1. 1 Describe how current health and safety legislation, policies and procedures are practiced in the setting. Primary legislation: Health and safety at work act: Everyone in the organisation is required to: 1. Report any Hazards 2. Follow the school’s Safety Policy 3. Make sure their actions do not harm themselves or others 4. Use any safety equipment provided 5. Ensure equipment is safe or appropriate 1: Reporting hazards – Everyone should be alert to hazards which are likely to cause injury to themselves or others in the school.
Annual risk assessments are required to determine the activities and areas of the school that are the most dangerous. Any hazards should be reported to the school health and safety representative. 2: Follow the school safety policy – This policy is required, and gives information to all staff about procedures that the school has in place for minimising risks to health and safety. Induction training should be given to all new staff, and the health and safety policy signed by those who have read it. : Make sure their actions do not harm themselves or others – Staff should ensure everything is tidied away after use, and that potential health and safety issues are reported and not ignored. 4: Use any safety equipment provided – Staff need to ensure that provided safety equipment for hazardous tasks is used – eg oven gloves for handling hot objects during cooking lessons, etc. 5: Ensure equipment is safe and appropriate – Many items of equipment will carry a British Standards Kitemark, and/or a CE symbol, indicating that they have been assessed and meet the requirements of BSI or EU legislation.
Manufacturers supply guidelines with product, and these are a reasonable way of checking that the product is appropriate and safe to use with the intended age group of children. 1. 2 and 1. 3 Describe how health and safety is monitored in the setting and how staff are made aware of risks and hazards The school health and safety representative (the head teacher,**** in the case of **** School) carries out safety checks on a regular basis. Any risks to safety are identified and rectified immediately or the area placed out of bounds until the risk is removed.
Electrical items are safety tested on an annual basis, and fire extinguishers are also checked and the checks recorded on the fire extinguisher casing. Health and safety is a regular topic at staff meetings, with any new risks, changes to policies or legislation being communicated to staff at these meetings. Should the need to urgently inform staff of a new risk arise, the staff will be informed directly by the head teacher. 3. 1 Outline the importance of taking a balanced approach to risk management Children need to learn to assess risk for themselves.
Inevitably this means that they will need to take some risks, and most activities will involve some element of danger. If children’s experiences are limited due to adults’ anxieties, it is likely that they will find it difficult to assess and manage risk when they become adults. A balanced approach to risk management involves: Taking into account the young person’s age, needs and abilities Avoiding excessive risk taking Allowing them to take sufficient risk (not being excessively risk-averse) Recognising the importance of risk to their healthy development
An example of a balanced approach would be working with year 4 children on a Design and Technology activity using hot glue guns and hacksaws – they would not necessarily be prevented from using the hacksaws and glue guns themselves, but the availability of the glue guns and hacksaws could be limited so that they had to have close adult supervision on a 1: 1 basis whenever they were using the dangerous tools – this approach would help them understand the risk, and takes into account the maturity of the children. Ref: Supporting teaching and learning in schools, L. Burnham & B. Baker, Heinemann 2010