Legislation: Education/ Other
Lead Member of Staff: Headteacher
Publication / Revision Date: July 2015
Review Frequency: Annually
Date of last review: May 2020
Date of next review: July 2020
Health and Safety Lead staff: John Leake
Our school is committed to maintaining high standards and conducts regular Health and Safety inspections and audits in order to maintain a safe environment, ensure continued compliance and keep abreast of regulations.
- STATEMENT OF SAFETY POLICY
Riverside Education and its Governors, recognise their responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974), as far as is reasonably practicable, to:
- Provide safe systems of work, plant and equipment
- Provide for the safe use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances
- Provide such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary for staff and pupils to undertake their work safely
- Provide a safe place of work with safe means of access and egress for all persons using the premises
- Provide a safe and healthy working environment with adequate welfare arrangements
- Provide for the health and safety of persons not employed by the school, but who may be affected by its activities
- Encourage all staff to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to co-operate with the management of the school in the carrying out of their statutory duty
- Require all staff to report through the appropriate channels, any problem, defect or hazard likely to lead to a lack of safe or healthy conditions for themselves or others
The school recognises the need to consult staff on matters of health and safety and will respect the right of the staff to appoint Safety Representatives, through their recognised trade unions or professional associations. The school will accommodate the establishment of a School Safety Committee on which the staff Safety Representatives, amongst others, may serve, should it be requested by staff or their representatives.
No individual member of staff shall be required to undertake specific responsibility for any health and safety function without having first been consulted.
The school recognises the need to ensure that sufficient funds are reserved for the inspection and maintenance of those items of premises and equipment where financial responsibility has been delegated to them.
Riverside Education recognises its responsibilities to ensure that any significant risks arising from work activities, equipment or premises are assessed, as required under:
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999;
- The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002;
- The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
- The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and
- The Display Screen Equipment Regulations 2002.
The Governing Body, through the Head teacher, is responsible for:
- Ensuring that the school’s safety policy is implemented, monitored and regularly reviewed and revised as necessary
- Ensuring that sufficient funds are reserved for meeting their responsibilities for Health and Safety, in particular for the maintenance of those items of premises and equipment for which they have financial responsibility
- Monitoring the (health and safety) need for building maintenance in the school and implementing repairs as necessary
- Advising the landlord (Mr Copeland), of structural defects that could adversely affect the health and safety of staff, pupils and other persons
- The safe condition, storage and maintenance of; equipment, vehicles and plant at the school, and ensuring that such equipment can be used safely in the normal running of the school
- Ensuring that the premises, the means of access and exit, and any plant or substance on the premises are safe and without risks to health
- Ensuring that safety rules concerning the use of premises and equipment are displayed at appropriate locations in the school and are enforced
- The adoption of safe working practices by staff and pupils, and by contractors on site
- Acting to deal with potential hazards to health and safety, liaising where appropriate with representatives of Birmingham City Council and contracting organisations
The Headteacher is responsible for:
- The implementation of the school’s health and safety policy
- Advising the Governing body of the need to review the school health and safety policy
- The day-to-day responsibility for health and safety in the school
- Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out in accordance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 in all areas of significant risk as well as those required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002; the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 2002, and any subsequent relevant legislation
- Ensuring that staff receives appropriate health and safety training
- Carrying out the six-monthly safety audit required by the LEA
- Ensuring that all problems or defects affecting the health and safety of staff, pupils or other persons in the school are dealt with
- Notifying the LEA Health and Safety Coordinator of any serious accidents to pupils or any accidents to staff or other persons and any ‘near miss’ incidents, in accordance with the procedures laid down
- Notifying the LEA Health and Safety Coordinator of any hazards or problems affecting the health, safety or welfare of staff, pupils or others that cannot be resolved by appropriate local action
- Planning and implementing emergency procedures, including evacuation in case of fire or bomb threats
- Ensuring that adequate provision is made for the administration of First Aid
- Ensuring that all new material on health and safety matters, supplied by the LEA or the Health and Safety Executive, is brought to the attention of any relevant persons promptly
- Facilitating the meeting of a School Safety Committee, if it is requested by staff or approved trade union safety representatives, and for attending such meetings
- Consultation with approved trade union safety representatives on any matters affecting the health, safety or welfare of any members of staff and for facilitating the carrying out of their duties, including safety inspections and attendance at training courses
2.4 Subject Coordinators are responsible for:
- All matters of health and safety in their faculty, department or subject area
- Bringing to the notice of the Headteacher (or the School Safety Officer) any problems or defects affecting the health, safety or welfare of staff, pupils or other persons in their faculty, department or subject area
- Having a working knowledge of regulations, guidance materials and codes of practice in their subject areas
- Ensuring that staff have received adequate training on health and safety aspects of their specialist areas (especially where the use of potentially hazardous equipment or substances is undertaken)
- Ensuring that necessary personal protective equipment (ie. eye protection or protective clothing) is available and kept well maintained
- Ensuring that any risks specific to their area of work are adequately assessed (eg. risk assessments for the use of tools or equipment, COSHH assessments for the use of hazardous substances). This particularly applies to all vocational areas
- Ensuring that relevant safety signs and notices are displayed (eg. signs requiring the use of eye protection, restricting the use of teacher only machines to named individuals, positions of gas, water or electrical isolators etc.)
Other Support Staff are responsible for:
- Ensuring that they are familiar with and comply with the school and, where applicable, the departmental or subject safety policy
- Reporting any defects or problems affecting the health and safety of themselves, their pupils, other staff or any other person, to the Headteacher or School Safety Officer
- Co-operating with their employer (the Governing body) to enable them to comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
The Cleaner is responsible for:
- Ensuring that he/she is familiar with and complies with the school safety policy. He/she should also be familiar with the school’s Health and Safety Policy
- Bringing to the attention of the Headteacher (or School Safety Officer) any problems or defects affecting the health and safety of any person on the school premises
- Bringing the school safety policy and risk assessments to the attention of any cleaning or other staff (including contract cleaners or grounds staff) working under their direction, in so far as it affects the work of those persons (eg. in use and storage of equipment and materials)
- Ensuring that any staff under his/her direct control (ie. non-contract staff) receive adequate training and instruction in the use of any equipment or materials that they are expected to use
- Ensuring that all equipment and materials received have adequate health and safety information (eg. safety data sheets to allow COSHH assessments to be carried out)
- Ensuring that safety procedures are laid down and used when work of a potentially hazardous nature is undertaken by themselves or others working under their direction
- Ensuring that due warning is given of any caretaking/cleaning operations that could constitute a hazard to other users of the premises
- Informing the Headteacher (or School Safety Officer as appropriate) of the arrival (or expected arrival) of contractors for maintenance work
- Informing contractors of any hazards that could affect their health and safety while working in the school
- The safe use and maintenance of all plant and equipment and the safe use and storage of all materials used for that maintenance
The First Aiders / Appointed Person is responsible for:
Maintaining the First Aid boxes in line with the standard guidance given through training and other sources of information, and controlling and maintaining any other First Aid supplies as may be kept separately.
Safety Officer (Abide Zenenga)
Health and Safety Lead Staff (John Leake,) shall;
- Carry out termly inspections of the premises and submit a written report to the Headteacher
- Receive any reports of inspections or accident investigations made by the Health and Safety Executive
- Report to the Headteacher on matters affecting the health, safety or welfare of staff
- Represent the staff membership on school safety committees
- Receive such training as may be necessary for them to perform their duties
ARRANGEMENTS
Accident Reporting
All accidents will be reported in the accident book, which is kept in the school office. Relevant paperwork will be completed and sent off as appropriate for any matter requiring reporting beyond the school and governors.
Blood-borne Diseases
All staff, when dealing with incidents where there is a blood risk, will use plastic gloves and the appropriate antiseptic wipes. Gloves and wipes will be disposed of according to the standard guidelines.
Building Repairs and Contractors
The landlord will organise all repairs to the building. Whenever possible, these will be conducted after school hours or in the holiday periods.
Cleaning
The school employs a cleaner to undertake the cleaning of the school building. S/he has access to a locked area to store cleaning materials and machinery. S/he is overseen by the school, who monitors performance and deals with any issues as they arise.
Educational Journeys and Visits
The school follows and adheres to its own and other relevant policies on school visits. The Deputy Head teacher has responsibility for ensuring that these are followed at all times.
Fire Alarms
These are tested regularly and are serviced as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. The school has ensured that training has been undertaken to ensure that this is done appropriately.
Fire Appliances
These are tested regularly and are serviced as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. The school has ensured that training has been undertaken to ensure that this is done appropriately.
Fire Evacuation and Fire Drills
There are clear signs throughout the building to ensure that everyone knows the best way to exit the building. Pupils and staff undertake at least one drill per half-term to ensure that they can exit the building successfully. There is a procedure for clearing the building and checking that everyone is out of the building safely.
Fire Prevention
The site is non-smoking. Pupils are actively encouraged to hand in any lighters/matches at the start of every day. Any staff who smoke are asked to do this off-site, as we actively try to show the young people in the school that it is an unhealthy habit to form.
Fire Risk Assessment
Riverside Education has conducted and recorded a fire risk assessment. This is supported by the external assessments carried out by a private company as well as the West Midlands Fire Authority.
First Aid / Medicines
There are named first aiders, clearly displayed throughout the building. The medical room, upstairs, houses medication and first aid equipment. Any individual pupil medication is clearly labelled and locked in a cabinet. It is recorded in the Medication folder and this has to be completed by a staff member when the student self-administers their medication. We do not administer medication to students.
Flammable Substances / Hazardous Chemicals
These are stored in locked cupboards in the Science prep room. They are clearly labelled and access to them is restricted to those staff who need access. Currently, Riverside Education has no flammable liquids or hazardous chemicals on its premises and there are no plans for this to change.
External Safety and Supervision
Pupils are supervised at all times when they are outside. Any outside equipment is checked regularly and repaired as appropriate.
Portable Electrical Appliance Testing
This is undertaken annually by the landlord on all equipment within the school. Any new equipment is tested as appropriate. Electrical items that are less than two years old do not require testing as they are covered by the manufacturer safety requirements during that period.
A log of all equipment tested is kept by the tester and is available to the school on request. The school also keeps a record of new items to be added to the log.
Record Keeping
All record keeping is undertaken according to the required guidelines.
Risk Assessment
There is a risk assessment written as part of every pupil profile This details how to deal with that young person in specific situations should they arise.
Safety Inspections
These are undertaken on a weekly basis by the Health and Safety Lead Staff.
Security
The school is fitted with CCTV and a security system, which is turned on at all times that the building is empty. The school looks after the system and ensures that the relevant people have access to codes etc. as needed.
Violent Incident Reporting
All violent incidents are recorded and reported to the police.