Health and Safety News
Hertfordshire Constabulary's Annual Firework and Halloween Poster Design Competition 2011 Updated
October 2011 - The winners have been announced for the annual firework and halloween poster design competition. See the winning posters….
DfE Advice on Health and Safety New
On Saturday 2nd July 2011 the government released revised guidelines covering general health & safety and offsite visits for schools.
Hertfordshire County Council is in broad agreement with these principles and fully supports a sensible and proportionate approach to Health & Safety within schools.
However it is important to note that these guidelines do not change any existing legislation and it is the employer under Health and Safety legislation who must take reasonable steps to ensure staff and pupils are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
Our focus remains on the management of significant risks within schools and on working together to ensure proportionate measures are in place. There is still a requirement for proven competent staff to deliver & lead visits as well as for significant risks to be identified and management strategies / control measures written down. The following commonly asked questions arising from the DfE guidance provide some additional local guidance for schools.
Who is the employer in schools?
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places overall responsibility for health and safety with the employer. Who this is varies with the type of school:
- For community schools, community special schools, voluntary-controlled schools, maintained nursery schools and Esc’s the employer is the LA.
- For foundation schools, voluntary-aided and academy schools, the employer is usually the governing body.
- For independent schools, the employer is usually the governing body or proprietor.
What risk assessments do HCC expect to be in place?
Under H&S legislation, risk assessment is required to be documented for significant risks. Nothing in the legislation has changed in that respect and the focus from HCC’s perspective is on how these significant risks are managed within schools.
Schools are low risk environments, albeit with some higher risk areas, and we would therefore expect that the risk assessments in place are proportionate, with more consideration being given to significant risks such as: -
Fire, work at height, caretaking duties, general premises, etc.
How should I manage risk assessment in the curriculum as the DfE say teachers should only carry out a written risk assessment in exceptional circumstances?
School arrangements for risk assessment should be proportionate to the risks involved. Teachers and visit leaders should be aware of relevant generic / model risk assessments which the school has in place and consider any specific health and safety issues such as size of class, SEN, pupil behaviour, age / maturity of pupils etc. as part of their planning and preparation, risk assessment is just another name for that planning process.
For most lower risk activities then rather than produce stand alone risk assessments on specific forms risk reduction in the curriculum is best achieved by incorporating your assessment into materials normally used in teaching and annotating texts used daily i.e. schemes of work, lesson plans, pupil worksheets etc.
For curricular activities in areas of higher risk (DT, Science, PE etc.) guidance and generic risk assessments are produced by advisory bodies such as CLEAPSS, DATA, AfPE etc.
Heads of department / subject leaders should review courses against these model risk assessments and consider if any adaptation is required for the schools local circumstances.
Where a lesson is not adequately covered by these model assessments, is beyond the normal scheme of work etc. a specific more detailed assessment would need to be conducted and this would be an exceptional circumstance.
Further guidance on risk assessment within the curriculum is available via
Why do HCC’s criteria for minibus drivers differ from that of DfE?
Previous statements from DfE and Dept for Transport (DfT) have not been accepted by Hertfordshire County Council on advice from the council's solicitors. There has not been a test case in court to settle the matter and HCC believes there is still a strong risk that an employee could be prosecuted for driving without the proper licence for the vehicle. This could also lead to the employer being prosecuted
The revised DfE advice is qualified with the statement ‘as long as their employer agrees’, currently there has been no change of HCC’s policy and thus where it is the employer it continues to insist that all minibus drivers hold category D1.
When do we need written parental consent for an offsite activity?
Written consent is not required for every individual trip and most schools will already have a system of asking for parental consent for local trips and visits as part of their admissions process.
As a child’s domestic situation can change dramatically between the times they enter and leave a school we recommend an annual consent for lower risk activities and curriculum related, non-residential visits be incorporated into the annual update for a pupil’s medical / emergency contact details routinely sent out.
For other higher risk activities and residential visits then event specific consent should still be sought.
Why do we need an EVC as the DfE state there is no requirement to have one?
There is no legal requirement to have an EVC in place within the school, however as the employer HCC has a duty to ensure adequate training is provided and introduce measures to effectively manage risk. We therefore do recommend that a trained EVC is in place who can support staff and maintain oversight of all trips with demonstrable competency to scrutinise the arrangements in place.
What Health & Safety training is required in schools?
As with risk assessment, Health & Safety training should be proportionate to the level of risk involved.
As an example, work at height training would be considered mandatory for those site staff - IT technicians, drama technicians etc - who frequently work at height / undertake tasks where there is more risk. For other staff the provision of basic information / instruction on the safe use of stepladders would be deemed satisfactory.
Top Tips for Ladder and
Stepladder Safety :
Further information on training courses is available via
School Meal Provision for Pupils with Allergies New
Following some serious incidents, arrangements have now been revised regarding school meal provision for pupils with allergies.
 We are aware that schools work very hard to ensure that all pupils are safe; however the importance of schools following the procedures cannot be over-emphasised, as in the most serious scenario a pupil being served the incorrect food could result in a fatality.
A procedure, produced in partnership with Hertfordshire Catering, the Primary Care Trust and Healthy Schools, is available on The HGfL. The guidance and expectations follow the DfE ‘Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings’, which also contain model forms for managing health care needs.
The procedure should be followed if a defined food allergy is identified and the parent wishes the pupil to have school meals.
This is part of a wider school duty to support and safeguard all pupils with significant health care needs and schools should liaise with the parent/carer, child’s GP (or other health care professional) and the schools nurse to identify the level of support required and the need for a specific health care plan.
Please remember:
- It is vital that the pupils, parents, catering staff and the school work together to minimise any risk that could occur as a result of incorrect serving
- Catering staff need to know exactly what food is acceptable; parents must be involved in looking at the menu and agreeing what food the child can eat. This needs to happen every time the menu cycle changes
- Kitchen staff, including mobile staff, must be kept up to date on any changes to pupils needs. This includes keeping photos up to date so that kitchen staff can recognise pupils easily
- If there is a chance that medical procedures may be required, all school staff must receive regular training updates. This can be arranged via the school nurse.
- All staff must be aware of the pupils and their needs. Special consideration needs to be given to any food that is prepared in class time or during breakfast and after school clubs.
- All supply staff need to be briefed on allergies. Even if the pupil is not in their class they may still be the nearest member of staff available if the pupil requires immediate care.
The policy and form are available on the Education Health and Safety Manual page under 'F':
All Hertfordshire catering staff have been updated on the procedures. If you have any questions, please contact the Food Development Team at Hertfordshire Catering on 01707 292500.
Health & Safety / Offsite Visits Statement on the New DfE Guidelines - July 2011
On Saturday 2nd July the government released revised guidelines covering general health & safety and offsite visits for schools. Hertfordshire County Council is in broad agreement with the principles and supports a sensible and proportionate approach to Health & Safety within schools.
New DfE Guidance
It is important to note that the guidelines do not change any existing legislation and it is the employer under health and safety law who must take reasonable steps to ensure staff and pupil safety.
Our focus remains on the management of significant risks within schools and on working together to ensure proportionate measures are in place, there is still a requirement for proven competent staff to deliver & lead visits as well as for significant risks to be identified and written down.
By having an appropriate framework in place both the employer and schools can be confident that they have done everything “reasonable”. A range of resources are available on the Grid for adaptation / adoption to make this process easier.
Hertfordshire County Council provides training, guidance and advice to support schools and to comply with legal requirements as an employer and Local Authority.
Further FAQ’s on the revised DfE advice will be published on the Grid shortly.
For further support and assistance please contact:
James Ottery, Health and Safety Manager
Email: james.ottery@hertscc.gov.uk
Mark Falkingham, Offsite Visits Advisor
Email:
mark.falkingham@hertscc.gov.uk
Severe Weather & Lightweight Canopy Warning - 21 December 2010
 As was the case during last winters severe weather lightweight canopies on school sites are again collapsing under the weight of snow.
In particular this is affecting unsupported cantilevered canopies i.e. one which is attached directly to the building without the addition of any other supports or posts.
As a result of incidents elsewhere in the country schools are advised to:
Check all canopies for signs of damage / collapse
Cordon off any unsupported canopies during very severe weather and do not use the area under such canopies until they have been independently assessed.
Ensure all canopies are inspected following adverse weather for signs of damage
Ensure all canopies have been appropriately designed to take the weight of large volumes of snow. Canopies for which the school made a submission through Local Authority building control should have allowed in the design calculations for snow loading. Where canopies have been installed without reference to building control then a retrospective application to them should be made. (Note for canopies with a surface area below a threshold of 30M2 then there could be no inspection / regulation by building control.) If you have any immediate concerns regarding the structure, or feel that an assessment is needed, please contact the installer / designer of the canopy to confirm it can support the weight of snow or seek advice from a structural engineer.
Safety Notice - Ventilation Grates
Following a recent incident where a metal ventilation grate fell from within a school gym it was subsequently found that only 1 of the original 6 screws affixing the vent was in place.
Please ensure that your site staff check any similar grates, in particular in those areas where fixings may have worn loose over time e.g. from vibration, contact etc. and tighten / replace fixings where necessary.
Teachers Driving Minibuses
Last autumn an item appeared in School Sport Magazine suggesting that teachers could drive minibuses on a car licence without holding category D1 entitlement. At the time, Herts County Council's initial response was to ask schools to wait for further guidance. The matter has been thoroughly investigated but no change of policy has been made; the only safe course is to insist that all minibus drivers hold category D1.
A full Herts County Council position statement on the need for D1 has been endorsed by County Councillor Richard Thake, Executive Member for Education and is published at the following link:
Olympic Starter Pistols - Illegal
The police have changed the rules on permitted hand-guns and this includes the Olympic starter pistol. Please follow the link below to UK Athletics and to BBC news which explains in more detail and why. Please note the deadline for this is 4th June and from this date it will be
illegal to possess this pistol.
If schools do have an Olympic starter pistol then this must be handed into the police (rather than UKA as their link suggests) before 4th June 2010.
If the police are able to provide some kind of receipt etc. for the school to send on to UKA they may then be able to assit with a replacement.
HSE Safety Notice Electrically Powered Gates
July 2010 - Following 2 further incidents nationally should anyone have any concerns about electric gates on school sites contact the installer who have a duty to ensure the gates will stop safely should they be obstructed (also known as force limitation protection). They must ensure that the force limitation protection and other anti-crushing, shearing and trapping safety protection devices are correctly set and maintained.
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Following an incident where a 9 yr old child was crushed by powered gates leading to privately owned flats, the HSE have issued a safety notice for electrically powered gates, full details of which are available on the HSE website.
In this instance a pedestrian egress button was within the reach of those outside of the development, a child was able to reach through a gap between the gate and pillar to press the internal button, as the gates opened the child was crushed between the gate and pillar.
Where electrically powered gates are in place on school sites it should be ensured that any possible crushing / trapping areas are identified and that such risks have been eliminated / controlled through measures such as fixed guards, infra red sensors etc.
When installing / commissioning electrically powered gates ensure that these are properly CE marked and comply with BS EN 12453:2001 which require that any hazards caused by crushing are identified and such hazards are adequately controlled.
Canopy Safety and Snow - January 2010
Following the collapse of a cantilevered canopy at a Central Bedfordshire school please be aware of the following warning notice.
 Snow and ice increases the potential load on all canopies but in particular unsupported cantilevered canopies i.e. one which is attached directly to the building without the addition of any other supports or posts, therefore we are advising that schools do not use the area under such unsupported canopies during the snow until they have been independently assessed.
If you have a canopy of this type and have any immediate concerns regarding the structure, or feel that an assessment is needed, please contact Mouchel.
Canopies for which the school has made a submission through Local Authority building control should have allowed in the design calculations for snow loading. Where canopies have been installed without reference to building control then a reterospective application to them should be made.
Laptop Computer Charging Trolleys Safety Alert - November 2009
Please see below an alert from the HSE regarding the electrical safety of laptop computer charging trolleys. Their investigation into an electric shock incident found that when the 3 pin plug supplying the trolley was removed from the supply there was sufficient stored electrical charge on the pins to give the user a shock.
For full details see:
Recommended Actions for Schools
Check your existing trolley(s) has a CE mark and declaration of conformity (the supplier or manufacturer can confirm this). Those laptop trolleys available from the Herts Supplies 2009/10 catalogue do meet these standards
If your trolley does not have a declaration of conformity and a CE mark assurance should be obtained from the manufacturer / supplier that the product is safe for its intended use.
Insert and remove plugs when the socket is switched off (this is simply to increase the time before handling the plug where any residual charge may be). Ensure staff are advised of this procedure.
As with all electrical equipment the condition of cables and plugs should be visually checked for any damage prior to use and the trolley subject to regular PAT testing.
James Ottery
Health and Safety (Education) Team Manager
Hertfordshire County Council
Room 4/5, County Hall,
Hertford, SG13 8DE
Tel: - 01992 556509
Newsletters
Newsletter Issue 20 - Winter 2008-2009
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