The Mount School

Health & Safety General Policy Statement

Introduction

The Mount School attaches the utmost importance to the safety, health and welfare of its employees and pupils. The school will compl= y with the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all subsequent regulations, including those implementing EC Directives. The Governing Body bear ultimate responsibility to provide leadership and day to day responsibilities are delegated to the Head Teacher. A selection of Governors, along with the Head Teacher, Health & Safety Officer, Bursar= and School Caretaker have formed a ‘Health and Safety Management Committee&#= 8217;.

This Management C= ommittee along with all the Governors will take steps so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure that the workplace is a safe and healthy environment = in which its employees, pupils, contractors and other persons affected by the school operations can work.

The Health and Safety Management team will mak= e the necessary assessments, identify safety training and provide information and supervision for employees at all levels. It will consult on a regular basis with the ‘Health and Safety Staff Representative Committee’, or where necessary with all employees, with regards to health and safety issue= s. It will provide the necessary safe= ty devices and protective clothing, provided that a safer working environment cannot be achieved by any other means.

‘The Health and Safety Staff Representative Committee’ will be made up of the Head Teacher, Bursar, Deputy Head, Assistant Head, Caretaker, Health & Safety Officer, Head of Juniors, a member of = the science department, Head of DT, a member of the PE department and a first a= id officer.

Focus

It is the policy of the Governing Body, so far as is reasonably practicable, to adopt good safety practices and to:

establish a safe and healthy place of work, including access to and egress from the premises, and adequate facilities and arrangements= for the welfare of employees at work;
organize the safe use, storage, handling and transport of articles and substanc= es;
ensure the provision of sufficient information, instruction and supervision to en= able all employees and pupils to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own health and safety and to ensure that they have access to hea= lth and safety training as appropriate or as and when provided;
provide safe machinery and equipment regularly maintained, including the opera= tion and maintenance of plant and systems of work;
maintain all= areas under the control of the Governors and Headteache= r in a condition that is safe and without risk to health;
provide and maintain adequate welfare facilities;
carry out detailed reporting and investigation of all accidents and dangerous occurrences to persons and/or property to prevent a recurrence (see Section 8);
consider the safety of pupils, parents, contractors and any others accessing the premises including those who hire or undertake leisure activities;
liaise with Health and Safety Executive and other official bod= ies with the aim of improving Health and Safety at work;=
provide consultative measures to monitor and review the effectiveness of Health and Safety measures;
formulate effective procedures for use in case of fire and for evacuating the sc= hool premises; (see appendix 14)
lay down procedures to be followed in case of accident;
teach safety as part of pupils' duties where appropriate.

Co-operation of Empl= oyees

All aspects of health and safety remain a mana= gement responsibility. However a safe and healthy workplace can only be achieved with the full co-operation of every employee.

Employees should not be in any doubt that the = school will apply disciplinary procedures to any employee who is in breach of the school’s health and safety policy.&n= bsp; This includes any specific safe systems of work, instructions, train= ing and procedures laid down for the protection of those involved in the school’s operations, and for those who may become involved in them. <= o:p>

Policy Review

The Governing Body is responsible for reviewin= g the Health and Safety Policy annually. The general policy will be regularly revised by the Bursar as necess= ary (but at a minimum of one year intervals). In conducting the policy reviews,= due regard will be given to the following:

Planning - The elimination of risks in the wor= kplace by careful selection and design of facilities, equipment and processes, together with effective control measures and training for employees.

If appropriate, the school will consider the r= isk to safety involved in:

• &nbs= p; dealing with physical, chemical and biological hazards, such as machinery safety, chemical safety, asbestos in the school building, water quality, and the us= e of radioactive material;

• &= nbsp; contractors in schools;

• &= nbsp; vehicle movements within the school grounds;

• &= nbsp; workplace arrangements, including housekeeping & classrooms;

• &= nbsp; school trips;

• &= nbsp; centres licensed by the Adventure Activity Licensing Authority;

• &= nbsp; work experience arrangements;

• &= nbsp; violence to staff;

• &= nbsp; school security;

• &= nbsp; stress management;

• &= nbsp; letting of school premises to outside bodies;

• &= nbsp; pupils with special needs, i.e. manual handling;<= /o:p>

• &= nbsp; any other site specific issue.

Organisation - A review of the school’s/college’s organisation including changes to ensure that responsibilities for health and safety are clearly defined at all times to = all employees at every level.

Control - Ensuring that the safety requirement= s are implemented throughout the school by all employees and that training is regularly conducted in support of those standards.

Monitoring and Review - All job specifications= will contain safety requirements and instructions highlighting health and safety responsibilities. Regular saf= ety audits will be carried out and a safety report completed regularly. These documents will form the basi= s for monitoring and review, to ensure that a credible standard of health and saf= ety is achieved.

Health & Safety Management

The Governing Body has overall responsibility = for the implementation of the policy and will ensure that sufficient finance provision is made available to support the policy. The school governors acknowledge t= heir legal duty to notify the LEA and Health and Safety Executive of major incid= ents and dangerous occurrences. Th= ese responsibilities are delegated to the Health and Safety Management Committe= e.

In order to achieve the aims and objectives of= the health and safety policy these issues will be brought regularly to the attention of the Governing Body during Council meetings.<= /p>

A copy of the policy will be given to all empl= oyees when they join the school. Wh= en changes have been made to the policy, copies will be placed on the school s= taff room notice-boards.

Signed &n= bsp; = ;

Prof John Hartley &= nbsp;

Chair of Governo= rs

Signed &= nbsp;

Mrs J Kirsten Jackson

Headmistress

Date =