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Health and Safety Training
for School Governors
Welcome
Timetable
Safety & Comfort
Mobile Phones
Questions
Aims and Objectives
• Define ‘Health and Safety’
• Health and Safety responsibilities of the Local Authority,
Board of Governors and Head teacher.
• Able to place health and safety into context and give
examples of sensible approach
• Health, safety and welfare matters which need to be
considered in school
• Where to obtain further guidance
What is Health and Safety?
“The measures designed to control and
reduce the risks to the health and safety
of anyone who may be affected by the
activities of people at work” (HSE)
Health and Safety Legislation
• The basis of occupational health and safety is the
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, 1974
• Schools are defined as a ‘place of work’
• Sets out general duties of care
• Supported by regulation that covers more specific
risks, processes and activities
• Guidance available to help interpret legal
requirements
• Provision for the enforcement and the prosecution of
individuals and organisations
Employers’ Responsibilities
• The responsibility for pupils can fall to the Board of
Governors either as as the staff’s direct employer or
through the management of the school or both
• Where the Board of Governors does not employ
staff, the Local Authority has a responsibility as an
employer
• In fact, the Health and Safety in schools is split
between the Board of Governors (BG) , Local
Authority (LA) and the Headteacher.
School Governors
What are your responsibilities?
Role of the Governors
“Governors have a monitoring role, ensuring
that a sensible approach to risk management
has been taken and that identified control
measures have been acted upon.” (HSE)
HSE Website
Governors Responsibilities
Corporate Health and Safety Policy
–Ensure safe leadership and that health and safety forms an integrated part of
school management;
–Appoint one Governor to lead on Health and Safety within each school and to
ensure that this person has received adequate training;
–Ensure compliance with Corporate health and safety procedures, guidance and
instructions.
–Ensure co-operation with the Council and respond to any health and safety
guidance that is provided
–Ensure the school adheres to Gwynedd Council’s arrangements for recording,
investigating and reporting on any accident, near miss, dangerous/violent incident,
notifiable disease or significant incident.
–Ensure that the school has a comprehensive risk register with control measures
having been implemented to control significant dangers to health, safety and
welfare as far as is reasonably practical.
–Ensuring responsible guardianship of the school buildings, giving an appropriate
response in an emergency and ensureing that any building work arranged by the
school adheres to strict Council procedures.
•
Board of Governors Responsibilities
• Strategic management of Health and Safety
• Set up a H&S Committee and designate one
member to lead on H&S
• Ensure that a Health and Safety Policy is in
place within the school which conforms with the Council’s
Corporate Health and Safety Policy
• Ensure that measures are in place to implement the Health
and Safety policies, advice, guidance and procedures
• Occasional monitoring inspections/ audits
• Report to the LA or parents (specifically on arrangements for
the security of staff and pupils)
• Day to day Health and Safety management
• Communicate with/ report to the LA/ Board of
Governors
• Implement when required
• Forward Health and Safety information and
messages to relevant people
• Recognise training needs of staff.
Headteacher’s Responsibilities
Example of exceptionally
bad day to day management!!
Exercise
Governors’ Responibilities NOT Governors’ Responibilities
Sensible Health and Safety
Not....
•Prevent activities for insignificant reasons where
risks have been assessed
•Produce uneccesarry paperwork
•Create risk free environments
•Exaggerate risks to frighten people
Sensible Health and Safety
It means...
•Protect staff and children, service users and
contractors
•Balance gain and risk
•Ensure that those who create risks manage them
•Help people to understand, as well as their right to
protection, they also have responsibilities for
themselves and others (ownership).
•Make decisions based on actual risks rather than on
the basis of possible litigation
Main Health and Safety RisksMain Health and Safety RisksMain Health and Safety RisksMain Health and Safety Risks
Site
Safety
Violence
Asbestos &
Legionella
Fire
Finger
Trapping
Slips and
Trips
Visits
Lifting and
Handling
Transport
management
Training
Equipment maintenance
Risk Risk Risk Risk ManagementManagementManagementManagement
• Site Manager
• Access Control
• Visitors signing in book
• Blue box / property safety files
• First Aid
• Emergency Procedures
• Risk assessments
• Building work an the control of contractors
Arrangements in Schools
Governors Checks
School Governors Safety Monitoring Guidance
Ask the question........
• Which Board member is the designated Governor for Health
and Safety?
• Is there a Health and Safety Policy?
• Do I have sufficient knowledge relating to the health and
safety risks affecting my school?
• Does the school provide enough budget and strategic
management of Health and Safety?
• Am I able to demonstrate commitment to Health and Safety
during discussions on the BG?
• Has any decision that I have made created a risk?
• Do strategic decisions made by the BG support and reinforce
the H&S Policy and procedures?
Further Information
HSE Website
www.hse.gov.uk
Welsh Government Website –Look at Chapter 25 of the’ School Governors' guide to
the law’
www.gov.wales
‘Governors Wales’ Website
www.governorswales.org.uk
Health, Safety and Welfare Service,
Gwynedd Council
Summary (Aims & Objectives)
• Council’s Health and Safety responsibilities
• Define the Board of Governors’ responsibilities
• Able to place health and safety into context and giving
examples of sensible approach
• Health, safety and welfare matters which need to be
considered in school
• Where to obtain further guidance
Thank You
Manon H Griffiths BSc(Hons) DipOS MCIEH
Health, Safety and Welfare Advisor
(01286) 679459