Health & Safety

1.     Key Responsibilities 

Although overall accountability for health & safety matters rests with the employer (board of governors, Academy Trust or the Local Authority), however responsibility for day-to-day management, typically, rests with the Headteacher. This entails ensuring: 

• Staff and contractors are competent to perform their duties 
• Risks (activities and premises e.g. teaching, school trips, electrical wiring, asbestos, water etc) are appropriately assessed by a competent person 
• Recommendations/actions arising from risk assessments are addressed in a timely fashion 
• Health & safety performance is monitored 
• Any actions identified to improve performance are implemented 
• Records are available for all of the above

2.     Assure 

All community schools are reminded to ensure they record accidents/incidents on Assure at the earliest opportunity, ideally within 48 hours of occurrence. 

All accidents/incidents should then be investigated, with the results also recorded on the record in Assure, within 10 days of occurrence. 

Did you know...Assure can also be used to complete Display Screen Equipment and risk assessments. 

The following documents will help you complete the above. There is also an online course for 'users of Assure' which can be booked via the Council's Learning Zone. 

How Do I Investigate an Accident or Incident (PDF, 417 KB)

How Do I Investigate an Accident or Incident (PDF, 404 KB)

How Do I... Complete an Activity Risk Assessment (PDF, 953 KB)

How Do I... Complete my Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Assessment (PDF, 953 KB)

How do I... Report a Vehicle Accident or Incident (PDF, 270 KB)

How Do I... Report an Accident or Incident - New (PDF, 235 KB)

How Do I... Use Assure - New User (PDF, 1 MB)

Copy of Periodic workplace inspections guidance (Excel doc, 531 KB)

Copy of Periodic workplace inspections template (Excel doc, 531 KB)

sample coshh safety standard (Word doc, 92 KB)

sample school fire standard (dec 2017) (Word doc, 98 KB)

sample school h&s policy (nov 17) (Word doc, 86 KB)

sample school workplace h&s standard (june 18) (Word doc, 95 KB)

3.     Blended Learning First Aid Courses 

Along with the traditional delivery of first aid courses i.e. face to face the Council are now introducing blended learning courses. This means some of the course is completed by the learner as e-learning, at their leisure, before they attend face to face training. This reduces the time required for face-to-face training. For further details please click here: RQF First Aid at Work (FAW)