Health and Safety Policy and Arrangements
St Michael’s Catholic School
John Felton Road
London SE16 4UF
Part 1 Statement of General Policy
The governing Body of St Michael’s Catholic School recognises its responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc, Act 1974 to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place to secure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare of pupils, staff and others using or visiting the premises or participating in school sponsored activities. The Governors will actively work with the head teacher and staff to identify hazards, assess the risks and where these cannot be removed ensure that they are adequately controlled.
Part 2 Responsibilities and Organisation for managing Health and Safety
2.1 The governing Body
The responsibility for ensuring that health and safety procedures within the school are adequate rests with the governing body. The Governors will ensure that all necessary procedures are devised, implemented, monitored and reviewed to ensure compliance with these procedures and that they remain appropriate. In particular to:
o Ensure that the school has a current health and safety policy.
o Ensure that the school complies with the Council’s health and safety policies, both in schools and on all school activities.
o Have in place procedures to identify hazards, evaluate risk and implement control measures.
o Create management arrangements for health and safety and periodically monitor its effectiveness.
o Ensure that an annual audit and inspection is carried out by a qualified person.
o Ensure that a governor attends any health and safety briefings held by the LEA.
o Have health and safety on the agenda at Governing Body meetings.
o Ensure that adequate resources are made available for health and safety. This includes time as well as financial resources.
o Ensure the Headteacher, as the Key Manager for health and safety, carries out the appropriate responsibilities.
2.2 Headteacher
The Headteacher, as Key Manager, is responsible for the day to day running of the school and putting the health and safety policy into effect. The Headteacher will assist in the development and maintenance of safe conditions for staff, pupils, visitors and anyone using the premises. The Headteacher will in particular:
o Be satisfied that effective arrangements are in place to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all users of the premises.
o Ensure that termly health and safety inspections are carried out.
o Ensure that the emergency evacuation procedure is practised, at least once a term and that results are documented.
o Arrange for risk assessments to be carried out by a competent person.
o Put into effect any remedial measures or refer as necessary to the Governors or the LEA.
o Consult with members of staff on health and safety matters, particularly any accredited staff safety representatives.
o Appoint an Educational Visits Coordinator, from school staff, to advise and coordinate external school visits.
o Attend health and safety briefings and training arranged by the LEA.
o Report regularly on health and safety matters to the Governing Body.
o Ensure that competent contractors are appointed and to monitor their on site safe working practices.
2.3 Heads of Departments
Heads of departments will familiarise themselves with all safety legislation, codes of
practice and guidance relevant to their area of responsibility. As part of their day to
day responsibility they will ensure that:
o Risk assessments are in place for all activities.
o Safe working methods are in place.
o Supervision is adequate and training needs met.
o Termly health and safety inspections are carried out.
o Safety requirements for plant, machinery and equipment are in place and are adequate.
o Suitable Personal Protective Equipment is available, in good condition and is used and stored correctly.
o Standards of health and safety are monitored and appropriate remedial action is taken when required
2.4 Educational Visits coordinator
The Educational Visits Coordinator for the school is Mr Bryan. He is responsible for:
o Liaising with the employer, through the Education Health and Safety Manager, to ensure that educational visits meet the employers requirements.
o Ensuring a suitable and sufficient risk assessment is carried out for all educational visits carried out by the school.
o Undertakes the functions outlined in the DfES publication Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits
2.5 Premises Officer
The Premises Officer has particular responsibility for security and premises related issues and will:
o Cooperate with the headteacher and ensure that they effectively monitor the condition of the premises.
o Report defects and monitor to ensure that appropriate remedial action is taken.
o Test the fire alarm system weekly and record the findings.
2.6 All Staff
Member of staff also have health and safety responsibilities. Staff will therefore be required to:
o Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of anyone else who may be affected by what they do or fail to do.
o Cooperate with all health and safety arrangements.
o Report any defects or other health and safety matter that they are aware of.
o Correctly use equipment, tools and protective devices, including Personal Protective Equipment
Part 3 Arrangements for managing Health and Safety
3.1 Risk Assessment
The Headteacher will ensure that risk assessments as required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1999 are carried out for the school activities and operations and for premises related issues. The assessments will be used to identify health and safety hazards and ensure that where they cannot be eliminated the associated risks are reduced or otherwise adequately controlled.
There are a number of generic risk assessments available on the staff shared drive that can be adapted by staff to assist in this process.
o Accommodation
§ Accommodation
§ Camping
o Activities
§ Activities (General)
§ Mountain Biking
§ Visits to the Beach
o Remote Supervision
o Travel
§ Air Travel
§ Ferry Travel
§ Road Transport
o Travel
§ Air Travel
§ Ferry Travel
§ Road Transport
In addition the following Generic Risk Assessments can be found in the document Guidance on Planning an External Visit
§ Beach and Coastal Studies
§ Cycling
§ Field Study Ventures
§ Riding Hoses and Pony Trekking
§ Orienteering
§ Sailing
§ Camping
§ Climbing
which can be found on the Southwark LEA website. Further advice on completing risk assessments is available from the Educational Visits Coordinator.
3.2 Fire Precautions
The Emergency Evacuation and Fire Drill procedure is practiced termly and is available to all staff in their copies of the Staff Handbook. The school has a contract for the maintenance of the Fire Alarm System and Fire Fighting Equipment with KIDDE.
3.3 Accidents, incidents and Dangerous Occurrences
A record of Accidents, Incidents and Dangerous Occurrences is kept by the School Nurse using the following procedures:
· Accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences to pupils, staff and visitors should be reported to the School Nurse who will keep a record of each accident, incident and dangerous occurrence and, when necessary, report to the borough using the appropriate forms HS1 and HS3.
In the event of a serious accident to pupils, staff and visitors, the following procedures should be observed:
· The injured person must be left where they are, but should be protected from the weather (where appropriate) and kept warm until a member of staff with a current first-aid qualification arrives
· If it is decided that the injured person should be taken to hospital, transport (either car or ambulance - depending on the nature of the incident) must be arranged
· In the case of a pupil, parents must be informed as soon as possible by telephone, and for a member of staff or visitor, a relative or friend must be contacted, and if possible, taken to hospital with the injured person.
· On no account must a pupil be allowed to go to hospital or allowed to go unless accompanied by a parent or a responsible person. Depending on circumstances either a member of staff will accompany the pupil and parents will make their way directly to the hospital or parents will be asked to collect their child from school and take them there themselves.
All will be recorded and reported in accordance with Southwark Education and Lifelong Learning Department Policy. The Pupil Accident book, Employee Accident Book and Visitor Accident Book (BI 510) and HS1, HS3 Report forms are kept by the School Nurse.
When a serious accident occurs, it is important that the accident site is left untouched until advice is obtained from the Department’s Health and Safety Advisers. The Key Manager or deputy will also advise the appropriate staff safety representative, who has the right to inspect the site of an accident involving anyone he or she represents.
The Department’s Health and Safety Advisers can be contacted for advice regarding any incident/accident that may occur, but in the event of an incident which the Headteacher believes may require closure of the school, the Department’s Health and Safety Advisers or, in their absence, the Principal Property Services Officer must be contacted immediately to qualify the safety concern before such a decision can be taken.
Accident Reporting
In order to meet the requirements of the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR), certain accidents that happen in schools, or during education activities elsewhere, must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Accident reporting is a legal requirement under Health and Safety Regulations.
It is not only accidents that must be reported. Injuries, dangerous occurrences (such as near misses) and communicable diseases must also be reported under Health and Safety legislation. As well as being a legal requirement, accident reporting provides the opportunity to learn from the incidents and avoid its repetition.
Schools must notify the LEA of fatal and major injuries without delay. Firstly by phone (020 7525 5034) and then with a faxed report on the relevant HS form (020 7525 5246).
Health and Safety Contacts
Key Manager
Name Mr Grainne Grabowski
Title Headteacher
Emergency 07796 087673
Person designated to act in the Key Manager’s absence
Name Mr Stephen Bryan
Title Health and Safety Officer
Safety Representative
Name Ms Ona Arobaga
Title Teacher of Science
Southwark Education and Lifelong Learning Department
Departmental Health and Safety Adviser
Health & Safety Adviser (Consultant) Linda Green Tel: 020 7525 5035
Southwark Health & Safety Adviser Lee Tapping Tel: 020 7525 3808
3.4 First Aid
The School Nurse is the primary point of contact for incidents requiring first aid. The following staff are trained in first aid:
o Ms Laure Elamin (Appointed Person: School Nurse)
o Mr Conor Mahon
o Ms Suneeta Kainth
o Mr Alphanso Brady
First Aid Boxes can be found in: The Main Office, Design Technology Department, Science Department and Mr Mahon’s Teaching Room (Business & Enterprise Centre)
The First Aid Room is the Nurses Office which is adjacent to the Main Office
3.5 Communication
All staff are made aware of communication channels within the school and within the Authority for health and safety. Each member of staff is issued with a Staff Handbook which contains all relevant documentation relating to health and safety issues within the school. The Headteacher will ensure that all health and safety guidance and advice is kept together in the safety file in a place that is easily accessible to all staff. All such advice is communicated to staff where relevant and incorporated into the school’s procedures.
3.6 Staff consultation
The Governing Body and Headteacher recognise the valuable contribution to health and safety made by all staff, particularly staff safety representatives. Any member of staff with health and safety issues may ask for these issues to be included on the agenda at the Buildings, Health and Safety Committee meetings.
3.7 Health and Safety Committee
The health and safety committee has been merged with the buildings and premises committee and provides a forum for the local managers and staff representatives to discuss important health and safety issues. The membership of the committee is as follows:
Name / RoleGrainne Grabowski / Headteacher
Stephen Bryan / H&S Officer
Michael O’Connor / Premises Manager
Laure Elamen / School Nurse
Kenny Glackin / Governor
Ona Arobaga / Staff Representative
Ami Upal / Bursar
Jim Field / BSF Project Manager
Bridget Hodsoll / NASUWT Representative
Christopher Lomax / NUT Representative
The committee meets at least quarterly.
3.8 Safety Practices
Guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive, Department for Education and Employment and Southwark Education and Lifelong Learning Department will be incorporated into the school’s procedures. These arrangements will be discussed at the Buildings, Health and Safety Committee and any significant issues relayed to relevant staff.
3.9 Educational Visits
The procedure for booking Educational Visits has been adapted from HASPEV and are available on the staff shared drive. All Educational Visits are approved by the Headteacher using the following procedure:
o Initial application to Mr Anthony (Diary)
o Educational Visit Form completed with Risk Assessments (Group Leader)
o Forms and Risk Assessments to Mr Bryan (Educational Visits Co-ordinator)
o EVC recommendation and original application to Ms Grabowski for final approval
There are a number of documents available to staff on the shared drive to assist with the planning of Educational Visits including a bank of generic risk assessments.
3.10 Staff Training
A range of appropriate training opportunities are available to staff to enable them to carry out safe working practices.
3.11 Shared Accommodation
The head of each separate educational establishment has been designated the Key Health and Safety Manager and therefore has the responsibility for producing a local statement for his or her establishment. Where two or more establishments share the use of single premises, (e.g. the school which is used in the evenings by Play Centre or Youth Centre) each Key Manager has the responsibility to include in the Local Statement references to activities peculiar to his or her own establishment. However, there will be health and safety problems common to all users, e.g. hazards associated with the building, and the Key Managers who share accommodation should discuss those sections of their local statement which refer to the areas they have in common and cover these by a joint statement which each Key Manager can incorporate into their own statement.