HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT FOR BRITANNIA VILLAGE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Local Education Authority
1. The London Borough of Newham has adopted a statement of policy on Health and Safety at Work, which it issued to schools (Health & Safety File 1, SP005). Under the Fair Funding arrangements, the Authority retains the statutory duties as the employer of staff in county and voluntary controlled schools under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
2. However, education legislation creates a complex set of relationships between schools and the Authority. Therefore, in order to ensure appropriate coverage of responsibilities, the school, the school has adopted this health and safety policy statement.
3. The Education Department has established a Health and Safety management system through which it issues information, advice and requirements to schools. This system, (which comprises 3 files) includes arrangements for the recording and monitoring of action taken by schools with regard to health and safety.
Governing Body
4. The Governing Body will, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure that all activities under its control (including out of hours use of the school not subject to the direction of the LEA), are carried out in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, relevant regulations, approved codes or practice, guidance notes, the Safety Policy of the London Borough of Newham and paying due regard to advice and information provided by the Authority‟s advisers.
5. The Governing Body recognises that the Newham Scheme for the Local Management of Schools states that the Authority retains the power to instruct schools to carry out repairs in their areas of responsibility where the failure of the schools to carry out the identified repairs places in jeopardy the safety of the building or the occupants, or the delivery of education services consistent with the Council‟s statutory responsibility as a Local Education Authority.
6. The Governing Body will ensure that the school maintains, monitors and reviews this Health and Safety policy and when necessary amends it and the appropriate organisation, arrangements and procedures.
Head Teacher
7. The Head Teacher is responsible for carrying out those responsibilities set out in section 2.5 of the London Borough of Newham Health and Safety Policy.
8. The Head requires that line managers, supervisors and employees with no supervisory responsibilities are aware of, and fulfil, their responsibilities as stated in sections 2.6, 2.7 and 2.8 of the London Borough of Newham Policy.
9. The Head, responsible to the governing body and to the Deputy Director of Education (School Management, Advice and Support Services), will ensure that the Standard Procedures of the Education Department are implemented and that the Department‟s Information Bulletins are considered and acted upon as appropriate. The school specific details of organisation and arrangements will be recorded in the school‟s File 3 of the Health and Safety management system.
10. In order to assist in the discharge of its responsibilities, the Head Teacher will summarise in their Termly report to the governing body, any health and safety inspection report received from the LEA.
11. Where specific activities are carried out for which there is no Department Standard Procedure, the Head Teacher will work with the Authority and Governing Body as appropriate to produce and record an effective operational system and include details in File 3.
2. Information for staff.
All staff will receive and „induction‟ briefing within the first week of employment. Details of health & safety procedures will be kept the main school office with references to this in the staff handbook.
First Aid All supplies will be checked at the end of each term by the first aiders.
Accident Reporting All accidents will be investigated and steps taken to prevent recurrence within 2 weeks.
Fire Safety The site supervisor will check appliances every week.
Emergency Evacuation A "dry run‟ of an emergency will be conducted each half term.
Educational Premises File The Business Manager will maintain the Educational Premises Record (File SP021).
Risk Assessments
An assessment of risks in the work place should be carried out for all activities and recorded on the standard form SP023 and retained with the Educational Premises Record File
A. First Aid
Fully Qualified First Aiders: Mary O‟Dea (Main Office) and Anna Szabo (Nursery)
In the event of injury or accident seek help or advice from one of these people.
First Aid supplies are located in the Medical Room.
A First Aid Logbook is located next to the first aid box and in the main office, each incident should be recorded.
When taking a group of children out from the school premises a first aid bag should be taken together with a mobile phone for use in an emergency.
B. Accident Reporting
Accidents should be reported to line managers as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours after the event. Notes should be kept with time, location, person(s) present, and action taken as soon as practical. Formal recording arrangements:
There are three types of written report forms, each with a different purpose: 1)Accident Report Forms 2) DSS Accident Book BI 510 3) First Aid Log Book
These are kept next to the first aid boxes and should be filled out each time first aid is administered. It is the responsibility of the first aider to complete the entry into the logbook.
Wherever possible, action should take place to prevent recurrence. This may require any of the following:
i) discussion with SENCO / SMT.
ii) instructing (via line manager) site supervisor to take remedial action improving signage with regard to hazard/danger.
C. Fire Safety and Emergency Evacuation
Signage
The site supervisor will be responsible for ensuring the correct signage for all exits, alarm call points and fire extinguishers. Each room shall clearly display procedures for evacuation.
Good Housekeeping Displays should not be close to sources of heat. No display should cover safety signage or be placed in such a manner as to block, obscure or partially obscure an exit. The school site is a No Smoking Zone. This includes the car park. It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure this policy is operated at all times. All bins should be emptied at the end of each day. Rubbish sacks should not be left in doorways. Visibility panels in doors should remain uncovered. Fire doors should not be propped open except where automatic closure systems exist. All fire exits must remain in operation whilst the building is occupied.
Fire drills There will be one fire drill each half term. Teachers/ supervisors will escort children to the assembly point by the wooden fence. They will conduct an immediate headcount then roll call. Any discrepancy must be reported immediately to the senior member of staff present and the administrative assistant. The administration officer will unlock the side entrance gate for the Foundation Unit and take the registers and visitors logbook to the assembly point for reconciliation. Staff without direct supervision responsibilities will visually check the building, turning out lights and closing doors after each room has been checked. Fire drills will be timed and dated, remedial action noted and actioned and recorded in the fire drill logbook by the site supervisor.
Procedures for fire and emergency evacuation during lettings will be the same as those adopted during school time. It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure the safe evacuation of all persons from the building.
D. Emergency Evacuations
E.g. Bomb scare, suspicious parcel, gas leak, water leak/failure, power cut. Where there is imminent danger (or perceived danger) to lives the same procedures will be adopted as for fire evacuation. Where there is a threat to health, e.g. through loss of water supply, parents will be notified and asked to take children home. The decision to evacuate the building will be taken by a senior member of staff or person taking the call/ noticing the danger, having taken into account the disruption to the school any false alarm may cause. In the event of an emergency evacuation the police should be called instantly. This should be followed up with notification to the chair of governors and school support services.
In the event of closure the chair of governors and school support services should be notified as soon as possible. If there is likely to be a prolonged evacuation the administrative assistant will take all family contact information to the assembly point.
The village hall will be used for temporary accommodation should the weather or circumstances require the children being outside for a prolonged period of time.
E. Security
When working in an isolated part of the building, make sure someone knows you are there. Keep external doors locked. Always endeavour to check identification of persons on the premises. If you are in doubt, notify a senior member of staff immediately.
You have to right to refuse entry to the school to any person who will not permit a search of their hand baggage. You do not have the right to body search anyone. If a suspicious object is found follow these procedures:
a) do not touch or interfere with the object
b) clear people away from the immediate vicinity and secure the area
c) inform the police and follow emergency evacuation procedures.
If there is a telephoned bomb threat try to get a response to the following questions:
a) where is the bomb?
b) what time will it go off?
c) what does it look like?
d) what kind of bomb is it?
e) why are you doing it? Try to write down as much information as possible including: Gender of caller, type of speech including direct quotations, background noise. If time permits dial 1471 and record the number or message.
F. Control, storage and use of hazardous substances
When purchasing goods or bringing materials onto the school site staff have the responsibility to ensure they are free of potential hazards to children. Products must be purchased from reputable sources and used in accordance with the manufacturer‟s instructions.
Substances must not be loaned, borrowed, decanted into unlabelled, unsuitable containers, nor used for any purpose other than that for which purchase was agreed. Substances will normally be purchased by the budget holder responsible, e.g. cleaning materials by the site supervisor, adhesives by the consumable stock post holder. It is their duty to ensure it‟s safety when ordering and in storage arrangements. An up to date record sheet for all substances must be maintained. Any member of staff wishing to bring additional substances onto the premises must first obtain the permission of a member of the senior management team.
The site supervisor will check any substances that contractors might wish to use and issue instructions about appropriate storage. In the event of any item of a hazardous nature being discovered all staff have the responsibility to ensure it is removed to a place of safety or the area evacuated and secured, as appropriate.
The site supervisor is responsible for maintaining a reference set of COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994).
G. Waste Disposal
Any chemical waste should come under the COSHH assessments and be managed by the site supervisor. Physical hazards such as broken glass, ceramics, nails, saw blades etc should be wrapped up safely and labelled accordingly before being given to the site supervisor for disposal.
Body Fluids should be disposed of by hygiene contractors under SLA agreement with PHS.
H. Housekeeping
All members of staff are responsible for maintaining a tidy, hazard free environment and for training the children in this matter. All items should have clearly labelled storage areas and remain in these areas unless in use. No items should be placed in the corridors without the prior knowledge of a member of the senior management team. The staircases must be kept clear at all times.
Electrical intake cupboards are clearly labelled and should not be entered without legitimate reason and should not be used as store cupboards. It is the responsibility of the users of communal areas such as the hall and library to leave it in an orderly manner, notifying any subsequent user of any defects.
I. Hygiene
Arrangements for food preparation and consumption (curriculum) All members of staff are responsible for ensuring that food preparation and consumption as part of curriculum activities are carried out in a hygienic and safe environment. Hands should be wash and long hair tied back, surfaces and equipment should be clean and free from sites of possible cross-contamination. Items of danger, e.g. knives, glass containers, hot items etc should kept under close supervision at all times, counted out and counted in at the end of the lesson. All lessons MUST include a safety instruction at the beginning. Arrangements for food preparation and consumption (non-curriculum). Packed lunches should be stored centrally in the classrooms and carried to the dining hall by the children. All children should wash their hands before eating. Staff are responsible for maintaining a hygienic staffroom.
Body fluid spillages Wash skin immediately using soap provided Clothing should be replaced and then washed in the school‟s machines located in the hygiene room. (Children‟s soiled clothing may be sealed in a plastic bag and handed to the parent with an explanation of how the soiling has occurred). Furnishings should be isolated and cleaned appropriately at a later time. Hard surfaces should be cleaned using Whenever children are engaged in activities using materials from outside the school environment they should be instructed about hygiene issues, e.g. washing hands, not touching food or mouths etc.
J. Cleaning
It is the responsibility to the contractors to provide appropriate materials and the site supervisor to monitor their application. The school staff has a duty to ensure the cleaning contractors can carry out the cleaning without hindrance. It is also the responsibility of staff to train children in good housekeeping habits.
K. Maintenance and Repair of the Building
It is the responsibility of the site supervisor to check the building on a regular basis and arrange for necessary repairs in consultation with SMT. Staff should notify the site supervisor of any defects by completing the Job-Book located in the school office.
In the event of an immediate danger the person discovering the danger should isolate the area until appropriate action can be taken. The decision regarding what remedial action can be carried out by school staff and what requires outside contractors, will be taken by staff in consultation with the headship team with reference to competence, immediate and long term health and safety implications and budget availability.
L. Maintenance and Repair of Equipment
Regular maintenance and testing of equipment is carried out as follows: Portable electrical equipment – LBN contract Photocopier – Cannon Risograph – Riso Direct
PE equipment – Gymnasium Maintenance Searchfield Curriculum equipment – Curriculum co-ordinators Fixed electrical systems including ventilation equipment, heating plant and water systems – LB Newham contract Computer Equipment – A-Z Technical Furniture – Syndicate Leaders, termly. All items are listed in the schools inventory. Items for disposal must be recorded on the appropriate format. Items requiring repair should be notified to the site supervisor / syndicate leader as appropriate.
M. Co-operation with other site users
Where there are other site users e.g. parent-toddler group and volunteers, it is their responsibility to familiarise themselves with the schools health and safety policy and procedures. Breaches of these procedures should be drawn to the users attention immediately and reported to the SMT (Senior Management Team) as soon as possible.
The school has an arrangement with parents and Community Links and St. Johns After School Club, that certain pupils will be handed over to their personnel at 3.15pm each day. The agreement is the responsibility of the staff from these Clubs and the parents to organise collection.
N. Playground / external circulation areas safety
The playground gates are to be unlocked at 8:45 and locked at 8:55. They are to be unlocked again at 3:10pm and locked at 3:30pm. The site supervisor or a senior member of staff will be responsible for this. Supervision of pupils at this time is the responsibility of parents or carers. At break times and lunchtime it is the responsibility of the school staff on a rotational basis for the safety of pupils. Please see the school behaviour policy for appropriate conduct and sanctions for pupils.
The site supervisor will conduct a daily visual check of the playing areas and fixed equipment. This will include making decisions regarding the laying of salt in icy weather, regular sweeping and clearance of rubbish. Any staff noticing defects should report these to the site supervisor as detailed in the section K above.
O. School Transport
Pupils using Home-school transport are under the supervision of the guide / escort until delivered to the teacher in the morning. Teachers should not allow these children to be released to anyone other than the guide / escort at the end of the school day.
P. Off site activities, trips, journeys
All pupils require a signed parental consent form before being taken outside the school premises. Staff should always check with line managers when considering taking pupils outside the school premises.
Staff should always visit the site of the proposed journey prior to taking pupils and complete a Risk Assessment as part of the Educational Visits Procedure. All details of the journey should be entered on the appropriate form: i) small group outing to shop, or similar within the locality – sign pupils out in book at
office ii) class outing using transport – form “Request for school outing” Ratio of Adults to pupils for outings: i) 1 to 2 for Early Years and Key Stage One when visiting shops in the locality on foot. ii) 1 to 4 for Key Stage Two pupils when visiting shops etc in the locality on foot. iii) Class outings on foot in the local area
a) Early Years: 1 to 10 – minimum of two adults, one of whom must be a teacher. b) Key Stages 1 and 2 – minimum of two adults per class, one of whom must be a
teacher. iv) Class Outings involving transport
a) Early Years: 1 to 6 – minimum of three adults, one of whom must be a teacher and one other a borough employee.
b) Key Stages 1 & 2: 1 to 20 – minimum of three adults, one of whom must be a teacher and one other a borough employee.
Parents accompanying children on an outing must sign a form stating they are under the supervision of the teacher. All coaches and minibuses must have lap belts and these must be worn at all times. Visits to farms must follow the guidance in Checklists of the Main Precautions For School Visits to Farms” SP18 File 1 – June 1997
Q. Contractors on Establishment Premises
All contractors must report to the school office and sign in the visitors logbook. All contractors must follow “Safe Conduct in School” guidelines. The site supervisor has responsibility for monitoring contractors on site. The document “Contractors in School” is in File 1 and should be adhered to at all times.
R. Vehicle Movement
Vehicles should only enter the premises via the carpark. At no time should there be vehicles in the playground when pupils are present. Access for emergency vehicles is via the carpark or from Evelyn Road.
S. Curriculum Activities
Each curriculum co-ordinator will produce a set of Health and Safety guidelines for their curriculum area. These will accompany the curriculum policy notes and be located in the staff handbook.
T. Work Experience
Work experience placements are arranged by the Deputy Head. Each student will be given the leaflet “Safe Conduct in School”
U. Lettings
The terms and conditions in the hire of the school document state the requirements the hirer must fulfil in terms of their obligation to comply with the school‟s health and safety policy and Public Liability Insurance.
V. Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing
Staff should always protect themselves from the possibility of infection from bodily fluids by wearing protective gloves. Staff should wear the same protective clothing as is expected of children, for each curriculum area, including eye protection.
W. Dealing with Ailing / Injured People
Wherever possible ill or injured persons should report to the school office for treatment. If treatment is given this should be recorded in the relevant incident logbook. If the person is unable to move unaided, send for assistance. Do not leave the person unattended.
Contact information for pupils is stored in the class files in the office and in the school‟s data base. Contacts for staff is stored on the school‟s database and is password protected. If hospitalisation is required parent/carer must be contacted immediately.
There is a consent form for the administration of medicines available from the school office. This should only be used in cases where prolonged absence would result in the child not being given the medication during school absence. Under no circumstances should staff enter into an agreement with parents without prior discussion with a senior member of staff.
Staff who require medication should keep this locked away.
In cases of suspected communicable diseases please refer to “Control of Communicable Disease in Schools and other Educational Establishments 1996” which is kept in File 3.
X. Personal Security
It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure a secure and safe working environment. Personal belongings on site should be kept to a minimum and locked in lockers provided. Persons entering the school should not be permitted beyond the main entrance lobby without valid identification. Never agree to see parents / carers in an isolated part of the building and make sure that others are aware of who you are meeting and where you are. Home visits should always be with two members of staff and exact plans given to the office staff prior to the visit. There are panic buttons in the school office and the headteachers office. Any concerns or incidents should be reported to line managers or senior member of staff immediately.
Additional Information Supplementary Heating In the event of a heating break down, refer to guidance SP01 in File 1
Teachers NNEB Teaching Assistants Learning Mentors
Health and Safety Reporting Responsibilities
Headteacher & Deputy Head Business Manager Site Supervisor Line Managers
Cleaners/Contractors
Admin Officer Grounds Maint. Kitchen Staff Visitors Voluntary Help Parents
Emergency Procedures
In the event of there being a terrorist alert or attack the Senior Management of the school will seek guidance from the Local Education Authority and Police. If life is more likely to be endangered by waiting for response from either of these two sources then a decision will be made by Senior Management given the best information and observations available.
The options could include the following:
Evacuation of School Building
Following a normal fire drill to evacuate the building.
Evacuation of School Site
If the site requires evacuation then either of the following two alternative assembly points needs to be considered, dependant upon the conditions prevailing:- a) Britannia Village Green b) LylePark
Closure of the school without evacuation
If there is a need to close the school without evacuating the premises parents will be contacted as quickly as possible. Staff will then be released as quickly as feasible in the following order: Staff with children at other schools likely to be in similar circumstances Staff with children or dependant relatives
Staff with medical conditions Staff with longer journeys Staff living nearby Headteacher.