Health and Safety Practices

NAG 5: HEALTH AND SAFETY PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE

TRENTHAM SCHOOL STATEMENT OF INTENT

HEALTH & SAFETY PRACTICES

Reviewed by Leadership – May 2021

Reviewed by BOT – May 2021

Ratified by BOT – May 2021

Next review date – May 2024

PURPOSE

To ensure the school has internal processes for health and safety management to mitigate incidents.

GUIDELINES

Health & Safety Committee

1. The Health & Safety Committee provide an avenue for feedback as issues arise.

2. The Committee will be made up of the Principal, staff Health & Safety Rep, the Caretaker, and a BOT representative.

3. The Committee meets once a term to walk around the school and check for possible hazards.

4. The Caretaker is the first point of contact for staff to raise issues in relation to property and the Principal is the first point of contact for any emotional issues. Issues can also be raised with the staff Health & Safety rep.

5. Any serious health and safety issues with regards to property must be reported to both the Caretaker and the Principal.

6. Any parent concerns related to health and safety should be directed to the Principal.

7. The Committee ensures current employees are regularly reminded of their own health and safety responsibilities.

Visitors

1. All visitors must sign in at the school Office. This includes parents assisting in classes or with programmes during the school day.

2. Signage around the school directs visitors to sign in at the office.

3. All staff members monitor visitors to the school and report any strange behaviour by adults on site to the office.

4. At the school Office, the VisTab will alert visitors to:

   1. emergency signals and instructions;

   2. only visit the area(s) of the school required in order to carry out their business;

   3. report any hazards, incidents or near misses to the office;

   4. their responsibility for their own health and safety in terms of their actions and behaviours.

Hazards

1. A hazard register will be kept.

2. The Health & Safety Committee is responsible for keeping the hazard register up to date.

3. All steps as far as reasonably practical will be taken to eliminate, isolate or minimise hazards.

First Aid

1. Sufficient staff will be trained in first aid.

2. The school will be stocked appropriately with first aid equipment and supplies.

3. Gloves will be worn when dealing with blood and bodily fluids.

Incident Reporting

1. A register will be kept of serious/notable accidents or near misses involving staff, students or visitors.

2. The accident register will be checked monthly by the Principal, and termly by the Health & Safety Committee, to identify trends or possible hazards.

3. If necessary, steps will be taken to eliminate and minimise any risk of further accident or eliminate the hazard.

4. If the hazard cannot be eliminated immediately, the hazard will be cordoned off.

5. If the incident is caused by an identifiable safety issue it must be recorded in the Caretaker’s maintenance book hanging in the staffroom. Any residual risk that remains for a significant period of time needs to be added to the hazard register for management. The Principal checks this book regularly.

6. Serious incidents should be reported to the Principal who is responsible for reporting significant/notifiable events to appropriate authorities and if necessary, freezing the scene.

7. The Principal will report on accidents in their report at each BOT meeting.

Environmental Safety

1. The Principal should be notified about damage to property/equipment by those who find it. Non-urgent notifications should be put in the Caretaker’s maintenance book.

2. The Caretaker will check this book at least weekly and rectify / sign off work carried out to remedy notifications.

3. The Caretaker is responsible for regularly checking the safety of playground equipment.

4. Minor repairs will be carried out firstly by the Caretaker; if this is not possible, the Principal or Caretaker will arrange for a tradesman to complete them.

5. The Principal and the Caretaker will undertake an inspection of the grounds and buildings termly and prepare a maintenance list.

6. Reports of damage involving safety will be addressed immediately, and if necessary, referred to the Ministry or Board of Trustees. All other damage will be prioritised into a repair schedule.

7. Contractors working in the school are to ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken to maintain the safety of pupils. The Project Manager (Caretaker for minor works) is responsible for ensuring contractors are appropriately inducted, supervised and using safe work methods.

8. Children will regularly be made aware of the importance of safe use of equipment.

9. The Caretaker and Principal should ensure electrical and fire safety equipment is maintained.

10. Parents are responsible for the safety of their children travelling both to and from school.

11. Buildings, equipment and grounds are to be maintained to a high standard both in terms of aesthetics (subject to financial constraints) and safety.

12. Tree health is monitored annually.

Cleanliness

1. As far as reasonably practicable, all areas of the school will be kept clean and free from rubbish obstructions, smell or leakage, including that from any drain or sanitary convenience.

2. Rubbish or dirt should not be allowed to accumulate on floors, benches and other areas where school activities take place.

3. Floors are to be washed, cleaned, swept or vacuumed as required.

4. Sufficient rubbish bins will be provided and emptied as necessary.

5. Students are encouraged to keep their school tidy at all times.

6. The school is responsible for ensuring the well-being of children while at school. If a child comes to school visibly unwell, the parent is obliged to collect them at the Principal’s request.

Contractors Working at School

1. When a contractor works at the school, both the contractor and the school share responsibility for health and safety. The school, so far as is reasonably practicable, consults, cooperates with, and coordinates activities with the contractor.

2. It is the school’s responsibility to take all practicable steps to ensure contractors’ safety during their contracted work.

3. The Principal and/or Caretaker will meet with any contractor before any work is started, and brief them on relevant health and safety information, including:

   1. hazards that exist in the school where they are working

   2. school rules about health and safety

   3. emergency procedures and first aid facilities

   4. procedures for reporting any new hazards that may be identified.

4. Contractors are responsible for complying with their relevant Health and Safety legislation, and for recording and reporting any accidents that harm themselves or any other person.

5. Contractors should plan work activities and inform the school:

   1. of any hazards that arise from the work they are doing

   2. of safety procedures for other people who may be affected by that work, including the public

   3. of safety equipment that may be necessary

   4. if the work they are carrying out is notifiable, and confirmation that they have notified WorkSafe.

6. Contractors must meet the relevant police vetting requirement.

Communication

These Health & Safety Practices will be on display in the Office foyer for all visitors into the school.