Health and Safety Statement

St. Joseph’s Primary School,

Templemore

Health and Safety Statement

The Board of Management of St. Joseph’s Primary School recognises the importance of the legislation enacted in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989.

A Safety Statement has been prepared setting out the policy of the Board of Management of St. Joseph’s School and setting out the means to achieve that policy, and is available to all staff. It will be reviewed annually.

The Board of Management’s objective is to endeavour to provide a safe and healthy work environment for all our employees and pupils and to meet our duties to members of the public with whom we come in contact.

TheSafety Officer for the Board of Management is Sr Helen Kennedy

The Safety Representative of the Staff is the Deputy Principal Miss Siobhán Bowe or Acting Deputy in her absence or in the event of her stepping up to Acting Principal.

The aim of the Board is to provide a healthy and safe working environment. This can be achieved with the help and assistance of all employees and pupils. To help achieve this aim, all individuals who come onto the school premises are asked to:

1Take full care of their own Health and Safety, and that of others

2To co-operate with others on the issue of Health and Safety

3Use proper and safe procedures when carrying out all tasks

4To foster safe and healthy practices among the pupils at all times

5To use all equipment and plant in a safe manner

6Keep work areas clean and tidy at all times

7Bring to the attention of the Principal and /or Safety Representative any equipment, practice or procedure which s/he notices to be potentially unsafe

8Familiarise himself/herself with the Safety Statement, and follow all the guidelines outlined in it.

The Policy requires the co-operation of all employees.

Signed: ______Chairperson, B.O.M.

Date:______

Local Emergency Contact Details:

Contact Details:
Doctor: / Dr O’ Carroll 0504- 53133
Dr Hennessy 0504- 31142
Fire/Ambulance: / 999/112
Gardaí:Templemore
Superintendent / 0504-32630
0504-32637
Hospitals:
Shannon Doc / NenaghGeneralHospital
067-31491
Clonmel;South Tipperary Gereral
052-6177000
1850212999

The policy requires the co-operation of all employees.

Signed:______Chairman, B.O.M.

Date: ______

Health and Safety Statement

Introductory Statement

While we have a Health and Safety statement it was felt that it needed updating (more recently June-September 2010 with the assistance of Primary Professional School Development planner, Ms Fiona Dunne) the Staff and the Board’s Safety Officer, Sr Helen Kennedy engaged in:

drawing up areas that needed to be included in a policy
in reviewing the current policy

Groups took an area

looked at it in detail
made recommendations for improvement
suggested new procedures where none were in existence

The proposals were put to the whole staff and after clarification decisions were agreed

The new draft policy was put together and presented to the BOM for their approval

The policy has been approved will be put into practice

Aims of the Policy

The following are what the school ideally hopes to achieve by introducing this policy

It aims:

To comply with legislation
To create a safe & healthy school environment by identifying, preventing and tackling hazards and their accompanying risks
To establish clear guidelines
To put procedures in place where necessary
To ensure understanding of the school’s duty of care towards pupils
To protect employees from workplace accidents and ill-health at work

Rationale

Health and safety legislation is constantly changing
Represents the B.O.M.’s commitment to Health & Safety

Policy means protection
It eliminates confusion
There are procedures to follow
The current statement needed greater clarity

Policy Statement on Safety, Health and Welfare at Work of the Board of Management of St. Joseph’s Primary School

The Board of Management of St. Joseph’s Primary School recognises the importance of the legislation enacted in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989.

A safety Statement has been prepared setting out the policy of the Board of Management of St. Joseph’s School and setting out the means to achieve that policy, and is available to all staff. It will be reviewed annually.

The Board of Management will ensure that, in so far as is practicable, the highest standards of safety shall prevail and that, at a minimum, the provisions of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 are applied.

Consultation and Information

The Board of Management of St. Joseph’s Primary School

Consulted with staff in preparation and completion of the Health and Safety Statement and of Hazard Control Forms
Will give a copy of the Safety Statement to all present and future staff
Will ensure that any additional information or instructions regarding Health, Safety and Welfare at work not contained in the document will be conveyed to all staff as it becomes available
Will ensure that Health, Safety and Welfare will form an integral part of any future staff training and development plans.
Will welcome any suggestions from the School Staff, Parents to improve Health, Safety and Welfare practices in the school

Risk Assessment

Each year, the Board of Management will carry out a risk assessment, identifying hazards, assessing the risks and specifying the actions required to eliminate or minimise them. This inspection/safety audit should be carried out more frequently if requested by either staff or the Board of Management. Hazards may include physical, health, biological, chemical and human hazards.

The risk assessment will contain the following headings:

Hazard description and location
Assessment of risk and identification of those at risk
Safety procedures for dealing with the risk
Responsibility for implementation and review of safety procedures

APPENDIX 2 has full details of findings of risk assessment on June 17th 2010

The Board of Management in consultation with the employees will review and make recommendations on the elimination of Hazards.

Identification of Hazards, Risk Assessment and Action(s) Taken
Hazards / Low/Medium/
High Risk / Risk to persons / Action Taken / Date / Person responsible

A blank copy is included in Appendix 1

As part of the general approach to safety, other policies & practices which have a bearing on safety, health and welfare need to be put in place and communicated to employees, pupils, parents and others using the premises. These will be monitored and updated regularly e.g. an annual fire safety audit or school environment audit

Health and safety is paramount when any policy/plan is being drawn up e.g. PE, Visual Arts, School Excursions, etc. The duty of care must also be considered in all areas and aspects of school life.

Procedures to deal with Emergencies

Emergency contact procedures
Pupils: families are issued with a consent form every September which requests up to date contact details. These are logged onto a Database in the office as well as being available in a specific folder in the office. Families are always reminded to furnish the school should contact details change. All staff has access to the designated folder and is easily accessible.
In the event of an emergency, parents are contacted immediately. In the event that the school cannot make contact with the parent / guardian, school contacts a second nominated relative. In the event that the school fails to make contact with this person, the school has permission to arrange medical assistance from doctor / hospital.
Fire-drill and school evacuation procedures
There is an adequate supply of fire extinguishers which will deal with any type of fire
Authorised and qualified persons regularly service the fire extinguishers.
Each fire extinguisher shall have instructions for its use.
Instruction is given to staff in the use of fire Extinguishers for specific materials/equipment
Regular fire drills take place at least once/twice a term
Miss Siobhán Bowe (Post holder) is responsible for Fire Drill and evacuation procedures .In the case of her stepping up to Acting Principal; the Acting Deputy is responsible for the Fire Drill.
Fire alarms are clearly marked
All assembly areas are designated and clearly marked
A plan of the school shows assembly points outside the building, and the locations specified
The attention of staff and employees is drawn to the following duties of persons employed as laid down in Section 9 of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 1989.

It shall be the duty of every employee while at work:

i. To take reasonable care for his/her own safety, health and welfare and that of any person (including children)who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions while at work.

ii. To co-operate with his/her employer and any other person to such an extent as will enable his/her employer or the other person to comply with any of the relevant statutory provisions.

iii. To use in such manner and so as to provide the protection intended, any suitable appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided (whether for his/her use alone or for the use by him/her in common with others) for securing his/her safety, health or welfare of which he/she becomes aware.

No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse any appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions or otherwise for securing the safety, health or welfare of persons arising out of work activities.

The Principal and secretary are responsible for safety in the office. It is the responsibility of all staff to keep the staff room tidy and safe. The cleaner and caretaker are to check that all is safe when cleaning and locking up.
All doors, corridors, and entries are kept clear of obstruction and shall be able to be opened at all times from within the building. Each teacher must ensure the exit in her classroom is kept clear.
Bottled gas is not stored in the building
Exit signs shall be clearly marked
The school is kept clear of all combustible rubbish
The Fire Safety Policy is put into practice
Parents are informed of procedures by the Board of Management

Evacuation
Every staff member and pupil knows exactly what their role is and what they are to do in the event of fire
Each year the fire drill procedures are taught to the children, clarified with the school staff
The local fire officer pays an unscheduled visit for a surprise fire drill
A record (date, evacuation time) of fire drill is kept in the Leabhar Tinrimh
Record & risk assessment completed (See Appendix 3)
On report/discovery of fire the principal calls the fire brigade
The staff member who discovers the fire raises the fire alarm
On hearing the alarm class follows Fire Drill procedures as outlined on class

Poster/chart

Serious Accident Procedure & Accident ReportForm
All accidents both minor and major are recorded
All incidents, no matter how trivial, and whether to employees, pupils or members of the public must be reported immediately to the Principal or Safety Representative. This is necessary to monitor the progress of safety standards and ensure that proper medical attention is given where required
Minor accident:
These are recorded in the Incident Book which is made available to all staff each morning
Serious Injury/Accident:
Parent/guardian/contact person is notified immediately.
The principal is also informed.
The Accident Report Form is completed. (See appendix 4)
The School Insurance Company is notified and the appropriate form filled in and posted
The Principal, Safety Representative and Safety Officer investigate the accident and put procedures in place to avoid a recurrence.
The Health and Safety Authority is notified if necessary and as required by law

c.f. Board of Management Handbook. HSA is contacted when:

An accident causing loss of life to any employed or self-employed person if sustained in the course of their employment
An accident sustained in the course of their employment which prevents any employed or self-employed person from performing the normal duties of their employment for more than 3 calendar days not including the date of the accident
An accident to any person not at work caused by a work activity which causes loss of life or requires medical treatment.
The report will be complied by the Principal along with the staff member who was present at the time in whatever capacity
A record of the incident will be housed in the office

Critical Incident Policy – (Refer to Responding to Critical Incidents, NEPS Advice and Information pack for schools as well as the School’s Critical Incident Policy)
St Joseph’s has in place a policy to deal with a Critical Incident
Members of the Critical Incident team include
Principal
Deputy Principal
Chairperson B.O.M.
School Secretary
Priest of the parish
Staff member
Procedures are in place to deal with a Critical Incident, which may involve one or more pupils, staff, the school or the community in which they function. They may happen in school, during out of school activities, or within the wider school community. The details and context in which they are set, what precedes, surrounds and follows affects the severity of the impact. The school has
Short term action plan (1st day)
Medium term action plan (24-72 hours)
Long term plan
Inclement weather
The secretary or principal will alert parents to dangerous conditions through medium of text message
The school playground, entrances and exits will be gritted as necessary in frosty/snowy weather.
Any area deemed very dangerous will be sealed off
The Principal or in her absence, safety Rep. (Deputy Principal/Acting Principal) will attempt to arrive early to school to ensure that heating and plumbing systems are working satisfactorily. If principal is delayed, a senior SNA opens up but is not responsible for school safety.
Exceptional closures
An exceptional closure can be considered due to inclement weather, heating breakdown, interruption to electrical supply or unforeseen situation which threatens the safety and well being of pupils and staff
In such a situation, the Principal, Chairperson of BOM and in his absence, the Safety officer will meet, consult and decide on a plan of action. (In the event of the Principal being unable to make journey to school, the Chairperson and Safety Officer will assume responsibility for any decisions made). This could be to close the school or cordon off a section of school if deemed necessary
Staff and Families will be notified as soon as possible through the medium of a text message or meeting them as they arrive to school
The BOM will seek to rectify the offending situation as a matter of urgency and minimise the disruption caused to staff and families

Procedures to deal with Health Issues

Enrolment Form
St Joseph’s Enrolment and Registration form clearly requests parents to identify any allergies/illnesses/medical conditions of the applicant
They are also requested toupdate the school on any allergies/illnesses/medical conditions that the child may develop
The school explains how accidents/illnesses are dealt with and the first-aid that may be administered (see also Accident procedure above)
Managing specific health issues
The Board of Management requests parents to ensure that teachers be made aware inwriting of any medical condition suffered by any children in their class.
At any time this does not imply a duty upon teachers personally to undertake the administration of medicines or drugs.
Management are made aware of health issues in relation to staff through consultation with the particular staff member or through the medium of the principal. The staff member can be assured of confidentiality and sensitivity at all times
Administration of Medication
Where there are children with short term or indeed long-term health problems, the school has proper and clearly understood arrangements for the administration of medicines. This would include measures such as self administration, administration under parental supervision and storage of such medicine (normally in the office)
Where children are suffering from life threatening conditions, parents / guardians must clearly outline in writing, what can and can’t be done in a particular emergency situation, with particular reference to what may be a risk to the child.
The BOM may authorise a teacher to administer medication to a pupil. If the teacher is so authorised she/he must be properly instructed by the BOM
In administering medication to pupils, teachers must exercise the standard of care of a reasonable and prudent parent
The BOM must inform the school’s insurers accordingly
The BOM must seek an indemnity from the parent/s/guardians in respect of any

liability that may arise regarding the administration of the medication.

Sickness or Injury
In the event of minor accidents, consent forms are issued every September requesting parents/ guardians to outline whether they wish to have their child looked after by school staff or whether they wish to be contacted
Parents / guardians will always be contacted in the event of serious accidents
First Aid
It is the policy of the Board of Management of St. Joseph’s Primary School that:
All required remedies and equipment are made available for first aid function.
There will be an adequate supply of properly equipped First Aid Boxes (2) available at all times to staff which will contain:
Emergency telephone numbers stuck to lid of boxes
Fabric strip/plasters
Dressings
Tape
Burnese
Waspese
Cotton bandage
Wipes / spray and cotton swabs
Scissors
First Aid Chart
Disposable gloves
Ice packs – to be kept in fridge and returned immediately after use
Disposable gloves must be used at all times when administering First Aid.
Hot water and soap is available and should be used before and after administering First Aid.
Only staff may administer basic First Aid.
Lifting
When a child who needs to be lifted is enrolled in the school, suitable support services will be provided, arrangements made and training provided for the lifting of the child in order to minimise strain on staff and injury to child.
Illnesses and contagious infections

Parents are askedto inform the school in the event of an outbreak of a contagious infection such as rubella, chicken pox, swine flu, T.B., conjunctivitis and Head lice
In such instances, a note is sent to the parents of all children in that class and / or a teacher may alert parents
On occasion the Health Nurse is invited to talk to the children about general hygiene and about hair infestation.
Teachers cover these topics formally in SPHE lessons and informally during the year.
As previously mentioned, parents are asked to disclose long term illnesses etc in the child’s enrolment form

School hygiene
Children are reminded regularly at assembly about personal hygiene.
Junior Infants are reminded about the need to wash hands and the correct procedure for doing so.
The following provided in the school for staff and pupils
Wash facilities/availability of hot and cold water
A sink unit has been installed in the 3 Infant classrooms, all providing both hot and cold water
The hot water is set at a safe temperature and thermostat control is out of reach of children.
Liquid soap
Paper towels (both of whom are checked daily and dispensers are refilled)
Radon

The school underwent a Radon Assessment in 2000. High levels were recorded in Room 7. A ventilation vent was installed immediately
During Summer Works renovations 2010, further remedial were to be carried out to prevent the ingress of Radon in the classroom
This work was completed in November 2010
The remediation systems must be properly maintained to ensure they remain effective at minimising the radon build-up within the workplace.

General cleanliness of school environment
The Board of Management employs cleaners / contract cleaners for sufficient hours per week to ensure classrooms, toilets, reception areas and general purpose rooms are cleaned on a daily basis
Our caretaker is responsible for the upkeep of all exterior areas, playground and gardens
He is also responsible for the collection of refuse
Healthy eating:
Please refer to school’s SPHE plan and / or Healthy Eating policy
We also participate in the provision of healthy lunches to the majority of the school population in association with the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Details are furnished to families every September
Water
There is an adequate supply of drinking water in the school for staff and pupils and can be accessed from the staffroom, lunch room and the 3 infant sinks. Water from toilet areas is not permissible for drinking purposes
The school also has regular supplies of bottled water in conjunction with the delivery of school lunches. This water is freely available to all.
Clothing/protection
Pupils are made aware of the need for proper clothing and protection e.g. dressing accordingly with the weather, sun screen in the case of warm weather, helmets and/or gum shields when playing hurling/football through many mediums throughout the school
Class teacher
Weekly assemblies
Newsletter “Aon Scéal”
Letters relating to various matters
Text a parent service
Parent Teacher Meetings
Digital signage

Procedures to deal with Safety and Welfare Issues