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

iechydadiogelwch@gwynedd.gov.uk

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

iechydadiogelwch@gwynedd.gov.uk