Summer Term 2014
Dear Colleague
Health and Safety Representatives Bulletin – Summer Term 2014
Welcome to the third in a new series of termly bulletins for NUT health and safety representatives.
The aim is to support you in the valuable work you undertake on behalf of your colleagues, to help make your school a better place to work and to use health and safety to get other NUT members interested in becoming active in the Union.
1. NUT HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES’ TRAINING COURSE. NOT TOO LATE TO APPLY
There are still places available on the next training course for NUT health and safety representatives which will take place at the NUT’s national training centre, Stoke Rochford Hall, near Grantham, from Monday 7th - Friday 11th July 2014.
Details and application forms are available from the NUT Organising and Membership Department on 020 7380 4837 or follow the link for further information http://www.teachers.org.uk/has .
2. NUT THERMOMETERS
Good News. To reflect the changes to workplace temperatures,a new version of our popular NUT thermometer has been updated to comply with the new regulations. They will be in stock soon, priced at £4.00 each and you can place an order by emailing Gary Lewis indicating the quantity required, your association and contact details and a delivery address. Your association will be invoiced by the union’s Finance Department.
3. WW2 GAS MASKS & FIRST WORLD WAR HELMETS & ASBESTOS
Following the NUT raising concerns about pupils and staff handling, and even wearing, WW2 military service gas masks containing asbestos, for example during history or drama lessons or school productions, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently widened and strengthened the scope of its guidance to include all gas masks and the revised advice states:
‘no gas masks should be worn or handled by children or teachers for the following reasons:
The full HSE guidance can be found at: http://juac.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Gas-Masks-Letter-with-Advice.pdf
The HSE have also issued a warning that the majority of the British Army (‘Brodie’) helmets (see picture below), issued during the First World War, contain chrysotile (white) asbestos in the helmet liner. Accordingly, the advice in relation to these items is the same as for gas masks - it is not appropriate for children or teachers to wear or handle any artefacts that potentially contain asbestos. Replica gas masks and ‘Brodie’ Helmets that do not contain asbestos are available as teaching aids. Please ensure that these important messages are shared within your school.
4. GOVERNMENT ASBESTOS INSURANCE COVER FOR FORMER PUPILS
The DfE has launched a centrally funded insurance scheme that will provide asbestos risk insurance cover for former pupils and non-employees in academies, free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools. The scheme is called ‘The Risk Protection Arrangement for Academy Trusts’ (RPA). For full details see the following link
http://www.asbestosexposureschools.co.uk/npaper%20links/Risk%20Protection%20Arrangement.htm
If you work in one of these types of school please draw management attention to the new scheme.
5. ADVICE FOR SCHOOLS ON SUPPORTING PUPILS WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS
From September 2014, under section 100 of the Children and Families Act, governing bodies have a statutory duty to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions. New DfE statutory guidance for schools on supporting pupils with medical conditions, following public consultationearlier in the year can be found at: new statutory guidance and advice for schools on supporting pupils with medical conditions.
Please share this important information with colleagues and management at your school.
6. DfE ANNOUNCEMENT ON DEFIBRILLATORS FOR SCHOOLS
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that it is working with the Department of Health to identify a supplier who will offer defibrillators to all schools at a competitive price-hopefully in time for the Autumn term. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone who with a cardiac condition and a defibrillator is a life-saving machine that gives the heart an electric shock and can make a difference between life and death. Further information will be included in the next issue of this bulletin but in the meantime you may wish to discuss with colleagues and management if this is an opportunity your school would like to explore further.
7. NUT HEALTH AND SAFETY REPS’ GUIDE
The NUT has published a new guide for health and safety reps, which explains what the role is about and how health and safety reps can help build the Union. It can be used to help introduce new health and safety reps to their rights and functions, but also to recruit them in the first place. It is now available at: http://www.teachers.org.uk/healthandsafetyreps.If you would like additional copies email Jodie Tucker or Glynis McCairn .
8. TUC HEALTH AND SAFETY REPS’ SURVEY
The TUC survey of health and safety reps which is undertaken every two years is designed to provide the TUC, NUT and individual unions with information about health and safety reps, and helps to support reps in their work. Please complete the survey and the deadline for completed survey forms to be submitted is 27th June and the survey can be found at http://www.tuc.org.uk/health-and-safety/health-and-safety-reps-survey-2014
9. CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL FINED AFTER PUPIL INJURED IN LIFT SHAFT FALL
City of Edinburgh Council has been fined after a school girl was seriously injured when she fell more than five metres as teachers attempted to free her from a broken down lift, with three other pupils when it became stuck between the first and second floors. The pupil called the school’s office from her mobile phone and teachers quickly arrived and tried to affect a rescue, rather than alerting the emergency services.
A more detailed account of the incident can be found at Council in court after schoolgirl seriously injured in lift shaft fall
10. JOINT UNION ASBESTOS COMMITTEE (JUAC)
Follow us on Twitter, contribute to the debate and keep up to date on the latest news about our asbestos in schools campaign. The JUAC twitter account is @theJUAC
Yours sincerely
CHRISTINE BLOWER
General Secretary
z:\hs reps - bulletin no 3 - summer 2014.doc