Health and safety 

Outcome statement

A safe and healthy workplace at Southland Adventist Christian School is maintained by providing the information, training and supervision needed to ensure the health and safety of all students, staff and other people in the workplace.

Scoping

The board is responsible for ensuring health and safety procedures are developed and implemented. The employees of Southland Adventist Christian School will be aware of their responsibilities and comply with the board’s health and safety policy and school procedures.

Delegations/responsibility

The board of the Southland Adventist Christian School delegates to the principal the responsibility to:

• develop and implement health and safety procedures

• ensure employees have the information and professional development they need in order to comply with policy and procedures.

Expectations and limitations

The board will, as far as is reasonably practicable,1 comply with the provisions of legislation dealing with health and safety in the workplace by:

• providing a safe physical, emotional and spiritual learning environment which demonstrates Christian values

• ensuring a health and safety strategy/plan is in place and engagement and consultation where necessary, on the strategy occurs with workers and the school community

• providing adequate facilities, including ensuring access and ensuring property and equipment is safe to use and students and workers are not exposed to hazards

• ensuring there is an effective method in place for identifying, assessing and controlling hazards, which includes recording and investigating injuries and reporting serious harm incidents

• having a commitment to a culture of continuous improvement with regards to health and safety

The principal, as officer, has responsibility for implementing this policy and therefore must:

• exercise due diligence in accordance with the provisions of the health and safety legislation and in particular the six due diligence obligations2

• take all reasonable steps to protect students, staff and visitors to the school from unsafe or unhealthy conditions or practices

• ensure the staff code of conduct is implemented effectively

• ensure there is zero tolerance to unacceptable behaviour, such as bullying, and that there are effective processes in place

• provide a smoke-free and vape-free environment

• ensure a risk analysis management system (RAMS) is in place and carried out

• seek approval for overnight stays/camps/visits attesting first to their compliance with above

• consult with the community every 2 years regarding the health programme being delivered to students 

• provide information and training opportunities to employees

• advise the presiding board member (chair) of any emergency situations as soon as possible

• ensure all employees and other workers at the school will take reasonable care to:

  • • cooperate with school health and safety procedures

    • comply with the health and safety legislation and duties of workers

    • ensure their own safety at work

    • promote and contribute to a safety-conscious culture at Southland Adventist Christian School

NOTE:

1. Reasonably practicable means what is or was reasonably able to be done at a particular time to ensure health and safety, taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters.

2. These are to:

• know about work health and safety matters and keep up to date

• gain an understanding of the operations of the organisation and the hazards and risks generally associated with those operations

• ensure the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise those risks

• ensure the PCBU has appropriate processes for receiving information about incidents, hazards and risks and for responding to that information

• ensure there are processes for complying with any duty and that these are implemented

• verify that these resources and processes are in place and being used.

Procedures/supporting documentation

• Staff induction

• Education outside the classroom (EOTC)

• Risk Assessment Management System (RAMS) 

• Hazard register

• Incident register and first aide procedure

• Emergency procedures, including for shut-down and evacuation

• Administering medication 

• Alcohol, smoking and drugs 

• Before and after-school supervision

• Behaviour management – managing challenging behaviour and physical restraint (policy and procedures) 

• Civil defence and crisis procedures

• Collection, storage and access to personal information 

• Concerns and complaints

• Cyber safety

• First aid and infection (pandemic plan) 

• Healthy eating

• Volunteers

• Playground supervision

• Police vetting 

• Protected disclosures 

• Sexual harassment 

• Sun smart (sun safety) 

Monitoring

The principal will prepare (or, where appropriate, delegate, co-ordinate and approve) a health and safety report for every board meeting.

Legislative compliance

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

Children’s Act 2014

Education and Training Act 2020