Health and safety for school heads saibsa

Health & Safety for School Leadersfocus on risk assessment

This presentation is freely available at:

slideshare.net/edubridge

backchannel:https://todaysmeet.com/SAIBSA

Mick Purcell, PrincipalEdubridge International School

February 1, 2014

Today's Learning Objectives

● Every Principal or Coordinator will:− Better understand Health & Safety in Schools− Discuss good practice with other school leaders− Identify at least one area for improvement− Return to school with documentation outlining a

plan for your area of improvement− Leave with one or two “follow-up buddies” and a

promise to follow up in February and March− Return to school with documented evidence of risk

assessment

Basic Principles

● The primary objective of a Health & Safety Policy is to protect the health and safety of the entire school community− Secondary benefits include financial and legal

protection, marketing benefits, etc. ● Health & Safety is the responsibility of every

member of the school community

Questions● Has your school established a Health & Safety Committee?

● Does the H&S Committee include the Principal, at least one parent, and at least one teacher?

● Does your school have a Health & Safety Policy?

● Does the School Health & Safety Policy include provisions for:

− Field Trips

− Buses & Transportation

− Occupational Hazards

− Emergency Preparedness

− Health & Wellness for Students

− Regular reviews

● Does your school have a Workers' H&S Representative or can a worker easily report a concern?

● Are your school's Health & Safety Committee and policies regularly updated and reviewed?

● Are wellness, healthy lifestyles, and social and emotional health in your curriculum?

● Is every classroom equipped with a First Aid Kit and an Evacuation Plan?

● Does your school regularly practice fire drills and/or evacuations?

● Are the names of your Health & Safety Committee prominently displayed?

● Has the Principal recently walked through the school for a documented risk-assessment?

● Do you honestly feel that your school is adequately addressing Health & Safety?

ACTIVITY #1: QUESTIONS

IN YOUR GROUPS OF 3 OR 4:

1. Choose one person to start the questioning.2. The person who starts: turn to your right and ask the next

person 2 or 3 questions from the list.3. Take notes. 4. The other person(s) is actively and respectfully listening.5. After two minutes, the activity rotates so that the person who

was answering questions now turns to his or her right and asks questions of that person.

6. The person who started the questioning now takes notes and actively and respectfully listens.

7. After two more minutes, rotate again.

ACTIVITY #1: QUESTIONS

If you have answered YES to every question:

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your school’s Health & Safety Policy is well-developed.

If you have answered NO to one or more questions:

You have identified an area of concern, or an area for improvement.

SCENARIOS: Which of these concern your school's Health & Safety Committee?1) A fire of unknown origin erupts in the student lounge?

2) An outbreak of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease temporarily shuts down the Early Years Centre?

3) A terrorist attack or political violence force an unplanned school closure?

4) A teacher suffers from cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy?

5) Several students suffer food poisoning because of spoiled food at the school cafeteria?

6) A student suffers a major leg injury in a basketball game?

7) There are mosquitoes carrying Dengue Fever on campus?

8) Several students are obese and will eventually suffer from obesity-related illness?

9) An outbreak of flu causes many students and teachers to be absent for several days?

10) A student suffers from depression and talks frequently of suicide?

11) There is a contingent of teachers who sneak outside the school gates for a cigarette?

12) Parents are concerned that alcohol and drugs are being consumed at off-campus school parties?

13) A housekeeping worker injures her back while lifting a heavy object at work?

14) Two students suffer severe injuries in a car accident during a school trip to the back country?

15) Heavy rains and flooding close the school for a day?

16) A teacher is injured on a school camping trip and requires knee surgery?

17) A construction worker falls off a school building and has a very serious head injury?

18) A tsunami devastates a family in our school community and the student needs counseling?

19) A teacher suffers repetitive stress injuries from spending too much time at his computer?

20) A teacher suffers a major injury in a motorcycle accident just outside the school gates?

21) The school is closed for 3 months because of the outbreak of a highly contagious disease?

22) A student goes into shock and requires an ambulance and immediate medical attention?

ACTIVITY #2A: SCENARIOS

Discuss each SCENARIO, and ask: Is this SCENARIO something your school’s Health & Safety Policy? Then answer:

● Which scenarios are of concern to your school’s Health & Safety Committee?

● Where does this database come from?

● How can we classify or organize these scenarios?

ANSWERS

● Which scenarios are of concern to your school’s Health & Safety Committee?

ALL of them!

● Where does this database come from?

My personal experiences after 30 years of working in schools

● How can we classify or organize these scenarios?

By using a risk matrix.

ACTIVITY #2B: SCENARIOSIN YOUR GROUPS OF 3 OR 4

Discuss the 22 scenarios, and then answer:

● Give each factor a score of 1 - 5 according to Probabilty:1. Rare2. Unlikely3. Possible4. Likely5. Almost Certain

● Give each factor a score of 1 - 5 according to Impact:1. Insignificant2. Minor3. Moderate4. Major5. Catastrophic

● Calculate the Risk Factor = P x I

SCENARIO P I F

A fire of unknown origin erupts in the student lounge?

An outbreak of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease temporarily shuts down the Early Years Centre?

A terrorist attack or political violence force an unplanned school closure?

A teacher suffers from cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy?

Several students suffer food poisoning because of spoiled food at the school cafeteria?

A student suffers a major leg injury in a basketball game?

A teacher suffers a major injury in a motorcycle accident just outside the school gates?

There are mosquitoes carrying Dengue Fever on campus?

Several students are obese and will eventually suffer from obesity-related illnesses?

An outbreak of flu causes many students and teachers to be absent for several days?

A student suffers from depression and talks frequently of suicide?

A teacher suffers repetitive stress injuries from spending too much time at his computer?

A small group of teachers sneak outside the school gates for a cigarette?

Parents are concerned that alcohol and drugs are being consumed at off-campus school parties?

A housekeeping worker injures her back while lifting a heavy object at work?

Two students suffer severe injuries in a car accident during a school trip to the back country?

Heavy rains and flooding close the school for a day?

A teacher is injured on a school camping trip and requires knee surgery?

A construction worker falls off a school building and has a very serious head injury?

A tsunami devastates a family in our school community and the student needs counseling?

The school is closed for 3 months because of the outbreak of a highly contagious disease?

A student goes into shock and requires an ambulance and immediate medical attention?

Risk Assessment MatrixRare

1

Unlikely

2

Possible

3

Likely

4

Almost Certain5

Insignificant

11 2 3 4 5

Minor

22 4 6 8 10

Moderate

33 6 9 12 15

Major

44 8 12 16 20

Catastrophic

55 10 15 20 25

RISK MATRIX INTERPRETATION

1 - 2 points Awareness but no action required

3 - 6 points Should be addressed, in time

7 - 11 points Must be addressed, soon

12 - 18 points Must be addressed immediately

19 - 25 points DROP EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW!

RISK MATRIX INTERPRETATION

A risk matrix is controversial and just a starting point

Proper Risk Assessment requires more analysis:

Type of impact(Environmental, Financial, Health, Image, etc)

Preventability and Preparedness, etc.

Making sense of a HUGE topic● Three areas for H&S concern:

− A safe and healthy school● Here and now, on site: wellness● Positive, healthy school culture

− A prepared school● Emergency and disaster preparedness● Prevention, preparedness, response, recovery

− Safe school trips● Daily transportation● Field trips

Hangman!

The biggest threat, by far, to the Health and Safety of school-age children worldwide, which causes far more deaths than any other threat is:

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Hangman!

The biggest threat, by far, to the Health and Safety of school-age children worldwide, which causes far more deaths than any other threat is:

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __A C C I D E N T S

and the sub-category is:

Hangman!

The biggest threat, by far, to the Health and Safety of school-age children worldwide, which causes far more deaths than any other threat is:

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

and the sub-category is:

Motor-Vehicle Accidents

A C C I D E N T S

Safe & Healthy School

● Risk Assessment:− Students

● Immediate (chemicals, electrical wires, fire safety, etc) ● Long-term

− Curriculum− Student Support Services

− Teachers● Occupational hazards● Stress-related

− Support staff● Occupational hazards

A few indicators of a safe & healthy school

− Regular risk assessment, walk-throughs

− Student and teacher support services

− Thorough social and emotional wellness program,

● including internet safety, anti-bullying, puberty, etc.

− Teachers and students who are not stressed but balanced and caring

− A very active Health & Physical Education program

− Regular fire drills and/or evacuations

− Students and teachers are keenly aware of procedures

− Clear commitment to health & safety from Leadership team

● including instructions to stay home when sick

Safe School Trips● Risk Assessment:

− Buses

● Local Laws● Car Park

− Local Field Trips

● Bus Policy● Maintenance, Drivers, Lady Attendants● Communication

− Overnight Field Trips

● Outside Providers● Camping, Rafting, etc.● Transportation

1) Children should be able to experience a wide range of activities. Health and safety measures should help them to do this safely, not stop them.

2) It is important that children learn to understand and manage the risks that are a normal part of life.

3) Common sense should be used in assessing and managing the risks of any activity.

4) Health and safety procedures should always be proportionate to the risks of an activity.

5) Staff should be given the training they need so they can keep themselves and children safe and manage risks effectively.

UK Dept of Education:

Key Points for Field Trips

Disaster & Emergency Preparedness

● Risk Assessment:

− Committee

● Threats● Long-term planning

− Financial− Legal− Insurance

− Local Conditions

● Earthquakes, Floods, Disease, Storms, Political Violence, etc.● Lines of Authority

− Communications

● Decision-making, school closures, etc.

p2r2 model for an Emergency Management Plan

➔ Prevention◆ requires risk assessment◆ can disasters be prevented? e.g.

● building collapse● insect-borne diseases

➔ Preparedness◆ are we prepared for disasters out of our control?

● man-made: terrorism, political violence, coups or war, etc?● natural disasters: cyclones, earthquakes, flooding, etc?

➔ Response◆ are we prepared to respond effectively if a disaster happens?

● do we have evacuation plans, contact with authorities, etc.● are all lines of authority and communication established?

➔ Recovery◆ are we prepared to recover and continue school after disaster?

● is there psychological support and means of recovery?● is there insurance and financial planning for recovery?

Hazards and risksA hazard is anything that causes a potential threat to the health or safety of any member of the school community. There are thousands of hazards, but a few examples are:

− Chemicals in the Chemistry Lab− Slippery floors− E. Coli − Drivers dropping students in the car park− Mosquitoes− A heavy object that needs to be moved from the ground

floor to the 2nd floor− A swimming pool

Hazards and risksA risk is the potential for harm caused by a hazard. Risk assessment requires an assessment of both the probability that a hazard causes harm and the severity of the impact that can be caused by the hazard. Risk assessment also evaluates the potential harm or benefit of addressing the hazard, e.g.

− A swimming pool involves risks, but the benefits are enormous. Therefore, engineering and administrative processes are used to minimize risk.

− There are no benefits to having rats on campus. Therefore, elimination is the preferred solution. However, the potential harm of rat poison must be considered.

5 step risk-reduction from hazards

1) Elimination

2) Substitution

3) Engineering

4) Administrative

5) Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

ACTIVITY #3

IN YOUR GROUPS OF 3 OR 4

Each person

● Identify a hazard or an area of concern at your school

● Discuss the best way to manage the risk by using the 5-step process

● Fill the form and take notes to bring back to your school

● Repeat for each person in the group

1. Ask your child about safety in his or her school.

2. Identify comfort levels and methods for reporting safety concerns.

3. Examine access to your school.

4. Find out if your school has policies and procedures on security and emergency preparedness.

5. Determine if your school has a “living” school safety team, safety plan and ongoing process, as well as a school crisis team and school emergency/crisis preparedness guidelines.

6. Inquire with school and public safety officials as to whether school officials use internal security specialists and outside public safety resources to develop safety plans and crisis guidelines.

7. Ask if school emergency/crisis guidelines are tested and exercised.

8. Determine whether school employees, including support personnel, have received training on school security and crisis preparedness issues.

9. Find out if school officials use outside resources and sources in their ongoing school safety assessments.

10. Honestly evaluate whether you, as a parent, are doing your part in making schools safe.

Credit: Kenneth S. Trump Info: http://www.schoolsecurity.org

Parents should ask: