Management of Health and Safety

Induction Briefing

Presented by
Edward Farrelly MSc CMIOSH

24th January 2019

 Aim/Objectives of this session
•Understand some of the key statutory health and safety
requirements that schools should be complying with and how
you as a school Governor have a pivotal role to play.

•Understand the responsibilities that are attached to ensuring

that risks are managed effectively, including health and safety
matters, whilst looking after the day-to-day running of the
school along with the rest of the school senior leadership
team.

•To refresh and enhance any H&S based training/knowledge

you may have received previously...

Health and Safety

 Format of the session
•Slide presentation giving details of areas that need to be
covered in a school’s health and safety management
system

•Discussion of key areas to look a school’s perspective on

the management of health and safety

•Questions?

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 Why is health and safety in schools
important?
The three main reasons for managing health and
safety are:
•Moral argument

•Financial argument

•Legal argument

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 Moral obligations
•Accidents at work can lead to serious injury and even
death;

•Work-related ill-health and occupational disease can lead

to both absence from work, long term medical issues and, in
some cases death;

•The proactive management of health and safety in the

workplace helps organisations prevent injuries and
ill-health at work.

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 Financial implications
Any accident or incidence of ill-health will cause both
direct and indirect costs

•Direct costs could include: claims on employers and

public liability insurance, damage to buildings or equipment,
the absence of employees, fines resulting from prosecution.

•Indirect costs could include: recruitment and training of

replacement staff, accident investigation time along with any
remedial action required.

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 Legal implications
It is an employer's duty to protect the health, safety and welfare
of their employees and other people who might be affected by
their business. Employers must do whatever is reasonably
practicable to achieve this.
This means making sure that workers and others are protected
from anything that may cause harm and effectively controlling
any risks of injury or health that could arise in the workplace.
Health and safety offences are concerned with failures to
manage risks to health and safety and do not require proof that
the offence caused any actual harm:
The offence is in creating a risk of harm.

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 Relevant Legislation
•Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
•Management of Health & Safety at Work Regs 1999
•The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regs 1992
•Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs 2005
•Control of Asbestos Regs 2012
•Control of Legionella ACOP L8
•Work at Height Regulations 2005
•Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurences
(RIDDOR) Regs 2013
•Construction & Design Management Regs 2015(CDM)

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 Management of Health and Safety
Every school should have a clear main policy for the
management of health and safety so that everybody
associated with the school is aware of its H&S aims and
objectives and how they are to be achieved. The policy
should include as a minimum:
•A policy statement of intent, signed and dated by the
Head Teacher and the Chair of Governors;
•Organisational responsibilities, outlining posts which
carry safety functions;
•Arrangements for fulfilling the statement of intent.

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 Supporting Policies
Policies are clear, simple statements of how your school
intends to conduct its activities, processes, equipment and
substances. They provide a set of guiding principles to help
with decision making and communicate procedures.
Policies don't need to be long or complicated – a couple of
sentences may be all you need for each policy area.
Required policies may include, but not be limited to:
•Fire Safety Policy
•Manual Handling Policy
•Medical & First Aid Policy
•New & Expectant Mothers at work Policy

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 Risk Management
Risk assessments identify measures to control risks during
school activities. Health and safety law requires the school
to assess risks and put in place proportionate control
measures. The law also requires it to record details of risk
assessments, the measures taken to reduce these risks and
expected outcomes.
Schools need to record significant findings of the
assessment by identifying:
•the hazards
•how people might be harmed by them
•what they have in place to control risk

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 Risk Management
Records of the assessment should be simple and focused
on controls. Outcomes should explain to others what they
are required to do and help staff with planning and
monitoring.
Risk assessments consider what measures are required to
protect the health and safety of all:
•staff
•pupils
•visitors
•contractors

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 Staff training
Schools must ensure that staff receive information and
training about health and safety. This includes:
•how to assess risks specific for their job
•how to meet their roles and responsibilities identified
within the health and safety policy
They can do this in different ways depending on individual
or specific need. For example, providing staff with written
guidance may be appropriate in some cases, while
attending a training course may be more appropriate for
others.

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 Key monitoring areas
•Asbestos - (Management plan, surveys, remedial works, works
log, monitoring, training)
•Legionella - (Risk Assessment, testing, managerial
responsibility, training)
•Fire - (Risk Assessment, assessor competence, remedial works,
review, training)
•5 Year Electrical Testing - (Report, remedial works, works
logged, fire link)
•Gas Safety Testing – (Gas related installation, testing and
servicing)

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 Key monitoring areas
•COSHH - (Risk assessment, storage, correct use, training)
•Display Screen Equipment - (Assessments, ill health,
remedial measures, training)
•Working at Height - (Risk assessment, equipment,
planning, training)
• First Aid - (Risk assessment, on/off site, training)
•Manual Handling – (Risk assessment, TILE (Task,
Individual, Load, Environment), Lifting Aids)

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 Audits & Inspections
There are three types of audit that will be presented by
members of the Estates Management team:
•Onsite audit – The adequacy of the school’s H&S system
will be tested by means of a through document review and
site inspection
•Statutory compliance audits – The schools statutory
documentation in relation to asbestos, water hygiene, gas,
electricity and fire will be inspected on site
•Self-assessment – This audit is comprised of questions that
will help schools to track their own arrangements and
compliance

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 Key Contacts
Ed Farrelly – Health and Safety Advisor for Schools
Edward.Farrelly@Lewisham.gov.uk
0208 314 7233 / 07919 690 083
Fiona Gavin - Estate Management and Contract Manager
Fiona.Gavin@Lewisham.gov.uk
0208 314 2559
Thracia Perrett - Senior contracts Officer
Thracia.Perrett2@lewisham.gov.uk
0208 314 9057

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 Roles and Responsibilities
Discussion point 1:
Health and safety roles and responsibilities must be clearly
defined, with staff 'at different levels being made aware of
their roles and responsibilities including: first- aiders, fire
marshals, risk assessors.

Failure to effectively communicate ‘what should be done by

who’ may lead to staff members doubling up on tasks or
even worse, essential tasks not being completed at all.

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 Accidents & Incident reporting
Discussion point 2:
It is the responsibility of the Head Teacher to:
•Ensure that every accident in the workplace or arising from
work activities, whether involving injury or not, is recorded
on an Accident Book locally and to the Council online
system and properly investigated.
•Ensure that the HSE is informed of all reportable accidents
within 10 days of one occurring following RIDDOR
procedures.

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