Health and Safety Policy

2024-25

INDEX

Section 1                Health & Safety Management System

Section 2                (Policy) Statement of Intent

Section 3                Organisation & Responsibilities

Section 4                Operational Management Arrangement

The Health & Safety Management System Framework  

The successful management of health & safety in our academies is a key priority of the Trust Board, each individual  Executive Headteacher, senior managers / leaders and the local Governing Bodies.  Our health & safety management system and this health & safety policy document demonstrates;

• Our clear commitment to the safety and well-being of employees, students and visitors/other users of our academies.

• Compliance with legal requirements and the enhancement of our reputation.

In collaboration with our School SHARE Health & Safety Advisor our academies will develop and implement policies, procedures and systems appropriate to the management of health & safety within our academies, the underpinning principles of which will reflect the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) document HSG65 of Plan, Do, Check, Act.  This will ensure that we;

• Achieve a sensible and proportionate balance between the documented systems we devise, their practical application and the physical behaviours of managers, staff and students.

• Treat health and safety management as an integral part of good risk management   generally, ensuring we clearly demonstrate a sustained and systematic approach.

Our organisation’s health & safety management system incorporates the following key elements:

  Policy - An effective health & safety policy that sets the clear direction each academy will follow and will contribute to the efficiency, effectiveness and continuous improvement of our organisation, our policy will demonstrate the commitment of senior management as well as clearly defining key roles and responsibilities of everyone within our organisation.

Organising - The Trust Board will provide the overall strategic direction for health & safety management, with each individual Executive Headteacher and local Governing Body ensuring a strong and effective management structure is in place to deliver proactively our policy at an individual academy level.  There will be regular consultation on health and safety matters with all relevant stakeholders, and a shared understanding by both managers and staff of the Trust’s desire to promote a positive and risk aware culture.

Planning & Implementing - All academies in our Trust will have a systematic approach to the implementation of the policy, by ensuring they have in place an effective management system integrating health and safety performance standards, targets, priorities and training across all disciplines within each academy. Our planning processes will use a risk assessment methodology, setting clear objectives for the effective identification and control of significant hazards and the mitigation of risk. Where risks cannot be successfully managed at an academy level they will be escalated to the Trust Board, for inclusion on the Trust’s Strategic Risk Register.

Training - Will be provided at a level suitable to the individual and the task they perform.  In addition to general awareness training as part of our induction programme for all new staff and / or volunteer workers, specialist training identified as appropriate to the post or through training & development plans or risk assessments will be provided. Details of training identified and received will be formally recorded with refresher training provided as required.  

Measuring, Auditing & Reviewing Performance - We will measure our organisation’s performance, so we can clearly identify when and where improvements are needed.  We will achieve this through both internal review and external auditing of our policies, premises, people and activities as well as through monitoring accident and incident information.  Findings from internal and external reviews will be reported at both a local and trust level as appropriate.

2.        Policy Statement (of Intent)

The Executive Headteacher, senior leadership team, governors and staff at Co-op Academy Nightingale are committed to taking all reasonable and proportionate steps in providing a safe and healthy environment for all users of the academy site. Students and adults alike are encouraged to look out for themselves and one another and share any concerns they may have swiftly and appropriately. The academy will keep an active balance between security and safety and the maintenance of a comfortable and welcoming environment.  

Our Health and Safety Aims are:

• To ensure a safe working environment for members of the academy, visitors and others using the premises.
• To ensure compliance with relevant legislation and provide adequate resources to implement this and other relevant policies, including support from external consultants where necessary.
• To ensure that health, safety and general wellbeing are an integral part of all our activities, including those that involve 3rd parties.
• To ensure the systems in place provide plant, equipment, resources and systems of work that are safe and minimise the risk to health as far as is reasonably practical.
• To raise awareness among all users of the academy as to their responsibility for managing the health & safety of themselves and others.
• To provide sufficient and proportionate information, instruction, training and supervision to enable all employees and authorised volunteers to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own health and safety at work.
• To periodically monitor and review safety procedures throughout the academy.
• To create, maintain and monitor an appropriate system for health & safety which places the safety of all who use the building at the forefront of our processes and procedures.
• To review routinely, update and appropriately communicated our health & safety principles and policy.

Our current health & safety policy is available:

• On the Academy and Nightingale Website (& VLE if appropriate) (Electronic Copy)
• From the School Office (Paper Copy)
• To  hirers, third party service providers etc (on request)

3.  Organisation & Responsibilities

Our health & safety management system, associated policies, procedures and key responsibilities detailed within this and other relevant documents are designed to demonstrate our organisational approach to sensible and proportionate health and safety management and meet our statutory responsibilities under health & safety law.

The Trust Board Will:

• Provide the strategic health, safety and risk management direction of the organisation, ensuring that a periodic review of organisation wide performance is undertaken.
• Deal with any health and safety matters that are escalated to them by individual Trust Officers, s / Executive Executive Headteachers and or Chairs of Governors.
• Ensure the Trust can demonstrate compliance with statutory legislation, policies and procedures.

The Academy Local Governing Body will:

• Ensure that adequate funding is provided from the local academy budget to enable the academy to be organised and run in a safe and healthy manner.
• Where funding for the management of particular hazards is the responsibility of another party (e.g. PFI Provider/3rd party contractors etc), the governors, through the  / Executive Executive Headteacher, will ensure the provider operates within the spirit of our policy, highlighting any specific concerns and achieving a satisfactory resolution.
• Deal with any health and safety problems brought to them by the  Executive Headteacher, staff or parents, through regular, planned meetings or any emergency meetings, which may be called due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Ensure that the academy’s site-specific Health and Safety Policy is reviewed annually, brought to the attention of all staff, and is implemented across all areas of the academy.
• Confirm the academy’s compliance with statutory policies and procedures.
• Ensure that suitable systems are in place to undertake risk assessments and appropriately manage identified hazards.
• Ensure that systems are in place so that all members of staff receive appropriate training.
• Ensure adequate consultation takes place between managers and employees to allow everyone to contribute to safe working, through the appointment of a governor who will lead on health & safety matters, ensuring periodic staff surveys are undertaken and that clear two way communication is in place.

The  Executive Headteacher will:

• Ensure (as duty holder), as far as is reasonably practicable, that the requirements of health & safety legislation are complied with.
• Ensure that staff have access to this and other relevant policies, procedures and information required, and that such documents reflect any changes in legislation and guidance.

• Ensure that health and safety is incorporated into the planning and organisation of all curriculum activities, academy functions, activities and tasks undertaken both on and off academy premises

• Be available to any member of staff to discuss and to seek to resolve health and safety problems not solved at a lower level or through established arrangements.
• Appoint and seek advice from the on-site nominated safety representative and / or the Trust’s Health & Safety Advisor (‘Competent Person’), as appropriate, and report to the Governing Body / Trust Board those instances where the  Executive Headteacher’s executive authority does not allow the elimination or reduction of an identified hazard to a satisfactory level.

• Ensure that adequate communication takes place between managers, employees, students and others working on or visiting the academy to allow everyone to contribute to safe working.  This consultation and communication will take place through:

• Appropriate induction processes
• The appraisal & performance management process
• Staff/Team/Manager Meetings
• Provision of Information through electronic and or paper documentation  

• Satisfy themself that arrangements are in place for suitable and sufficient training, supervision, provision of protective equipment and the undertaking of risk assessments in both curriculum and non-curriculum areas and where activities take place out of academy hours or away from the academy site.

• Ensure suitable arrangements are in place for the provision of first aid and for the reporting, recording, investigation and analysis of accidents, incidents and ‘near miss’ occurrences in line with trust policies/procedures
• Ensure health & safety is on the agenda at all appropriate management and governor meetings, reporting findings from audits / inspections / investigations of accidents / staff absence patterns to relevant stakeholders.  
• Ensure that in consultation with premises management staff and or other providers / contractors, systems are in place to undertake regular documented inspections of all areas of the academy, that relevant information on health & safety matters is shared and that action is taken to rectify any issues identified.
• Ensure that effective arrangements are in place and appropriately communicated in order to facilitate a safe evacuation of the academy in the event of a critical incident.

All Heads of Department, Line Managers, Staff & Authorised Volunteers will:

• Ensure that they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities as defined within their job description, staff and or departmental handbooks or other relevant documentation.
• Ensure that they, and any staff or students under their control fully co-operate with Trust and academy policies, procedures and risk assessments and follow any training, information, instructions or guidance made available to them.
• Ensure that safe working practices are adopted at all times and comply with procedures in place and the findings / other outcomes of risk assessments, whether in the academy, as part of extended provision and/or on offsite activities.  
• Attend and actively contribute to health and safety training courses / events / meetings as appropriate to their duties and responsibilities.

• Identify hazards and undertake suitable and sufficient risk assessments within their areas of responsibility and or for activities/tasks to be undertaken as required.
• Ensure regular discussions take place within their departments / areas of responsibility on key health & safety issues.

• Bring to the attention of their line manager and / or the appointed person/s any SLT or Sharon Pritchard, any accidents, near misses, dangerous equipment, premises defects or situations which may occur whilst in the academy or during offsite activities.
• Report to their line manager and or the appointed person on site any problems that they feel they cannot deal with themselves.
• Have the responsibility to do what they can to take care of themselves, their colleagues, students and visitors.  In particular employees must co-operate with their managers and not interfere with safety procedures, processes or equipment designed to protect people from harm.

4.   Operational Management Arrangements

Risk Assessment

Our academy acknowledges that risk assessments are a legal requirement particularly under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and we will formally record our risk assessments, in part this will be through using curriculum lesson planning / nationally recognized schemes of work documentation, as well as by using generic and specific task & activity based risk assessment documents.  Risk assessments will be reviewed periodically (depending on the significance of the risks involved), following an accident, on the introduction of any new process/equipment/ substance, as a result of staff raising concerns or any other significant change in circumstances or the working environment.  

All Educational visits undertaken by our academy will also be subject to a written risk assessment and appropriate approval in line with our academy’s off site activity procedures.

Fire

An outbreak of fire in an academy can be extremely serious. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, there is a legal requirement for each academy site to have a current fire risk assessment.  Our fire risk assessment will identify evacuation procedures, any sources of heat with the potential to cause fire, including ‘hot working’, as well as our overall housekeeping arrangements, including the use and storage of combustible materials.  The findings of fire risk assessments undertaken by the academy and / or third parties will be discussed and appropriate details cascaded to all staff.  A Fire Log Book detailing our day to day procedures, checks and fire drill  arrangements will be maintained by site staff, who will also have responsibility for ensuring that where a ‘Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan’ (PEEP) is required this is undertaken and the findings shared as appropriate.

Site Security & Safeguarding

Our academy recognises the importance of having suitable arrangements in place to manage general site security and safeguarding issues. We will:

• Ensure visitors  sign in and out and are appropriately inducted/accompanied whilst on site
• Ensure arrangements exist to maintain adequate levels of physical security and safety at all times, (including when the academy is hired to others), communicating the arrangements in place to all relevant site users
• Ensure activities that take place do not compromise security arrangements or the safe access/egress of site users
• Ensure clear and concise procedures are in place to manage a range of emergency situations and that these are  appropriately communicated, so that  all relevant site users  are aware of the actions to take in an emergency situation
• Ensure safeguarding and security arrangements in place are communicated to all site users/visitors and are periodically reviewed to ensure they remain suitable.

Electricity

Our academy recognises that electricity has the potential to cause serious harm. In order to minimize the risks involved all fixed wiring installations are inspected by a competent contractor every five years and portable appliances are tested regularly.  Staff are required to visually check items before use, report defects immediately and not use equipment they consider to be unsafe or not displaying a current Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) Certificate or sticker.

Gas

Regular service and maintenance carried out Carbon monoxide detectors are installed

Asbestos Risk Management. There is no Asbestos Register on site. No asbestos on site.

Legionella Risk Management

Taking account of current guidance, our academy will undertake routine water testing and periodic legionella risk assessments. Water hygiene management on site is the responsibility of our Facilities Management Company, Dalkia. Arrangements are documented in our Legionella File which is controlled by Dalkia and any concerns should be reported to B Blanchfield.  

Control of Hazardous Substances

Our academy recognises that the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) requires an assessment to be made of the work processes and the associated hazards involved in the use of substances that are hazardous to health. This includes curriculum, cleaning and site maintenance products.  Compliance with the regulations; including maintaining appropriate documentation, storage, use and disposal is the responsibility of the senior manager / head of department for the area concerned.

The academy holds a central register of all hazardous substances on site as well as individual departmental inventories.  

Health & Safety During Practical Lessons

Our academy recognises the educational benefits of using practical equipment and resources during lessons as learning is enhanced through conducting experiments, using tools, equipment, machinery or apparatus.

However the following precautions will be considered by staff in order to minimize any risk to themselves, students and others;

• Pre-use check of substances, tools and equipment/apparatus/resources to ensure they are suitable and safe for use especially by younger people
• Review of the risk assessment by the teacher and or technician
• Review of staffing levels to ensure they are suitable to maintain adequate supervision at all times during the activity or task
• Inform students of the safety rules and procedures before the practical element of any lesson begins
• Always instruct and supervise students carrying or moving equipment or apparatus
• Provide and enforce the wearing of suitable personal protective equipment (staff & students)

Equipment

Curriculum and work equipment will be subject to routine checks, inspections, maintenance and servicing in line with academy procedures and manufacturers guidance.  All equipment and resources purchased will be from reputable suppliers and meet current relevant British standards.

Lone Working/Working at Height / Manual Handling  

These activities will be discouraged where ever practical to do so, however where staff routinely undertake such tasks these will be suitably risk assessed, with appropriate instruction, training and equipment provided as appropriate.

Working in Noisy Environments / Use of Vibrating Equipment

These activities will be minimised wherever practical, and staff encouraged to take regular breaks from such activities.  Where staff are subject to regular routine exposure, noise and vibration testing will be undertaken and the findings discussed with the individual employees involved.

Driving for Work

Staff who drive on academy-related business, whether in their own, an academy-owned, leased or hired vehicle, are required to follow the procedures and guidance provided within our Driver’s Handbook and associated risk assessments.

Staff Wellbeing

All staff at our academy will be encouraged to attain a suitable work/life balance.  Our academy also recognises that workplace stress can occur from time to time, our “Stress Management Policy” has been developed to help minimise the risk of work place stress. Occupational health / health surveillance will be available to staff where appropriate and or requested.

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

Those staff identified as ‘regular users’ will be subject to a DSE assessment on taking up their post, a review will take place if their duties or working environment change significantly. All staff will be reminded of the ‘five steps to comfort’ via the Staff Handbook.

New & Expectant Mothers

Female employees are responsible for notifying their manager in writing of pregnancy or when returning to work having recently given birth, to ensure a suitable risk assessment can be undertaken and reviewed at regular intervals to ensure their tasks will not cause any detrimental health effects.  

Violence at Work

The academy takes violent or aggressive behaviour against staff seriously. General guidance on managing potentially violent situations is provided in the Staff Handbook / via relevant risk assessments and staff must report any such instances so suitable follow up action can be taken.

Workers Under the Age of Eighteen

Our academy has a Work Experience Policy and procedures in place which are communicated to appropriate staff and students.  

A specific risk assessment will be undertaken for workers we employee directly who are under 18 which considers:

• The extent of training provided, their inexperience / immaturity & lack of risk awareness
• the workplace environment and layout, and the range and use of work equipment
• the nature, degree and exposure to processes and or physical / biological / chemical agents and or work / environments beyond their capabilities.

First Aid & Accident Investigation (See Appendix  

Our academy recognises that under the First Aid at Work Regulations 1981, employers have to ensure that there are an adequate number of qualified First Aiders on site  and appropriate equipment and facilities for providing first aid in the workplace. First aid staff will be made aware of any staff or student with medical conditions or allergies.   Any one suffering with a minor injury should report to a First Aider.  Please refer to the First Aid policy and file for procedures and named First Aiders.  First aid boxes are kept in the School office.  

All accidents to our staff, students or visitors occurring on or off the academy site will be recorded on an accident report form on the Parago system, the relevant manager will undertake any initial investigation and refer their findings on to Beverley Blanchfield who will decide if a higher level review is required, dependant on the nature of the incident and or injury sustained, in line with our first aid and accident procedures. All RIDDOR reportable incidents will be reported by Bev Blanchfield and discussed with the academy’s health & safety advisors.

All staff have a responsibility to report and record accidents in line with our academy’s policies and procedures as soon as is practically possible, information on accident reporting is contained in our Staff Handbook. All near misses will also be recorded on the near miss form on Parago.  

Emergency instructions, first aid information and fire evacuation procedures will be

displayed in all key areas of the academy.