Health & Safety

Procedures

 

 

Policy Updated June 2024
Next review: June 2026

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Aims & Principles

To provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all staff, pupils and visitors.

 

To provide whatever information, training and supervision is needed to achieve this.

 

To comply with the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and subsequent regulations and work within framework of both Health and Safety policies of the Trust and those of the Department of Education.

 

  1. Responsibilities

The Headteacher holds overall responsibility for Health & Safety at the Gloucester House.

 

The Headteacher is the named member of staff with responsibility but Gloucester House recognises the corporate responsibility to ensure the safety of all staff, pupils and visitors.

 

This involves responsibility for:

  • The Management of all Health & Safety matters in accordance with this policy
  • Ensuring that termly inspections are carried out and results reported to the Trust Health and Safety Group
  • Ensuring that Risk Assessments are made where appropriate, that appropriate action is carried out, and that they are regularly reviewed.
  • Ensuring that all staff are aware of the advisability of being immunised for Tetanus and hepatitis B and to offer immunisation if appropriate.

 

All staff are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that reasonable care for the Health & Safety of themselves and those they work with are taken.
  • Ensuring that they comply with any requirement made of them under Health & Safety legislation or specified in this Policy.
  • Ensuring they are qualified in food handling and follow their relevant training (copies of certificates available).

 

 

The Trust Estates department are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that half-termly checks are made of playground and equipment therein and recording that these have taken place
  • General maintenance of building and facilities.

 

The Catering Assistant is responsible for:

  • Ensuring that the kitchen area and the serving of food meet Health & Safety standards.
  • Ensuring they are qualified in food handling and follow their relevant training (copies of certificates available).

 

 

All pupils and their parents/carers are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that they follow rules and instructions given by staff
  • Reporting any changes to health to the relevant party

 

All visitors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that they follow guidelines given to ensure their own, and others, health and safety.

 

Human Resources are responsible for:

  • Checking that all new staff have enhanced DBS clearance, qualifications and suitability.

 

  1. Monitoring / Reviewing

The Trust Health & Safety and Non-Clinical Risk Manager (Lisa Tucker) will carry out an inspection of Gloucester House on a termly basis and report any concerns to the Head Teacher and the Director of Central Services.

 

The Headteacher, or a representative, will attend Health and Safety meetings of the Trust as appropriate. Weekly monitoring reports (through our Gloucester House Operations Meeting) are shared with staff and reported to the Health & Safety Manager as necessary.

 

Reporting Hazards, Accidents and Incidents.

 

  • All Incidents/Accidents and Near Misses will be recorded on Radar and reviewed by the Clinical Lead. Restraints will also be recorded on Radar and the incident number cited in the Team Teach restraint Logbook by the staff who report the incident. These incidents will be monitored by the headteacher, and the Team Teach Lead.

 

  • Any areas of potential Health and Safety concern will be recorded on Radar as soon as possible.

 

  • A record of staff sickness and absence will be kept by Gloucester House’s Admin Manager and monitored by the Headteacher.

 

  • Staff will receive individual, class and whole team reflective practice to support wellbeing and the impact of stress in the workplace.

 

  • The Senior Leadership Team will monitor stress levels, during weekly team meetings, debriefs and individual supervision. They will recommend appropriate action where necessary; this may include change of work practice, counselling or referral to Staff Consultation/ Occupational Health.

 

  • Staff will be kept aware of, and the necessity in complying with, procedures for occasions when staff are working alone, either at school or off-site.

 

In the event of a child leaving the building without permission or when they cannot be found within the building following a thorough search the following procedures apply:

 

  • The staff member must not follow a child beyond the school grounds (corner of Akenside Road and Daleham Gardens and the top of Akenside Road) unless the child is walking slowly and engaging in discussion that indicates they are planning to return to the site.
  • Staff members must not run after a child who is running as this could cause them to increase speed or take unnecessary risks.
  • The staff member must ensure that the on-call member of staff is informed of the incident without delay.
  • If a child has gone out of sight from staff outside of Gloucester House or cannot be found within Gloucester House premises the on-call member of staff must inform police and parent/carers without delay.

 

 

Other relevant policies:

 

Health and Safety (Trust Policy) Fire Safety Policy
COSHH Infection Control Policy
Care & Control Policy Off Site Visits (OSV)
Safeguarding Policy

 

  1. Aims & Principles

To ensure that safe and healthy working conditions are provided and maintained, equipment and systems of work for all staff, pupils and visitors. This is done through communication with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust estates and Health & Safety Department.  

To provide information, training and supervision to achieve this.

To comply with the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and subsequent regulations and work within framework of both Health and Safety policies of the  Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and those of the Department of Education.

  • Responsibilities

The Headteacher and Clinical Lead hold overall responsibility for Health & Safety at  Gloucester House on behalf of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust.

The Headteacher is the named member of staff with responsibility but Gloucester House and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust  recognise the corporate responsibility to ensure the safety of all staff, pupils and visitors.

This involves responsibility for:

  • The Management of all Health & Safety matters in accordance with this procedure in line with Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust policies and procedures
  • Ensuring that Risk Assessments are made where appropriate, that appropriate action is carried out, and that they are regularly reviewed.

All staff are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that reasonable care for the Health & Safety of themselves and those they work with are taken.
  • Ensuring that they comply with any requirement made of them under Health & Safety legislation or specified in this Procedure.
  • Ensuring they are qualified in food handling as needed and follow their relevant training.

The Trust Estates department are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that regular checks are made of playground and building.
  • General maintenance of building and facilities.

Human Resources are responsible for:

  • Checking that all new staff have enhanced DBS clearance, qualifications and suitability.
  • Ensuring that all staff are aware of the advisability of being immunised for Tetanus and hepatitis B and to offer immunisation if appropriate.

The Catering Assistant is responsible for:

  • Ensuring that the kitchen area and the serving of food meet Health & Safety standards.
  • Ensuring they are qualified in food handling and follow their relevant training. 

 All pupils and their parents/carers are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that they follow rules and instructions given by staff
  • Reporting any changes to health to the relevant party

All visitors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that they follow guidelines given to ensure their own, and others, health and safety.

3. Monitoring / Reviewing 

The Trust Estates team liaise with the school SLT through regular visits, monthly meetings and fortnightly Delivery Group meetings.

The Clinical Lead meets weekly with the Patient Safety Team. All incidents are reviewed and monitored by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust.  Headteacher, or a representative, will attend Health and Safety meetings of the Trust as appropriate. Weekly monitoring reports (through our Gloucester House Operations Meeting) are shared with staff and reported to the Health & Safety Manager as necessary.

Reporting Hazards, Accidents and Incidents.

  • All Incidents/Accidents and Near Misses will be recorded on Radar and reviewed by the Clinical Lead. Restraints will also be recorded on Radar and the incident number cited in the Team Teach restraint Logbook by the staff who report the incident. These incidents will be monitored by the headteacher, and the Team Teach Lead.
  • Any areas of potential Health and Safety concern will be recorded on Radar as soon as possible.
  • A record of staff sickness and absence will be kept by Gloucester House’s  Operations Manager and  monitored by the Headteacher.
  • Staff will receive individual, class and whole team reflective practice to support wellbeing and the impact of stress in the workplace.
  • The Senior Leadership Team will monitor stress levels, during weekly team meetings, debriefs and individual supervision.  They will recommend appropriate action where necessary; this may include change of work practice, counselling or referral to Staff Consultation/ Occupational Health.
  • Staff will be kept aware of, and the necessity in complying with, procedures for occasions when staff are working alone, either at school or off-site.

In the event of a child leaving the building without permission or when they cannot be found within the building following a thorough search the following procedures apply:

  • The staff member must not follow a child beyond the school grounds (corner of Akenside Road and Daleham Gardens and the top of Akenside Road) unless the child is walking slowly and engaging in discussion that indicates they are planning to return to the site.
  • Staff members must not run after a child who is running as this could cause them to increase speed or take unnecessary risks.
  • The staff member must ensure that the on-call member of staff is informed of the incident without delay.
  • If a child has gone out of sight from staff outside of Gloucester House or cannot be found within Gloucester House premises the on-call member of staff must inform police and parent/carers without delay.

Other relevant policies:

Health and Safety (Trust Policy)Fire Safety Procedures
COSHH (Trust)Infection Control Procedures
Physical Care, Containment & Restraint ReductionOff Site Visits (OSV)
Safeguarding Policies & procedures