School Governor Occupational Health, Safety and

Wellbeing (OHSW)

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Welcome This information pack has been designed to compliment the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Training for School Governors. Further information on health, safety and wellbeing can be found on the intranet page http://lbbdstaff/HR/Pages/OHandHS.aspx. The aim of this information pack is to promote an understanding of:

Health, safety and wellbeing roles and responsibilities

How sensible health, safety and wellbeing management systems make a positive impact

The governance and audit arrangements at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

Contents

Sensible Risk Management Page 3

Corporate H&S Management system (HSG65) Page 3

Responsibilities Page 5

Governance and Audit Page 6

Reporting Accidents / Incidents Page 7

Accessing the OHSW Intranet Page 8

Risk Assessment Page 9

Employee Welfare Line Page 10 OHSW Training Page 11

Useful Contacts Page 12

Notes Page 13

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Sensible Risk Management It is important that we focus our attention on risks that can cause serious harm rather than wasting time on trivial risks. We do not live in a risk free society. We have to manage sensibly to ensure people are not exposed to unacceptable risk. Sensible risk management is about:

✔ Ensuring that workers and the public are properly protected

✔ Providing overall benefit to society by balancing benefits and risks, with a

focus on reducing real risks – both those which arise more often and those with serious consequences

✔ Enabling innovation and learning not stifling them

✔ Ensuring that 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 Sensible risk management is not about:

✘ 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

the risks are managed

✘ Reducing protection of people from risks that cause real harm and suffering

Corporate Health and Safety Management System

The Health and Safety Management system operated in LBBD is based on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) “Successful Health and Safety Management” system known as HS(G)65. The HS(G)65 is a an over-arching guide on the essential philosophy of good health and safety: what it means; how to achieve it; and how to maintain it. The guidance describes the principles and management practices which provide the basis of effective health and safety management. It sets out the issues which need to

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be addressed, and can be used for developing improvement programmes, self-audit or self-assessment. There are five major sections, please see diagram below: The diagram has been broken down further, see below, into plain speak and guidance questions to assist you in meeting the requirements of HS(G)65.

Corporate Health and Safety

Management System

Organising

Auditing

Policy

Planning &

Implementing

Reviewing

Performance

HS (G) 65

Measuring

Performance

Policy

Organising

Planning &

Implementing

Reviewing

Performance

Measuring

Performance

Organise

Plan - Do

Check

Does your team have H&S

objectives that support the

Corporate H&S policy?

Is your team aware of and do

they accept their H&S

responsibilities?

Does your team have a H&S

action plan and safe ways of

working introduced following

RA?

Does your team have

evidence that it checks for

compliance to safe ways of

working?

Does your team have

evidence that H&S

shortcomings are rectified?

HSG 65 Plain Speak Evidence

Act

to improve

PolicyDoes your team have H&S

objectives that support the

Corporate H&S policy?

H&S Objectives

Your Action Plan

eg.Do you have

evidence that you

support the policy?

eg. Do you need to

familiarize yourself

with these?

eg. Do you have

evidence that you

check?

eg. Do you have

evidence that you try

to improve H&S

standards?

eg. Are you fully

aware of your H&S

responsibilities?

What do you

need to do now

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Responsibilities

School Governors

Setting direction via aims, objectives and targets

Consider funding for health, safety and wellbeing

Adopt clear policies for achieving aims and objectives

Top down management of health, safety and wellbeing

Meeting LA audit/governance guidance – see page 6 on Governance and Audit

Complete with the head teacher the Leadership Check and Plan Head Teacher

Ensure Council health, safety and wellbeing (HSW) policies and standards are supported by the schools policies and arrangements

Manage health, safety and wellbeing

Complete with the school governors the Leadership Check and Plan

Develop/review an annual HSW report and plan

Develop/review risk assessments and safe systems of work

Ensure appropriate monitoring to ensure compliance

Meet LA audit/governance guidance - see page 6

Provide suitable communication, consultation, information, instruction and training

Provision and coordination of building services (ensure building duty holder responsibilities are met). See below some key elements that fall under the responsibility of the building duty holder

Teachers

Set high standards of behaviour

Take responsibility for pupils in their care

Ensure school policies and arrangements are converted into action and safe working practises

Report issues, which they are unable to solve, to the head teacher or site responsible person

Gas Electrical Water Lifts

Air conditioning

Asbestos Fire Swimming

pool

Engaging and managing

contractors

Traffic management

First aid Electric gates

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All employees

Take reasonable care of themselves and others

Cooperate with management

Follow safe systems of work

Report health , safety and wellbeing concerns including accidents and incidents

Health and Safety Adviser

Promote good Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) management

Provision of advice, guidance and support

Develop and facilitate training

Review School HSW management systems and report findings to Head Teacher and Governors

Promote a positive HSW culture

Governance and Audit

The Council undertake school health, safety and wellbeing audits as part of a 3 to 4 year programme. It is important however, that Governors take an active role in reviewing Health, Safety and Wellbeing arrangements on a regular basis and ensure standards set by the Local Authority are met. See below the Governance flowchart:

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Reporting Accidents / Incidents

Reporting accidents, dangerous incidents and ill health at work is a legal requirement. Information provided enables the Council to identify where and how risks arise, to investigate serious accidents and to establish trends. What needs to be reported? Accidents or dangerous incidents that occur due to the working environment or work activities need to be reported to OHSW via the HR Service Centre. For example; accidents, incidents e.g. violence and aggression, exposure to a harmful substance e.g. needle stick injury, dangerous occurrences e.g. gas leak and near misses. It is important that OHSW are notified if employees are off from work for more than seven days due to an Accident / Incident. How? Accidents and Incidents need to be reported to OHSW using the corporate Accident/Incident Report form; this is applicable for non employees as well as employees. It can be completed by using the form (please see snapshot of report form above) or by using the online form (http://lbbd/hr/health-and-safety/accident-injury-reporting.htm) Serious accidents and incidents need to be reported to OHSW via the HR Service Centre by the quickest means possible, normally by phone on 020 8724 5233, or fax 020 8227 2237 if out of normal office hours. This needs to be followed by an Accident/Incident report form. What happens to the form? OHSW will notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) if it is reportable under Reportable Injury, Disease, and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR). OHSW report to the Health and Safety Executive on behalf of the council so it is important that relevant information is passed on as soon as possible. Accident/Incident Report forms are stored electronically, allowing the council to produce statistics and identify trends. Statistical analysis of accident and incident means risks can be identified and suitable controls can then be put in place. Statistics are taken to health and safety committees and published on the intranet http://lbbdstaff/HR/Workforce%20Information/Forms/AllItems.aspx.

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Accessing the OHSW Intranet http://lbbd/

Step 1 - From the Go Home page, select Council Staff Intranet Step 2 – Within the HR Portal, select Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing

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Risk Assessment Risk assessment is an important step in protecting employees, as well as complying with the law and preventing claims. It will help you to focus on the risks that really matter in the workplace and assist with prioritising controls. In many instances, straightforward measures can control risks. For most, that means simple, cheap and effective measures can be implemented to ensure health and safety is well managed. The law does not expect us to eliminate all risk, but requires us to reduce risk to a sensible and acceptable level. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has set out five steps to complete a risk assessment effectively, these are; Step 1 Identify the hazards Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Step 4 Record your findings and implement them Step 5 Review your assessment and update if necessary Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing (OHSW) have developed a risk assessment template which is strongly recommended to be used. Guidance on completing a risk assessment is also available. All documents can be found on the intranet.

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Employee Welfare Line

The Employee Welfare Line also known as the Assistance Programme (EAP) is a confidential welfare initiative available to employees by telephone or computer. It can provide you with counselling, information, signposting and support. You can contact the Employee Welfare Line in confidence, free from UK landlines, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for a wide range of issues or concerns e.g.:

Addiction

Financial

Medical

Relationships

Legal

Mental Health

Stress / emotional

Younger / elder care

Tax

Debt

Bereavement and more…

Please note; not all schools have bought back into the Employee Welfare Line via Schools Traded Services. Contact Details Telephone Number 0800 243 458 Website Address www.workplaceoptions.com Username lbbd Password employee

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OHSW Training

OHSW offer a wide range of courses for employees. All courses can be booked via the HR Service Centre on 020 8724 5233.

1. Health, Safety and Wellbeing Awareness (Mandatory) 2. Managing Health, Safety and Wellbeing (Mandatory for Managers) 3. Managing Health, Safety and Wellbeing (School Governors) 4. Managing Health, Safety and Wellbeing (LBBD Councillors) 5. Managing Pressure and Creating a Productive Workplace (Managers and

Supervisors) 6. Building Your Resilience 7. Duty Holder Briefing 8. Duty Holder Briefing (Operational) 9. Risk Assessment 10. Asbestos Awareness 11. Working with Hazardous Substances (COSHH) 12. Standards for Caretakers and Handy-Persons 13. Fire Warden Training 14. Manual Handling (Objects) 15. First Aid Training - Full Course (3 Days) 16. First Aid Training - Refresher (2 Days) 17. First Aid Training - Emergency Training (1 Day) 18. First Aid Training - Paediatric (2 Days) 19. Defibrillator Training - Full Course (4 Hours) 20. Defibrillator Training - Refresher (2 ½ Hours) 21. Violence & Aggression (Conflict Avoidance) 22. Care of the Back Briefing

For further details on any of the above courses please contact the HR Service Centre or visit the OHSW intranet page, http://lbbdstaff/HR/Pages/Training.aspx

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Useful Contacts Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing intranet address http://lbbdstaff/HR/Pages/OHandHS.aspx Human Resources (HR) Service Centre Telephone Number 020 8724 5233 Email hrservicecentre@lbbd.gov.uk Fax 020 8227 2237 Occupational Health Telephone Number 020 8227 3315 / 3509 Email occupationalhealth@lbbd.gov.uk Fax 020 8227 2421 Health and Safety Telephone Number 020 8724 5233 Email hrservicecentre@lbbd.gov.uk Fax 020 8227 2237 The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Website address www.hse.gov.uk Employee Welfare Line – also known as the Employee Assistance Programme* Telephone Number 0800 243 458 Website Address www.workplaceoptions.com

Username lbbd Password employee

*Please note Not all schools have bought back into the Employee Welfare Line via Schools Traded Services

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Notes

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Notes

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Notes