Scoil Bhride

Rathdowney

Co. Laois

Roll Number  20071L

 

Health, Safety  & Welfare Statement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

1. School Profile
2. Introductory Statement
3. Consultation & Information
4. Rationale
5. Aims
6. Safety, Health & Welfare Statement
7. Roles & Responsibilities
8. Health & Safety Training
9. Resources for Health, Safety & Welfare in Scoil Bhride

 

 

1. School Profile

As of January 2024, Scoil Bhride currently has 229 pupils enrolled, a staff of 26, comprising of a principal, 9 mainstream teachers, 1 SEN teacher4 Support Teachers, 1 part-time SET teacher, 1 EAL teacher, 2 Part time EAL teacher, 6 Special Needs Assistants, Principal, Secretary, Cleaner & Caretaker.

 

2. Introductory Statement

The Board of Management of Scoil Bhride, Rathdowney, Co. Laois, brings to the attention of its staff, the following arrangements for safeguarding the safety, health and welfare of those employed and working in the school.

This statement was adapted to the current format in January 2024, by Marie Dunne, Deputy Principal.

The “Guidelines on Managing Health, Safety & Welfare in Primary Schools “which is published by the Department of Education and Skills and the HSA were consulted, in conjunction with “A Guide to Risk Assessments & Safety Statements” which is published by the HSA.

This statement will be reviewed annually by the Board.

3. Consultation & Information

It is the policy of the Board of Management of Scoil Bhride to:

• Bring the Safety Statement to the attention of all staff upon commencement of employment.
• Have copies of the safety Statement available on the server and in hard copy format in the Safety File, which is stored in the Secretary`s Office.
• Reviewing the Safety Statement on an annual basis.
• Have Health, Safety and Welfare as a part of each staff meeting.
• Change the statement, if necessary, to reflect changes within legislation, work processes or introduction of work equipment that affects the content of the Safety Statement.
• Communicate any changes to staff as required.

 

 

 

4. Rationale

The Board of Management of Scoil Bhride undertakes to ensure that the provisions of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005 are adhered to.

The Board recognizes its statutory obligations under legislation extends to employees, students, to any person legitimately conducting school business, to contractors, and to the public.

 

5. Aims

The Board of Management of Scoil Bhride wishes to ensure that, as far as is reasonably practical:

• The design, provision and maintenance of all places in the school shall be safe and without risk to health for all employees of the school.
• There shall be safe access to and from the school.
• Work systems shall be planned, organized, performed and maintained so as to be safe and without risk to health.
• All employees will carry out safe work practices.
• Plans for emergencies shall be complied with and reviewed as necessary.
• Safe handling of hazardous substances & materials will be observed.
• Safe use of equipment, including maintenance equipment, be adhered to.
• Protective clothing or equivalent, shall be provided as is necessary, to ensure the safety & health of its employees.
• Safety training will be provided for any employees for whom this training is necessary or mandatory.

6. Safety, Health & Welfare Statement

In accordance with the Safety, Health& Welfare at Work Act 2005, it is the policy of the Board of Management, to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work , of all staff and to protect students, visitors, contractors and other persons at the school from injury and ill health arising from any  work activity. The successful implementation of this statement requires the full support and active co-operation of all staff, students, contractors, visitors to the school.

The Board of Management, as employer, undertakes in so far as reasonably practicable to:

1. Promote standards of safety, health & welfare that comply with the provisions and requirements of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005.
2. Provide information, training and instruction where necessary, to enable staff to perform their work safely and effectively.
3. Maintain a constant and continuing interest in safety, health and welfare matters pertinent to the activities of the school.
4. Continually strive to improve the systems in place for the management of occupational safety, health & welfare and review these periodically to ensure it remains relevant, appropriate and effective.
5. Provide the necessary resources to ensure the safety, health & welfare of all those to whom it owes a duty of care, including students, staff, contractors and visitors.

The Board of Management is committed to playing an active role in the implementation of this safety policy and undertakes to review and revise it in light of any changes in legislation or other relevant developments.

 

 

7. Roles & Responsibilities

Section 20 of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005, states that a safety statement should specify “the names and where applicable, the job title or position held of each person responsible for performing tasks assigned to him/ her pursuant to the safety statement.”

Board of Management

• Complies with its legal obligations as employer under the 2005 Act.
• Ensures that the school has written risk assessments and an up to date safety statement.
• Reviews the implementation of the Safety Management System and the safety statement.
• Allocated adequate resources to deal with safety, health & welfare issues.
• Appoints a competent persons as necessary, to advise and assist the board of management on safety, health & welfare at the school.
• Reviews and implements updates as and when they are released from HSE, DES and/ or NPHET.

 

Principal

The principal is the designated person for safety, health & welfare, acting on behalf of the Board. He:

• Complies with the requirements of the 2005 Act and
• Reports to the Board of Management on safety, health & welfare in the school.
• Manages safety, health & welfare in the school on a daily basis.
• Communicates with all members of the school community on safety, health & welfare matters.
• Ensures that all accidents and incidents are reported / investigated and all relevant statutory reports completed.
• Ensures that the purchasing of PPE, cleaning equipment, safety supplies are implemented.
• Complies with the latest guidelines and procedures as advised by DES/ HSE.

 

Teachers / Special Needs Assistants / Non – teaching staff

• Comply with all statutory obligations on employees as designated under the 2005 Act.
• Co-operate with school management in the implementation of the safety statement.
• Inform students of the safety procedures associated with specific tasks.
• Inform pupils of the Fire Drill procedure.
• Check that equipment is safe before use.
• Ensure that appropriate Risk Assessments are carried out risk relating to one`s own area of work.
• Ensure that all activities are planned so that they may be carried out safely.
• Report without delay, any accidents/incidents or dangerous occurrences to the Safety Officer or Principal.
• Are responsible for filling in an accident / incident report form if necessary.
• Check classroom / immediate work area is safe and free from fault or defect.

 

Other school Users

Other users such as parents, contractors, visitors to the school should comply with school regulations and instructions relating to safety, health & welfare.

Parents:

• When visiting the school, to endeavor to have an agreed time to meet with a staff member.
• Proceed to their child`s classroom only.
• Refrain from interfering with any equipment or hazardous material stored or being used, even if left unattended.
• Report any accidents, however minor, to a member of staff.

Visitor Control

All visitors to the school must report to the secretary`s office.  Visitors to classes for educational purposes are welcomes, however a teacher must be present at any pupil related activity.

 

 Safety Officer  Ms Dunne.

This teacher has specific duties related to safety, health & welfare and she/he fulfills the duties assigned to that role.

The current duties are listed here.

She will:

Safety Officer –  Procedures

• Carry out an annual safety audit in September,using templates from “Guidelines on Managing Safety, Health and Welfare in Primary Schools “-  HSA & Department of Education publication and “A Guide to Risk Assessments and Safety Statements “- HSA publication.
• Carry out termly risk assessments of common shared areas.
• Collate data from the combined risk assessments and record arrangements made, resources supplied and allocate responsibility required to deal, in a timely manner, with the identified risks.
• Ensure that all remediation measures are successfully implemented and the outcome is recorded.

 

Safety Officer – Record Keeping & Reporting

• Maintain records of Annual Safety Audit & Risk Assessments carried out.
• Check if there are any matters documented by staff in the Safety File.
• Make arrangements or report to the Principal,to have any maters arising remediated.
• Maintain records of accidents and incidents.
• Provide a report to the BOM annually.

 

Safety Officer – Fire Safety

• Ensure each class is provided with a class list, a map of the school with exits and Assembly point clearly marked, the location of fire extinguishers and First Aid boxes also clearly identified.
• Ensure adequate signage is in place at key locations relating to Assembly point, indicating where first aid kits and fire extinguishers are located.
• Organise a fire drill once per term and maintain records of same.

 

 

 

 

Safety Officer – Resources

• Ensure that fully stocked First Aid kits are located throughout the school and that extra First Aid kits are also available to take to matches / school trips etc. Organise for these kits to be kept fully stocked.
• Ensure that adequate PPE is available to SNA and cleaning staff.

 

Safety Officer – Staff

• Bring the location of the school Safety Statement to the attention of all staff for all to read.
• Outline Evacuation procedures and general safety information to all staff at the beginning of the school year and as or if any new staff   join the school during the year.
• Facilitate the opportunity for all staff members to discuss any topic of safety concern at staff meetings or outside of these meetings if necessary.
• Check classrooms/ working environment relating to one`s own area of work to ensure it is safe.
• Bring any faults or identified risks which require attention to the Safety Officer, by completing a record sheet, which is kept in the Safety File in the Secretary`s office. Notify the Safety Officer verbally also.

 

8. Health & Safety Training

The Board of Management of Scoil Bhride is committed to providing appropriate health & safety training for all employees, applicable to their role and function within the school.

A number of training requirements are recommended for staff members. They are as follows:

Use of fire Extinguishers	All staff.
First Aid Training
Manual Handling Training	Caretaker & Cleaner
Challenging Behaviour	Relevant staff members working with specific pupils
Specific training in relation to managing health conditions of certain pupils	Staff working directly with the child SNA staff Middle Management members

 

 

9. Resources for Health, Safety & Welfare in Scoil Bhride

This section of the statement outlines the current resources available to support safety, health & welfare in the school.

• Fire extinguishers located at strategic points around the school and staff training in their use.
• Fire exits clearly marked.
• Termly fire drills.
• Class list of names & evacuation procedures available in each classroom.
• Fire safety doors in all corridors.
• First Aid kits available in key locations throughout the school.
• Range of cleaning materials available to adults, kept in a locked cleaning press. Children do not have access to this press.
• Yard/Incident record book
• PPE for staff involved in assisting with intimate care needs or in the case of a pupil requiring assistance following a yard incident.
• All entrances and exits are wheelchair accessible.

Resources addressing Issues of Prime Concern

REGISTRATION FORM

There is a section allowing parents to inform the school of any allergies / illnesses a child has. it is the responsibility of parents to notify the school of any changes in existing medical conditions.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

It is the policy of the Board of Management that all members of the school community shall be notified in the case of an outbreak of infectious disease and steps will be taken to ensure the safety of staff and students against all such diseases.

The Board of Management will follow the guidelines outlined in the HSE document “Management of Infectious Diseases in School.“

The Board of Management will endeavor to minimize the risk by adherence to sound principles of cleanliness, hygiene and disinfection and will provide disposable gloves & aprons for use in all First Aid & cleaning tasks. Toilets will at all times, have an adequate supply of water, soap and a facility for the safe disposal of waste.

SICKNESS OR INJURY

If a child becomes ill during the school day, the teacher will monitor the condition of the child. It deemed necessary, the child`s parents / guardians will be notified and asked to come to the school and evaluate their child`s condition themselves or collect them.

If a child is injured, parents are also contacted and the child may need to be taken home or for medical advice.

In an emergency an ambulance will be called.

In the event that a child needs emergency medical assistance ie doctor or hospital, and the child`s parents are either not contactable or too far away to collect them, two staff members will take the child, with parent’s consent, to the appropriate medical setting.

In the event of not being able to contact a parent, the teacher will phone the nominated person whose name was given on the contact numbers page.

 

 

DRUGS & MEDICATION

All drugs& medications etc are kept in a secure cabinet in the staffroom. It is possible that medication may need to be accessed instantly for some children so this medication is kept in the child`s classroom in a safe place and only accessed by the teacher or SNA.

CLEANLINESS OF THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

The school employs a cleaner who maintains the overall cleanliness of the school to an exceptionally high standard.

 

MACHINERY, KITCHEN EQUIPMENT & ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

All machinery, kitchen equipment & electrical appliances are to be used only by competent and authorized persons. Such appliances and equipment will be subject to checks.

Before using any appliance, the user should check that:

• All safety guards, which are a normal part of the appliance, are in working order.
• Power supply cables / leads are intact and free of cuts or abrasions.
• Unplug leads when the appliance is not in use.

 

CHEMICALS

All chemicals, detergents etc are stored in clearly identifiable containers bearing instructions & precautions for their use. These shall be kept in the locked cleaning press, with access only to adults in the school. PPE is also provided for the safe use of these materials.

WELFARE

To ensure the continued welfare of the staff and children ,toilet & cloakroom areas are provided . A staffroom separate from the work area is provided, where tea, coffee and lunch breaks may be taken. Staff must co-operate in maintaining a high standard of hygiene in this area.

Adequate facilities are waste disposal are available as are an adequate supply of hot & cold water, disposable towels, soap and sanitary disposal facilities.

Members of staff and students are reminded that:

• A person who is under medical supervision or on prescribed medication and who has been certified fit for work, should notify the school of any known side effect or temporary physical disability which could hinder their work performance and which may be a danger to themselves, fellow workers or students.
• Staff and students are not allowed to attend the premises or carry out duties whilst under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol. Any person breaking this rule will be liable to disciplinary action.

HIGHLY POLISHED FLOORS

Every attempt will be made to avoid the creation of slippery surfaces. the washing of floors shall be conducted, as far as possible, to after school hours, to eliminate as far as possible, the danger of slipping.

Where floors are wet, warning signs regarding wet floors shall be used. Attention is drawn to the possibility of floor surfaces being affected by wet weather.

SMOKING

The school building and grounds are a non- smoking environment to avoid the hazard to staff and pupils of passive smoking.

MANUAL HANDLING

No person will be expected to lift a load that would be likely to cause her / him injury. Consideration must be given to the load and whether help is necessary. Training in correct manual handling techniques will be provided as appropriate. Staff members must consider whether help is necessary to lift an awkward or heavy load.

BROKEN GLASS

All breakages must be cleared immediately.

ENTERING SCHOOL GROUNDS

All persons coming on to the school grounds must identify themselves clearly to a staff member, most likely the secretary, before entering the premises.

All outside facilitators, coaches etc who are delivering workshops, will do so under the supervision of the class teacher. Any outside professionals working with children without such supervision ie Play Therapist, Psychologist etc must have appropriate qualifications & Garda vetting.

ASSEMBLY & DISMISSAL OF PUPILS

Assembly:

• Parents are asked that their child does not arrive in school excessively early. Supervision commences at 8:40 am on the rear yard. There will be an SNA staff member standing at the front door from that time also. Junior & Senior Infants assemble at the front door and proceed to line up in the yard. pupils from 1^st– 6^th assemble in the rear yard. It is now common practice that pupils from 1^st – 6^th Classes walk the track until 8:50 a.m. with supervision.

Dismissal

• Junior pupils depart the school at 1:30 pm. Pupils are dismissed into the care of a parent/ guardian or afterschool childcare worker. If a child is not collected on time, a teacher will remain with the child and parents contacted.
• Pupils from 1^st – 6^th Class depart the school at 2:30. In the event that a child is not collected ontime parents are phoned . With parental consent, the child may then walk home, if that is within a reasonable distance. The child will be supervised until the parent collects them or makes arrangements to have their child collected.

Pupils leaving the school during the school day

• The parent may notify the school in advance of the early departure. The parent or someone nominated by the parent will collect the child.

SUPERVISION including WET DAYS

Break times for the Junior pupils are 10:35- 10:45 and 12:25- 12:55.

Break times for Senior pupils are 10:50- 11:00 and 12:30 – 1:00.

During each break, the yard is supervised by two teachers. There is a supervision rota drawn up for this purpose.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Educational visits will be booked with reputable, properly insured companies or venues.

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES

SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY

ACCEPTABLE USAGE POLICY

CODE OF CONDUCT

The Code of Conduct provides for a level of appropriate behavior to minimize personal risk or stress to any employee.

BULLYING

The Scoil Bhride Anti- Bullying policy is a stand- alone policy, which provides a framework for dealing with instances of bullying amongst pupils.

The procedures for dealing with Adult Bullying are in accordance with the INTO publication

“Working Together: Procedures  & Policies for Positive Staff Relations (2000) .

 

 

RISK ASSESSMENT

The Board of Management of Scoil Bhride is committed to identifying & eliminating any hazards in the school. This is an on-going process which aims to promote conscious improvement in the way the school manages safety. The Safety Officer may enlist the help of other staff members and /or other relevant and suitably qualified professionals to complete the audit

This is done by means of:

• Annual Audit
• Risk Assessments

A school Audit will be carried out twice per year, in September & February using the HSA format from their publication, “Guidelines on Managing Safety, Health & Welfare in Primary Schools “.

The Safety Officer will carry out a Risk Assessment at the beginning of each term, using the templates from the above publication. This Risk Assessment will:

• identify hazards
• assess the risks
• specify the actions required to eliminate or minimize them.

Where necessary, or on the recommendation of the Board of Management, competent consultants and bodies with relevant skills & qualifications, may be engaged for training and to augment the internal audits.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES IN PLACE FOR SAFETY, HEALTH ANS WELFARE IN SCOIL BHRIDE

To minimize dangers, the following safety/protective measures must be adhered to in addition to the duties of employees

• Where applicable, the Board of Management will ensure that members of staff will have be instructed in the correct use of equipment appropriate to their position.
• All machinery and electrical equipment are fitted with adequate safeguards.
• Precautionary notices in respect of safety matters are displayed at relevant points.
• Ladders must be used with another person`s assistance.
• Avoid use of glass by pupils. remove broken glass immediately on discovery.
• All staff will replace equipment securely and positioned so as not to cause a hazard.
• Check that PE equipment and mats are in good condition and fit for purpose.
• Check that roofs, gutters, drain pipes etc, as far as can be seen, are sound and well maintained.
• check that all play areas are safe for use.
• Check that outside lighting is sufficient and in working order.
• Al staff will ensure that all classrooms and corridors are kept free of clutter, trailing leads or any items inhibiting movement around the school.
• Corridors may not be used as extra storage space for classroom items.
• Sharp objects and chemicals will be kept out of the reach of children is so far as possible.
• Path areas and access points will be salted on icy days where possible.
• All builder`s materials, caretaker`s maintenance equipment, external stores etc are stored securely.
• Refuse is removed from the building each day and stored carefully outside.
• Wet floor signs will be displayed when the floor is wet.
• Hazards relating to heating and plumbing issues will be reported to the principal and dealt with in

an efficient manner

In the event that heating is not working correctly, staff and pupils will be provided with alternative heating methods (electric fan heater or oil filled radiators) to ensure that the workplace meets the standards set out by the HSA. Some rooms may require more than one piece of equipment.

ONE- TO- ONE TEACHING

One – to – one teaching may be the method of instruction best suited to the learning needs of some children who are receiving support teaching under the school`s Learning Support allocation. This may occur daily or occasionally and is delivered by one support teacher.

In order to meet the educational needs of the pupil and protect the safety of the staff member, the following procedures are in place.

• Parents are made aware that their child will be receiving one-to-one instruction and their consent is required.
• The door of the room used will have a glass panel & the door will be left open where possible.
• On occasion we may endeavour to have another pupil working on a piece of work quietly in the room at the same time.
• If the teacher has any concerns about their safety in this setting, every effort will be made to accommodate their concerns.

 

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, FIRE SAFETY, FIRST AID, ACCIDENTS AND DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Section 8 of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires that every employer shall “prepare and revise as appropriate, adequate plans & procedures to be followed and measures to be taken in the case of an emergency or serious or imminent danger.” Emergency procedures must be developed in advance, clearly communicated and understood, and practiced on a planned basis.

 

FIRE SAFETY

All employees will be instructed in and should make themselves aware of the location of all fire points and the minimum requirements on how to initiate the alarm and ensure that they are capable of a controlled evacuation, should an emergency arise in the school. All fire points are wall mounted, indicated with fire point signs and kept clear of obstructions at all times. Emergency evacuation drills are carried out on a termly basis. Records of all drills will be maintained.

 

The Principal will assume overall responsibility for the management and control of any emergency situation on site until the arrival of the emergency services.

If the Emergency Site Controller is not present, the Deputy Principal will assume overall responsibility for the management and control of any emergency situation on site until the arrival of the Emergency Services.

It is the policy of the Board of Management of Scoil Bhride National School that:

• The Board of Management will ensure that an adequate supply of fire extinguishers, suitable for the type of fires likely to occur in each area, is available, identified and regularly serviced by authorised and qualified persons. Each fire extinguisher shall have instructions for its use.
• Evacuation plan clearly visible on the back of the door in each classroom (Staff Safety Officer)
• The Principal will ensure that fire drills shall take place at least once a term.
• Fire alarms shall be clearly marked. (Staff Safety Officer)
• Signs shall be clearly visible to ensure that visitors are aware of exit doors and routes. (All Staff)
• All doors, corridors shall be kept clear of obstruction and shall be able to be opened at all times from within the building.
• A plan of the school shows assembly points outside the school.
• Assembly area is designated outside each building, and the locations specified.
• All electrical equipment shall be left unplugged when unattended for lengthy periods and when the building is empty. Teachers are responsible for their own classroom. The secretary/Principal, as appropriate, are responsible for the office. Staff room is every teacher’s responsibility. Cleaner to check when cleaning.
• School Safety Officer shall be responsible for fire drills and evacuation procedure and maintaining records of same.
• Routine checking, testing and maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment is carried out annually.
• Staff are trained in the use of fire extinguishers and informed of the actions they are expected to take in an emergency to safely evacuate the building .

The School Safety officer is responsible for fire drills and fire evacuation procedures.

Any or all recommendations made by a Fire Officer in addition to these provisions shall be implemented.

EVACUATION PROCEDURE

1. Raise the alarm – Anyone discovering an outbreak of fire, no matter how small, will raise the fire alarm at once by activating the nearest wall mounted fire panel.
2. Call the fire brigade – all outbreaks of fire will be reported to the fire brigade.
3. Evacuate the building and proceed to Assembly Point.

The evacuation procedure is as follows:

• Pupils line up quietly in their class rooms and leave their rooms in an orderly manner as instructed by their teacher. Check toilets. Teacher will bring the class list that is on the back of each classroom door.
• EVERYONE moves out of the building using the nearest escape routes.
• Walk quickly but calmly and quietly. Walk silently and in single file.
• Do not return for anything.
• If time permits (small fire), close door and windows of room.
• Move to the Assembly Point.
• Class teachers call the roll.
• Wait for direction from the Principal /   Deputy Principal

FIRST AID

It is the policy of the Board of Management of Scoil Bhride that some members of staff will receive training to provide basic First Aid to staff & pupils. The First Aid given must only be in accordance to the training received and adhere to the instructions given during training.

The School Safety Officer will ensure there are fully stocked First Aid kits. the contents of the kits are as outlined in HSE recommendations.

These can be found at these specific locations throughout the school:

1. Servery to include Burns treatment )
2. Staff Room (to include Burns treatment)
3. Corridor on the Infant side of the school.
4. Extra kits are stored in the staff room to be taken to matches or on school tours.

Replacement items are also stored in the staff room and it is the responsibility if whoever uses the items, to replace them and leave a fully stocked kit available at all times.

Staff will be made aware of:

• arrangements for giving first aid
• location of first aid boxes and fire extinguishers
• procedure for calling ambulances / health centre etc
• phone numbers of local doctor, Gardai, hospital
• School Eircode in case of emergency.

This information will also be places in each classroom / support room, office and staff room.

 

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION

As a general rule, teachers or SNA staff will not be involved in the administration of medication to pupils. However, there are exceptional circumstances where a pupil has an ongoing condition such as epilepsy, diabetes or a condition necessitating emergency treatment. In such circumstances, a set procedure will be followed:

• The parents of the pupil concerned will contact the Principal, requesting that a teacher / SNA to administer the medication. The request should contain written instructions of the procedure to followed in administering the medication
• The SNA/teacher must be comfortable with administering any medication and should not be compelled to do so.
• It is the responsibility of the Board to ensure she/he is properly instructed in this .
• In administering medication to pupils, the staff member should exercise the standard of care of a reasonable and prudent parent.
• All staff will be made aware of the pupils in the school who may require medical assistance or intervention and be aware of the required response.
• Details of all stages of a child`s care are documented in their Personal Pupil Plan, which is updated annually by the Principal, in consultation with the child`s parents.
• The Principal will seek an indemnity from the child`s parents in respect of any liability that may arise regarding the administration of medication.
• Medication must be stored in a safe & secure place and be readily accessible. The storage box will be marked MEDICATION and show the pupil`s name clearly.
• Some medications may need to be refrigerated. Medication should be placed in closed plastic container, clearly marked Medication and displaying the child`s name and class.

PUPILS WITH CARE NEESDS/ SNA access

All children who have medical needs, care needs or any need that requires the assistance of SNA support, will have a Personal Pupil Plan . This plan is drawn up annually by the Principal, in consultation with the child`s parents and have input from medical professionals where necessary.

SNA staff must be trained in performing Intimate Care duties.  The training must be provided by a person who is authorized or qualified to do so.

It is the policy of the Board of Management that there will be 2 SNA staff present at all times when an Intimate Care procedure is being carried out.

ACCIDENTS & INJURIES

All incidents, no matter how trivial and whether involving employees, students or members of the public, must be reported to the person responsible for the hazard identified in the safety statement. This is necessary to monitor the safety standards.  An Accident Report File is maintained for the recording of all accidents & incidents by the Safety Officer and is stored in the Safety File in the Secretary`s office.

A serious or fatal injury must be reported to the HSA. The Principal will complete a Form IR1 or IR3

( www.hsa.ie). An IR 1 form must be completed if a person is away from their place of work for 3 consecutive days or more after the day of the accident.

EMERGENCY CLOSURES

On occasions where it becomes necessary to close the school for safety reasons, parents are contacted. Every effort will be made to ensure that all parents are made aware of the situation.  In the event that  apparent is not able to collect their child, they must nominate another person to whose home the child can go or be collected by them. In the event that a staff member’svehicle must be used to take a child home, it is our practice that two staff members will be in the vehicle at all times while the child is in the vehicle.

 

GENERAL SAFETY , HEALTH & WELFARE PRACTICES

GARDA CLEARANCE

The school ensures that all successful staff at interview have recently been vetted by the gardaí. The school endeavours to maintain a high standard in its ‘duty of care’ to all staff by encouraging a positive and safe environment and taking precautions to ensure that this exists.

 

 

COMMUNICATION OF POLICY

Once ratified, all staff members will be notified and the policy made available in the staff room. All staff will be advised to read the policy. The policy will then be kept in the Principal`s office and is available to all members of the school community at any stage.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

Monitoring of this statement is achieved in the following ways in Scoil Bhride:

1. Periodic reviews at staff meetings and Board of Management meetings.
2. Reviewing the Annual Audit and Risk Assessment results and by ensuring any defects are remediated in a timely manner.
3. Reviewing Fire Drill performances and striving for safe and successful timed evacuations.

IMPLEMENTATION DATE

February 2024

REVIEW DATE

The policy will be reviewed annually by the Board of Management.

CONCLUDING COMMENT

This statement has been prepared based on conditions existing in the premises of the school at the time of writing. It may be altered, revised or updated so as to comply with any changes of conditions.

 

RATIFICATION

This statement was adopted by the Board of Management on ________________________ .

 

Chairman : __________________________________ Date : _______________

 

Principal :___________________________________ Date : _______________

 

 

School Safety Officer : __________­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________  Date : _______________