Revised Guidelines on Managing Safety, Health and Welfare in Post-Primary Schools issued to all schools
Wednesday 12th December
Revised guidance for schools on managing workplace safety, health and welfare has been published and issued to all post-primary schools in the country. The updated Guidelines on Managing Safety, Health and Welfare in Post-Primary Schools are the outcome of a joint project undertaken by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and the State Claims Agency (SCA).
The Guidelines aim to assist schools in fulfilling their legal obligation to manage the safety, health and welfare of staff in the school. They are supported by online interactive risk assessment templates which can be found on the Health and Safety Authority’s website www.hsa.ie/education. Additional copies of the guidance can be downloaded here also.
Dr. Sharon McGuinness, CEO of the Health and Safety Authority, said, “The Guidelines help schools to follow a practical step-by-step approach to developing and using a safety statement. They are designed to be understood and used by school management and staff responsible for health and safety in the school environment. The interactive risk assessment templates will make it much easier to identify potential dangers in the workplace and they cover a wide range of workplace activities in the school context.”
Pat Kirwan, Deputy Director, State Claims Agency, said, “Schools have responsibility on a daily basis to manage a dynamic educational workplace that includes staff, students and visitors to the school. In so-doing, schools must manage the associated health and safety risks. These Guidelines provide a solid framework to do this.”
Regional awareness-raising sessions on using the Guidelines for Principals, Boards of Management and relevant post-holders will be advertised in Education Centres nationwide and will take place in January 2019. Local Education Centres can be contacted for further information. A range of free online short courses for school staff and pupils can be found on the HSA’s elearning portal https://hsalearning.ie. Schools can also access assistance and guidance to schools through its helpline on 1890 289 389 or by emailing wcu@hsa.ie.
ENDS.
