Describe how health and safety is maintained through policies and procedures in a learning environment. Health and safety are important factors for any school setting in order to protect school staff, children, and their families. Such policies ensure that guidelines are followed to be implemented safety and security within an organization. The main objective of health and safety policy is to create safe environment for learners as well as for the school staff. Such environment will motivate the school staff to work happily and safely. Also, it gives confidence and peace of mind to parents that their children are in a safe and secure environment. There are increased number of children and pupil with medical conditions and such policy facilitates the students so that they can play fully and actively in school, remain healthy and achieve their academic potential. Even school staff will be secure and confident with such a policy in the school environment.
Health and safety policy involves; whole school staff either that is head teacher, section head teacher, teachers, assistance teachers, parent, carer, school nurse, governing body or visitors and altogether they make sure to follow the health and safety policy in order to create safe and secure environment. There are a few policies which are mentioned below with procedure.
1. Fire evacuation:
Policy: The School Head Teacher is responsible to ensure that the fire risk assessment is undertaken and implemented. It is undertaken on a yearly basis and is located in the Fire LogBook. It should be reviewed on an annual basis. Fire Instructions documents are made available to all staff. It is shared during the induction process. Evacuation procedures is access to everyone such as visitors, school staff, children and are displayed clearly in the school premises. Evacuation signs should be clearly displayed with large and clear font with the picture. Emergency exits, fire alarm and assembly gathering areas are clearly identified by safety signs and notices.Fire drills must be done in school each academic year: once or twice a month.
Fire evacuation
Procedures: Students should be informed about evacuation process. During the situation of fire in the school when the fire alarm sounds, everyone must immediately stop whatever they are doing. Teachers and assistant teachers must make sure that children will line up at the fire door of their classroom. Whole class will go out through the nearest or safest exit door and that will be a fire door. Make sure students will not run or panic. Teacher will announce that nothing to be taken and leave everything in the class. The teacher will go at the end ensuring the classroom is empty with the attendance register. The teacher will give instructions while directing the children to the playground to line up at their lines. Whole school staff including cleaning, nurse, kitchen staff and clerical staff will leave by the nearest or safest exit and assemble in the playground. The Admin Officer will bring the registers from their centrally held place so that the presence of the children can be checked.
Every supervisor of each group of staff will check their staff to make sure that all are gathered in the playground such as the Kitchen Supervisor, the Head teacher, or a senior leader will check on all other staff. At no time, until the ‘All Clear’ is given, no one will be allowed to enter the school premises. The moment the fire alarm sounds, the Head Teacher will contact the emergency services and the Admin Assistant will unlock the gate to the playground (to allow the emergency services to drive through). Every child should be taught beforehand to go straight to the playground if they find themselves alone in the building such as in the toilet. Children with the special mobility problems should be catered first. Staff should inform the office if they leave the school building any time during the school hour so they can be counted for in the case of a fire. If the fire alarm rings at home time, children should stay with their teacher until they are told they may go home. The building should be evacuated in less than two minutes.
2. Display Screen EquipmentPolicy and Procedure: Display Screen equipment assessments will be carried out by the school clerks using the display screen equipment risk assessment form the displays screen equipment assessor will attend the display screen equipment assessor training on the next available date. The display screen equipment assessments are viewed annually. The display screen equipment assessments will be kept in the school office.If the display screen assessment assessor has a problem, they should seek advice from the health and safety advisor after carrying out an initial, record assessment. If it is necessary for medical advice relevant to that display screen equipment issue to be provided in a medical report, then visual employee should be referred to the occupational health service for the head teacher.
First Aid at school: Policy and Procedure: First aid boxes should be placed in each classroom, school office and area near the playground must include basic first aid equipment.
Small medical bags should be available for school trips. These boxes/bags to be monitored by the office and school SEND Assistant. If a child has a head injury, immediate support and help should be provided to the child and make sure the child must rest and do not move. The office staff will inform the child’s parents as soon as possible. A qualified First Aiders should be all time available in the school. Every school staff will attend the Emergency First Aid training. Those children who take medication must have recorded file in the office. Each teacher must have clear knowledge of their student’s medication and health condition. If the First Aider or Head Teacher finds it important that the injured person should be sent directly to hospital, then school must call ambulance immediately.
Parents or carers should be informed. All casualties should be accompanied if parents cannot be contacted. All first aid treatments are recorded and kept in the Accident Book and First Aid logs. School must make sure to cater the child carefully and must see the child’s medical file when giving any medicine or treatment to avoid reaction.
4. Lone Working :Staff is encouraged not to work alone in school. If work is done alone should be risk assessed to determine is it necessary. Work which can involve risk injury should not be undertaken whilst working alone. If plan to do lone working: One must get permission of Head Teacher’s/senior member of the staff and notify them on each occasion when lone working will occur. Must share timings of lone working and inform through a call when leaving. One must make sure that they do not put themselves or others at risk. Ensure that in an emergency they have access to help e.g. access to a telephone or mobile or two-way radio etc. Making the school secure by locking the external doors during lone working. School have a buddy system in place for lone workers. It is good and safe to put attendance after every hour, so school electronic attendance is saved. Not to carry out risk activity such as with electricity or heights to avoid accidents.
A system for checking or monitoring these precautionary measures in place. When working off site, (e.g. when visiting homes), notify a colleague of their whereabouts and the estimated time of return. Always make sure to have background information about the child’s family being visited. It is good to take a buddy to that visit. Council guide of lone working should be available and signed by the lone worker beforehand.
5. Educational Visits: Policy and Procedure: a risk assessment will be taken for educational visit beforehand. School makes sure that children with medical needs to participate in safely managed visits. The risk assessment for the visit will include any requirements for children to be given medicines. School will take additional safety measures for outdoor visits. School staff who are accompany the students have all the understanding of rules for Educational visits. School staff should be supervised by one of the senior staff members. Staff supervising outings must be aware of any medical needs of such pupils and of the relevant emergency procedures. An additional adult (or the particular parent) may need to accompany visits where a difficult situation might arise. Required medication and first aid box should be taken to educational visit and such medications must be logged in and out of school. It may also be necessary to take copies of any relevant care plans in case of emergency. A copy of individual Health Care Plans will be taken on visits for emergency situations. Students should be informed to follow instructions during school visits. Students have clear understanding to do what when lost during the visit. Teachers must make sure that students understand the given instructions. Students must stay in group and one member can become their group leader. Teachers must make sure that each student provided facility to food and water. Every student must have parent consent before the visit in the form of signature. School must keep the record of those forms. During this visit, experience and qualified first aider must accompany the educational visit. Immediate support should be provided in case of emergency to any child. In case of high emergency teacher must call the ambulance and make sure child is accompanied by the school staff. Parents should be informed immediately. Detailed information should be filled after the incident (when gone back to school or the next day). Make sure other children do not panic.