Health and Safety Policy

The Board of Management of The Central School Castleblayney is committed to protect the safety, health and welfare of all its employees, pupils, and visitors to the school insofar as is reasonably practical.

   The Board will determine and maintain appropriate policies on school safety and supervision for all school activities, whether taking place in or outside school premises.

   To fulfil this commitment the Board will undertake to identify and evaluate, and then eliminate or control all hazards to which employees, pupils or visitors may be exposed.

   The Board will follow the procedures outlined below to identify and control risk:

• Carry out an inspection of the school at least annually, and identify any hazards that might expose any of the school users to risks of injury or property damage.
• Implement a programme of risk assessment and reduction to eliminate or reduce the risks arising from these inspections.
• Provide as far as is reasonable the resources necessary to fulfil the risk improvements required by the safety policy of the school.
• Encourage and integrate a climate of safety and health into all schoolwork and activities.

When implementing the science curriculum every effort will be made to ensure the children will be working in a safe environment while outdoors.

When appropriate plastic gloves will be worn. When using the G.P room for P.E. proper footwear will be worn.

   The school rules also address the safety and well being of the pupils (i.e.) walking in corridors etc.

Responsibilities

The Board is responsible for creating and maintaining the safety policy of the school. In order to ensure that all school users are aware of policies the School Plan will be made available to individuals on request.

 

In school procedures to address safety issues.

• A lunchtime supervision rota will be organised and those involved will receive a copy.
• Pupils will be supervised between 9.10am – 3pm.
• While involved in out of school activities. (e.g.) swimming – seat belts will be worn in coaches.

 

In order to maintain safety standards in the school there will be two designated school safety officers.

The safety officers for this school are:

Mrs. Diane Clarke

Mr. Leslie Creane

 

The Safety Officers will be responsible for the following

• Complete a safety audit.

Therefore the school will be inspected each year in May or June to identify the hazards in the perimeter, the play areas and ground and the premises.

 

Fire Safety Planning.

• Extinguishers – these will be installed where necessary and serviced annually.
• Emergency evacuation drills will be carried out regularly.
• All emergency exits will be checked and clearly marked.
• Access to exits will not be blocked or obstructed

 

The safety officer will check that fire extinguishers have been serviced and take whatever action is necessary.

All trip, slip and fall hazards such as broken steps, uneven surfaces, loose floor coverings, floors and playgrounds will be examined and appropriate action taken to reduce or eliminate hazards.

A written report of the safety audit will be prepared by the person(s) inspecting and kept as a permanent record by the Board of Management.

 

The safety officers will also be responsible for ensuring that the safety statement will be revised if necessary to reflect changes and development in the school.

 

The safety audit will include details of the following

• Premises inspected
• Date of inspection
• Details of who carried out the inspection
• Hazards identified and their risk of injury
• Remedial action(s) taken

 

The report will be signed by the persons who undertook the inspection and by the Chairperson of the Board.

 

Duties of Employees

• Although the primary responsibility for Health and Safety at school rests with the Board, they will be unable to reach their goals in this regard without the assistance and co-operation of all their employees, committees and voluntary workers. The Health, Safety and Welfare Act 1989 recognises this and imposes specific duties on all employees to support the Board’s efforts in maintaining safer working condition.
• Employees are also reminded of their own obligations under the Act to preserve

their own safety and that of other school user.

     3) Employees are entitled under the Act to appoint if they wish, a safety  

 representative to co-ordinate their views on safety matters, and to represent the other employees in any safety related discussions with the Board.

     4) Employees and voluntary workers are required to co-operate and assist fully in all

 accident investigations. The law requires that all accidents involving an absence of more than 3 working days must be reported to the Health and Safety authority on their approved forms. The responsibility for notifying the Health and Safety Authority rests with the Chairperson of the Board       

 

Ratification and Communication

This policy was ratified by the Board of Management in February 2020.

 

Signed__________________________ Chairperson

Rev. Gerard Clinton

 

Review

This policy will be reviewed in June 2022