never be introduced into the school. Asbestos wool, soft asbestos wools, asbestos gloves and fillers that contain asbestos should not be used. Any equipment using or containing asbestos should be withdrawn and replaced with alternatives.

3.8 Accident and Reporting Procedures

3.8.1 Routine Accidents such as Small Cuts, Bruises and Other Minor Injuries

Staff are encouraged to use protective gloves when dealing with these injuries to protect both patient and first aider from the transmission of blood borne disease.

3.8.2 Serious Injuries such as broken Bones, Eye Injury, Deep Cuts etc

Heads of Departments should contact the local Doctor or the local hospital. Depending on the seriousness of an injury the Doctor/hospital should be contacted immediately. Where doubt exists staff should err on the side of caution. On no account should a school pupil with a suspected serious injury or head injury be sent home unaccompanied or accompanied only by a pupil.

3.8.3 Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences

The reporting of accidents and dangerous occurrences as well as being a legal requirement is an important feature of the department’s health and safety procedures. Consideration of the circumstances of individual accidents and the analysis of statistical trends enables senior officers to identify training needs and areas where equipment and work locations require improvements. The complete elimination of hazards is not reasonably practicable but every means must be sought to identify causes of accidents so that remedial action can be taken. It is therefore important that the following procedures relating to the reporting of accidents are used for all accidents which result in injury and for all dangerous occurrences which could have resulted in serious injury.

3.8.4 Reporting Procedure

Introduction

In the event of an accident you should follow the procedure described below. Compliance with this procedure will satisfy the requirements of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1995 (RIDDOR) and the Council’s internal arrangements.

Accident Report Forms

There are accident and injury report books to be completed by the responsible person.

Responsibility for Completion

The person involved should complete this.

Non-Employee Accidents

School Pupils

An accident book should be completed by the teacher or responsible person.

Other Non-Employees

Again by employees or management and again these records should be retained for 3 years.

Dispatch and Retention of Forms

Fatalities and other major injuries and dangerous occurrences and diseases must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive. The Safety Section will notify the HSE where this is required. Education Intranet, Admin Manual Section 9 explains what must be done in such circumstances.

General

All employees have a responsibility to report any accidents which occur as a consequence of their work activities. Accident report forms are available in the school office. The completion and submission of an accident report form does not satisfy the legal requirements relating to the retention of an Accident Book.

3.8.5 Accident Book

Accident Book must be completed.

3.8.6 Reporting a Fatality, Major Injury, Dangerous Occurrence or Reportable Disease

In the event of a fatality, major injury, dangerous occurrence or reportable disease, the responsible person ie the person in charge of the workplace/premises where the incident has occurred must: i) Notify a senior member of the school management team as soon as possible

NB The Safety Section will notify the Health and Safety Executive of the incident etc. In the event of an accident to an employee resulting in their absence from work for a period of more than three days the responsible person should ensure that the normal reporting procedure is followed. Some examples of a major injury are:

• Death of any person as a result of an accident whether or not at work.
• Any fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
• Any amputation
• Dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine
• Loss of sight (whether temporary or permanent)
• A chemical or hot metal burn to the eye, or any penetrating injury to the eye
• Any injury resulting from an electric shock or electric burn (including any electrical • burn caused by arcing or arcing products) leading to unconsciousness or requiring
• Resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.

Any injury:

• leading to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or unconsciousness
• requiring resuscitation, or
• requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
• Loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia or by exposure to a harmful substance or biological agent. Either of the following conditions which result from the absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin:
• acute illness requiring medical treatment
• loss of consciousness Acute illness which requires medical treatment where there is reason to believe that this resulted from exposure to a biological agent or its toxins or infected material. The Safety Section will give advice regarding dangerous occurrences and notifiable diseases.

3.9 Authorisation of Medical Treatment for Pupils

The following notes of guidance have been prepared in the light of advice from the Council’s chief solicitor.

As representatives of the Education Authority, Head Teachers and staff assume a role in accord with that of caring, responsible parents toward pupils in respect of normal everyday school activities. The authorisation of unexpected or emergency medical treatment for pupils does not, however, fall within the normal scope of the responsibility of head teachers or other members of staff. Such responsibility, save in exceptional circumstances, rests with parents/guardians whose consent prior to the administering of such medical treatment must always be sought. Such treatment may be contrasted with the provision of minor medical treatment, ie the administration of first aid by a teacher or member of staff to a pupil for relatively minor injuries and minor symptoms of everyday

Illnesses, eg. minor cuts, bruises and colds etc. The treatment of such minor injuries and illnesses may be considered to fall within the scope of normal school activities.

Emergency circumstances may arise, however, where a pupil requires urgent or emergency medical treatment and parents/guardians cannot be contacted for the purpose of obtaining the necessary consent prior to treatment. In such circumstances and only after attempts to contact parents/guardians have been exhausted, a representative of the Authority, normally the Head of Establishment or his/her nominee, may sanction medical treatment where delay would have serious implications for the pupil concerned. Representatives of the Education Authority are, therefore, not powerless to act as described above where the urgency of the circumstances are such as to demand authorisation of medical treatment. Such action, however, should only be taken when all reasonable efforts have been made to obtain the consent of parents/guardians.

In the UKIM Madrassah we have a procedure which has been shared with parents and which is part of this school policy. The procedure is posted on the school website, will be shared with parents as part of the review of this policy and will be included in the school handbook. Reference will be made to the procedures in home/school newsletters. The procedure is as follows:

Medication In School

• Children are not permitted to bring any medication to school in school bags etc.
• If a child needs to take a short course of medication (eg antibiotics) parents should endeavour to manage the doses so that they are taken out with the course of a school day.

• If a child needs to take medication on a prolonged routine basis (throughout the course of a term or a session) then arrangements will be made to allow this to happen. It is preferable that a child should self-administer medication under supervision by an adult but there may be some instances when the medication will be administered by school staff. • In the case of prolonged routine medication as described above parents should ensure that they contact the school in advance so that the appropriate forms can be filled in before the medication arrives in school.
• There are specific arrangements for children who suffer from asthma and all parents of all pupils who have inhalers will be required to fill out the appropriate forms.
• In the cases of pupils who have Epi-pens or certain other medications protocols will be drawn up by health professionals and school staff will adhere to these protocols at all times.

3.10 First Aid

3.10.1 The school’s first aid kits

• Should contain a sufficient quantity of suitable first aid materials and nothing else. Contents of the boxes and kits should be replenished as soon as possible after use in order to ensure that there is always an adequate supply of all materials. Items should not be used after the expiry date shown on packets. It is therefore essential that first aid equipment be checked frequently, to make sure there are sufficient quantities and all items are usable. A designated co-ordinator has been appointed to undertake this task.

• Should be made of suitable material designed to protect the contents from damp and dust and should be clearly identified as first aid containers; the marking used should be a white cross on a green background in accordance with the Safety Regulations 1980.

• Should contain only those items which a first aider has been trained to use. Sufficient quantities of each item should always be available in every first aid box or container.

• Should be stocked in accordance with relevant HSE guidelines.

3.10.2 First Aid Treatment

General Precautions

• All cuts, grazes and skin lesions must be covered with a waterproof dressing

• Use disposable powder free latex or vinyl gloves when handling body substances

• A disposable apron must be used if there is a risk of splashing or contamination of clothing

• Take care to avoid splashes into the eyes, nose or mouth

• Spillages of body substances must be cleaned up immediately, wearing the recommended protective clothing

• Wash hands after removing gloves

• Where mains tap water is not readily available for eye irrigation, use sterile water from sealed disposable sterile containers. Each container should hold at least 300ml and should not be reused once the sterile seal is broken. At least 900ml should be provided. Eye baths/eye cups/refillable containers should not be used for eye irrigation.

• Sterile first aid dressing should be packaged in such a way as to allow the user to apply the dressing to a wound without touching that part which is to come into direct contact with the wound. That part of the dressing which comes into contact with a wound should be absorbent. There should be a bandage or other fixture attached to the dressing and consequently there is no reason to keep scissors in the first aid box.

• Dressings, including adhesive ones, should be of a type which is appropriate for their use.

3.10.3 Recording of First Aid Treatment

Schools should record in a diary or similar, first aid treatment which is administered. Record the date, name of the person/pupil, type of accident, treatment given. These records should be retained for three years.

3.11 School Security

Following Lord Cullen’s enquiry into the tragedy at Dunblane Primary School in March 1996, specific recommendations were made to improve security to schools.

These were to

• reduce the number of public entrances to schools (ideally to one)
• provide secure entry to schools
• provide staff and visitors with identification badges and provide a means of
• recording visitors to schools
• introduce a system for vetting volunteers to schools

Each school’s security system was custom made to fit their own requirements. Woodlands has a security system which includes alarmed doors, lockable gates and CCTV controlled/ operated by the admin team.  All staff have a fob/password to enable access to and from the building during the working day. All visitors must report to the school office, sign in and out and wear visitor badges. Those visitors who are volunteering for a period of time (two weeks or longer) complete the PVG check before working with pupils. Those adults helping on the occasional activity who have not undergone the check will remain under the supervision of school staff. All contractors report to the janitor who supervises access and ensures the Head teacher is aware of who will be working within the school grounds.

3.12 Contractors in Schools

The ‘Person in Control’.

The head teacher, or appointed representative, will be the ‘Person in Control’ in school situations. This recognises the authority of that person with respect to the management of the establishment and reinforces their ultimate responsibility for the management and implementation of health & safety requirements under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The management of contractors working in schools comes within this remit. However, to assist head teachers and other building managers, it is accepted that the contractual arrangements with contractors including those applicable to health and safety both with respect to the contractors’ own operations and in relation to school operations are administered at operational level, by the Property construction department. This is provided on behalf of the Education department and Head Teachers.

The Head teacher will assist by:

• administering the access of contractors to schools and ensuring contractors’ ID badges are worn
• participating in discussions/briefings with Property Services and/or RFM staff and contractors on contractual and health & safety matters
• ensuring whatever school management arrangements agreed to facilitate the execution of the works are complied with
• reporting to construction team any incidence which is believed to be a breach of health & safety or is a matter of concern. This includes the option of instructing the contractor to cease working until the matter is further investigated.

Prepared documentation to support the Head Teacher as a ‘Person in Control’ with respect to any particular job will be provided by the Property Department as requested.

3.14 Loan of Equipment

It is strictly forbidden for any member of staff to loan any school equipment (e.g. ladder, steps, electrical extension etc) to any person.

4. MEASURING PERFORMANCE

The School’s Health and Safety Policy will be monitored by annual meetings of senior staff. They will analyse and discuss the department’s performance regarding Health and Safety issues. Accident and near miss reports will be analysed to ensure every opportunity is taken to improve health and safety performance.