1. Health & Safety Awareness Training for School Governors
The governing body have a key part to play in tackling risk aversion, helping to provide a wider sense of perspective and helping the school to get the balance right on managing risk. HSE
Daniel Houston
RBWM Schools Health & Safety Adviser

2. Objectives & Governor Role
Understand the key health & safety requirements that schools should be complying with and how you as a Governor have a pivotal role to play.
The main role of the School Governors is to have a strategic overview of how a school is managed, this includes the monitoring and effectiveness of health & safety issues alongside curriculum issues both of which should form part of the everyday management processes

3. Some relevant Legislation
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
Management of Health & Safety at Work Regs 1999
The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regs 1992
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs 2005
Control of Asbestos Regs 2012
Control of Legionella ACOP L8
Work at Height Regulations 2005
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurences (RIDDOR) Regs 2013
Construction & Design Management Regs 2015(CDM)

4. Why is Health & Safety in schools important?
A strong Health & Safety culture pays for itself many times over in preventing injuries and lost staff time by averting:
serious preventable injuries
work related illness like stress & back pain
lost work days due to work related illness and work related injury
the cost and disruption of damage only accidents.

5. Uninsured losses due to accidents invariably outweigh any accident costs recovered through insurance. They can include:
• lost staff time • sick pay • damage or loss of equipment and materials • repairs to buildings and facilities • additional staff costs, overtime working and temporary cover • teaching delays • investigation time • fines • legal costs

6. Health & Safety Myths Myth:
Health and safety rules stop classroom experiments
The reality:
Hands-on lessons are an essential part of learning. They bring science to life and also teach kids how to handle dangerous substances safely

7. Health & Safety Myths Myth:
Egg boxes are banned in craft lessons as they might cause salmonella
The reality:
This story started after a school briefly banned children from using cardboard egg boxes to make things, threatening years of Blue Peter tradition. They were concerned that children might catch salmonella

8. Health & Safety Myths Myth:
Children are banned from throwing snowballs
The reality
Every year we hear inaccurate stories about children who aren't allowed to throw snowballs, and swimmers who can't take their traditional winter dip in the local lake. All this in the name of health and safety.

9. Health & Safety Fact
If we spend time on the trivial risks there's a chance we'll miss the most important ones. We need to focus on finding ways for things to happen, not reasons to stop them - a sensible approach to managing risk focuses on practical action to tackle risks that cause real harm and suffering

10. Sensible Risk Management
Ensuring that staff, pupils and visitors are properly protected.
Providing overall benefit by balancing benefits and risks, with focus on reducing real risks!
Enabling innovation and learning, not stifling them
Ensuring those who create risks manage them responsibly and understand that failure to manage real risks responsibly is likely to lead to robust action
Enabling individuals to understand that as well as the right to protection, they also have to exercise responsibility
Health & Safety arrangements are adequately resourced

11. Sensible Risk Management
Creating a totally risk free society
Generating useless paperwork mountains
Scaring people by exaggerating or publicising trivial risks
Stopping important recreational and learning activities for individuals where risks are managed
Reducing protection of people from risks that cause real harm and suffering

12. Where do I start
The starting point for effective health and safety management is a clear policy setting out the objectives of the school or college and identifying, areas for improvement.
What should the aims of the policy be?
What should the policy consist of?
Which issues should we consider when writing the policy?
Who is going to do what?
How will you communicate the policy to everyone?
How will the policy and arrangements be monitored and reviewed?
How are you going to involve children?

13. Policies or Procedures
Policies are clear, simple statements of how your organisation intends to conduct its services, actions or business. They provide a set of guiding principles to help with decision making.
Policies don't need to be long or complicated – a couple of sentences may be all you need for each policy area
Procedures
Procedures describe how each policy will be put into action in your organisation. Each procedure should outline:
Who will do what
What steps they need to take
Which forms or documents to use.
Procedures might just be a few bullet points or instructions. Sometimes they work well as forms, checklists, instructions or flowcharts

14. Other Policies Fire Safety Policy Manual Handling Policy
Medical & First Aid Policy
New & Expectant Mothers at work Policy
Working at Height Policy
Stress & Wellbeing Policy
Risk Assessment Policy
Off Site Trips Policy

15. Fire
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 it is a requirement that a Fire File is put together so that all documentation is kept together.
Fire risk assessment
Fire action plan & Evacuation procedures
Fire zones and escape routes
Assembly point
Extinguisher testing records (Annually)
Alarm testing & servicing records
Emergency lighting testing records(Monthly & 6 monthly)
Fire drill records(Termly)
Gas safety certificates (Annually)
Electrical installation report (5 yearly fixed wiring)

16. Legionella
The control of Legionella Bacteria in water systems – (ACOP L8) requires a risk assessment to be carried out by a competent person (SMS) and ongoing control measures (IWS)
Annual system condition inspection (Reports)
Flushing of little used outlets (weekly)
Monthly temperature monitoring
Quarterly cleaning & descaling of shower heads
Annual cleaning of thermostatic valves (TMV’s)

17. Asbestos
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require duty holders to manage the risks from Asbestos:
Determine the location of Asbestos Containing Materials(ACM’s)
Keep and maintain up to date records / location, condition, removal, and maintenance.
Assess and monitor the condition
Inform anyone who is likely to disturb asbestos about the location and condition
Review the site Asbestos Management plan and make changes if circumstance have changed
Ensure certificates are obtained if asbestos is removed from site under licence.

18. Health and safety in a school is about taking a sensible and proportionate approach to ensure that the premises provide a healthy and safe place for all who use them, including the school workforce, visitors and pupils

19. Where are the Risks? Fire Workplace (ventilation and heating)
Movement around the classroom(slips and trips)
Movement of vehicles on school grounds
Work at height (falls)
Furniture and fixtures
Manual handling
Computers and similar equipment (DSE)
Electrical equipment and services
Legionella
Asbestos
Fire
Workplace (ventilation and heating)

20. Specialist Areas Drama Sports / facilities Laboratories Art / Design
Technology IT
Offsite trips
Stress & Wellbeing

21. Assessing The Risks
Why is it important to carry out a risk assessment? Risk assessments are very important as they form an integral part of a good health and safety management plan. They help to: Create awareness of hazards and risks. Identify who may be at risk (employees, cleaners, visitors, contractors and pupils.

22. Assessing the Risks Identify the Hazard Identify who might be at Risk
Evaluate the Risk by assessing the current controls & deciding what needs to be improved.
Record your findings
Review the assessment

23. TRAINING Areas where training may be required:
Appropriate Health & Safety training should be given where identified as necessary. This can be formal subject training and also training in local systems and procedures.
Areas where training may be required:
Health & Safety induction
Health & Safety level 1-3
Manual Handling
Fire procedures
Use of Machinery
Educational Visits Coordinator
Radiation Protection Supervisor (CLEAPSS)
Working at Height
Pool Plant Operators (Swimming pools)

24. Monitoring Performance
Monitoring performance is an essential part of effective health & safety management. It involves checking that arrangements and systems are working as they should:
Physical controls are in place and working
Staff are doing what they are supposed to do
Review procedures are working
Health & Safety committee
Meeting agenda item at all levels
Governor responsible for Health & Safety
Health & Safety Inspections & Audit

25. FLASH Audits
Fire / Are you implementing remedial actions identified within your fire risk assessment?
Legionella / Are you complying with ACOP L8?
Asbestos / Are you monitoring the condition of the asbestos on your site?
Safety / Are your staff suitably trained?
Health / Are you assessing all significant risks for activities which are undertaken in your school?

26. Summary Health & Safety can be maintained by:
Providing information, instruction & training
Risk assessment and review
Positive attitude
Good communication
Safe working practices
Plan, Do, Review!!!!

27. Contact
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