Scoil Chríost an Slánaitheoir

20094A
Health & Safety Policy

1. INTRODUCTION

The Board of Management of Scoil Chríost an Slánaitheoir, charged with the direct government
of the school, has prepared this Safety Statement in accordance with the requirements of the
Safety, Health and Welfare Act 1989/2005. In doing so it is mindful of the unique place the school
occupies as an extension of the home life of the child and of the responsibilities entrusted to the
personnel of the school by the parents of the pupils.
Safety, Health and Welfare within the school is, and has always been, a most sacred duty
incumbent on all members of the school community and one which calls for constant vigilance.

2. BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

The Board of Management will, as far as is, reasonably practicable:

Provide adequate resources to maintain the safety, health and welfare of all staff and pupils
while on school premises.

Identify and review risk to the safety and health of pupils and teachers and put control
measures in place to minimize such risks.

Provide and maintain systems of work, which are safe and without risk to health.

Provide staff and pupils with information and supervision as is necessary to secure their safety
and healthy at work and that of others that may be affected by their actions.

Ensure that all equipment is maintained in a safe condition.

Make adequate provision for welfare facilities at the School.

Keep the School safe and ensure that access and egress is safe and without risk.

Monitor Safety performance.

The Board recognizes its duties to staff, parents, contractors and other members of the public
who may visit the school premises on school business.

3. APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES:
The Principal shall be responsible for overseeing the safety provisions on behalf of the Board of
Management and a Safety Officer and a Safety Representative have been appointed for Scoil
Chríost an Slánaitheoir under the provision of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989.
They should be consulted if any of the staff have queries regarding any of the provisions
mentioned in this statement. Their main duties and responsibilities are as follows:

Principal

The main functions of the Principal shall be:

• Day to day management of all health and safety matters in the school in accordance
with the Health and Safety Policy.
• Ensuring that safe working practices and procedures are in place.
• Ensuring regular inspections are carried out.
• Passing on details on new legislation and health and safety matters.
• Investigating the cause of accidents and incidents where practicable and
implementing corrective action where relevant.
• Identifying staff training needs.
• To organise the replenishment of First Aid kits. This job is delegated to the school
secretary.
• To organize staff training e.g. Training in First Aid and the use of Fire Fighting
Equipment.

Safety Officers

The main functions of the Safety Officers are:

• To give guidance and advice on all safety, health and welfare matters.
• To review and revise safety procedures as appropriate.
• To ensure that adequate fire protection and prevention measures are in place.
Other Staff

Other staff are responsible for:

• Day-to-Day management of Health and Safety in accordance with the Health and Safety
Policy.
• Checking that classrooms/work areas are safe.
• Checking that equipment is safe before use.
• Ensuring safe procedures are followed.
• Bringing problems to the principal’s attention.

4 HAZARDS

The following hazards (in as much as can be identified) are considered by the school to be a
source of potential danger and are brought to the attention of all concerned:-

Main switch/fuse board – No persons other than those qualified will be permitted to work on or
repair the main electrical switch board or fuses. The area around the fuse boards will be kept
clean and tidy at all times. Nothing should be left on top of the fuse boards.

Boiler House – Only authorised persons will be allowed into the Boiler House. All persons so
authorised will be made aware of the special hazards i.e. high voltage electricity, extremely hot
water and pipes and the danger of oil contamination. The boiler house will be kept clean and tidy
at all times.

Classrooms – Classrooms should be kept tidy.

Kitchen and Staffroom – Care must be taken at all times when using water boilers, kettles and
other kitchen equipment.
Portable equipment – Portable equipment will be inspected on an annual basis. Faulty
equipment should be isolated from the power supply and removed for repair. Persons should
check plugs and flexes before using equipment. Trailing leads should be used in such a manner
as they do not cause a hazard to people through tripping and should be inspected by the user for
faults. All faults should be reported to the Principal or the Safety Representative.

Emergency Escape Routes – Escape doors must not be locked during occupation of the building.
Staff and pupils will be made aware of the escape routes by regular fire drills. All escape routes
will be kept clear at all times. It is an offence, under law, to wedge open fire doors.

Fire Safety – (See Fire Drill Procedure)

A school evacuation procedure has been drawn up. A copy of this procedure will be made
available to all employees. A copy will also be displayed in each classroom and in the staff room.

• Evacuation drills will take place once a term. Employees should familiarise themselves
with the procedures so that a fast and effective evacuation of the school can be
completed in the event of an emergency. When evacuating the building, the teachers
will bring a list of their children’s names. The children will not bring anything with them.
• Fire extinguishers are provided and will be maintained on a regular basis. Employees will
be instructed in the safe use of this equipment.
• Emergency escape routes will be posted in all the classrooms and throughout the
building.
• Re-Entry to the school building is prohibited until the all clear has been given by the Fire
Officer attending the fire and in the case of a fire drill, until the Principal has given the
all clear.

Running in School – Running is forbidden in corridors and classrooms. Children should walk in
lines, bags and equipment should be placed neatly in an area so as not to cause a tripping hazard.

P.E. – Teachers taking these classes should ensure that children wear suitable clothing and under
no circumstances be allowed take part in classes in their stockings/feet. Sports equipment is to
be maintained and helmets are to be worn for camogie and hurling.
Wet corridors/ floors – It is the policy of the Board of Management of Scoil Chríost an
Slánaitheoir that every attempt will be made to avoid the creation of slippery surfaces. The
washing of floors shall be conducted after school hours to eliminate the danger of slipping. Where
floors are wet, warning signs regarding wet floors shall be used. Attention is drawn to the
possibility of outside surfaces being affected by frost in cold weather. This will be dealt with
appropriately by a staff member e.g. with salt.

Chemicals – It is the school’s policy that all chemicals/ detergents etc be stored in a clearly
identifiable container bearing the name, purpose and precautions for their use. These are kept
with all the cleaning equipment in the storage area.

Photocopiers - All persons using the photocopier will be made aware of particular hazards with
chemicals relating to this equipment.

Broken Glass - The Board of Management shall minimise the danger arising from broken glass.
Staff are asked to report broken glass to the Principal so that it may be immediately removed.

Infectious Diseases- It is the policy of the Board of Management of Christ the Saviour National
School that all infectious diseases shall be notified and steps taken to ensure the safety of staff
and students against all such diseases. The Board of Management will endeavour to minimise the
risk by adherence to sound principles of cleanliness, hygiene and disinfection and have provided
disposable gloves for use in all First Aid applications, cleaning tasks, etc. Toilets and washrooms
shall be provided at all times with an adequate supply of water, soap, towels and a facility for the
safe disposal of waste.

Drug medication – All medications/drugs that need to be administered to children in

conjunction with the administration of medicine policy are to be kept in a safe place away from
the children e.g. the fridge in the staffroom/medicine cabinet in the school office.
No medicines will be issued by staff except where written permission has been given by
parents/guardians and the BOM has agreed to this procedure.

5. OFFICE MACHINERY
Office machinery includes photocopying machines, printers, guillotines and binding machines.
Children may not use any machinery unless with the explicit permission of the principal or class
teacher.

Installation
Machines will be positioned in a well-ventilated area away from doorways.
The main on/off switch will be accessible at all times.

The manufacturer’s operating manual can be downloaded if required.

Repairs
Minor repairs, such as rectifying paper jams in a photocopier, may be carried out by staff where
clear instructions exist and/or the action presents no hazard.
While machines are fitted with interlocking mechanisms to prevent electrocution, they should
still be switched off before accessing the interior. Care must be observed to avoid hot surfaces.
Under no circumstances should staff use screwdrivers or any other article to tamper with the
inside of machines.

Major Faults
Major faults, including any electrical faults, frayed wiring, must be reported immediately and the
machine must be switched off. A printed notice should be posted on the machine stating ‘Out of
Order’ until a fully qualified technician repairs the machine.

Maintenance
Basic maintenance of machinery will be carried out regularly by competent technical contractors.

Light Intensity
Photocopiers and laser printers are provided with strong light sources. Covers must be in place
when copies are made.

6. FILING CABINETS
Use drawer handles when opening/closing drawers to avoid injury to fingers.
Always close drawers after use.

7. ELECTRICAL APPARATUS

The following precautions must be observed by all staff and employees to minimise the risks
associated with electricity:
Children may not use any machinery unless with the explicit permission of the principal or class
teacher and then only when supervised.
Any broken, ineffective or damaged electrical equipment, such as loose connections and frayed
cables, must be reported immediately.
The electrical unit must be switched off immediately
Care should be observed and assume all electrical circuits are live unless there is absolute
certainty that they are not.
Ensure that the equipment is switched off before it is plugged in.

8. FIRST AID PROCEDURES

The school’s First Aid equipment is located in the back hall just outside SET Room 2. The back hall
is our designated sick bay area.
Accidents on the yard will be brought to the attention of the teacher/SNA on duty.
Any accidents in the yard will be brought to the sick bay area for assessment and treatment.

Staff will administer basic first aid to any incidents.

If further medical attention is deemed necessary the parents will be contacted.
In emergency situations, and if deemed necessary, a child may be taken to GP/hospital if the
parent cannot be immediately contacted.

Parents are asked to sign a form giving permission for this as part of the Admissions Policy.
There are also ice packs in the staffroom fridge freezer and cool packs in the fridge.
The school secretary is responsible for ensuring that the First Aid equipment is regularly
replenished.

9. ACCIDENT/INCIDENT REPORTING

All accidents, no matter how minor, and whether to employees, pupils or members of the public
must be reported immediately to the class teacher, supervising teacher or the Principal. This is
necessary to monitor the progress of safety standards and to ensure that proper medical
attention is given where required.
An Accident Report Book/Incident Book is kept in the Secretary’s Office for recording serious
accidents. This will be filled out by the staff member on duty and as soon as possible after the
incident.

10. GENERAL SAFETY

The aim of the Board of Management is to provide a healthy and safe working environment for
staff and pupils. This can be achieved with the help and assistance of all employees and pupils by
observing the general rules of safety including:

Yard rules
Using all machinery and equipment in a safe and proper manner.
Employing the proper procedures when carrying out tasks and ensuring that no practices are
used which may act as a source of danger to themselves and/or others.

Keeping work areas clean and tidy at all times.

Making sure all corridors and passages, particularly those leading to escape routes, are kept
free of obstructions at all times.
Taking care that fire points are not blocked or covered up in any way and that they are ready
for use if the need arises.

11. SAFETY AUDITS

Safety audits will be carried out yearly by the Safety Representative.

12. DISCIPLINE

The Code of Behaviour for Scoil Chríost an Slánaitheoir provides for a level of behaviour to
minimize personal risk and stress to all.

School policy states that parents must make an appointment to meet a teacher.
If at any time a staff member is subjected to abusive or threatening behaviour by a parent, this
incident must be drawn to the attention of the Board of Management. The Board of Management
will undertake to ensure that in such circumstances all appropriate measures will be taken to
protect employees.

This policy is linked closely to the Code of Behaviour and Enrolment Policy. Children who pose a
Health and Safety risk to themselves and others will be dealt with according to the school’s Code
of Behaviour and Enrolment policies.

13. POLICY RATIFICATION

The policy was ratified by the Board of Management of Scoil Chríost an Slánaitheoir
at its meeting held on __/__/2023.

Signed:

_________________________________
Chairperson of the BOM
________________________________
Safety Officer

________________________________
Safety Representative from the staff

_________________________________
Principal